Obama visits Kenya: A look back on reactions to his ancestry

Slide through the timeline above for information on President Barack Obama's family history.

Despite all of the judgment that Obama has faced surrounding his ancestry, his visit to Kenya will be monumental for him and for his presidency.

Barack Obama has faced criticism about his roots since 2007, when he announced that he was running for president. Consequentially, the "birther" movement gathered steam in 2009, when people began speculating Obama's ancestry. There's even a Twitter account dedicated to providing the "latest on Obama identity document fraud issue".

The quest to prove that Obama was not a citizen spread across the nation. Citizens and politicians alike demanded to see the future president's birth certificate to prove his ancestry.

In 2011, Donald Trump criticized Obama for making a statement on Kwanza but neglecting to make a statement about Christmas:

Some politicians spoke out on the issue, citing his race as the main reason for people's demand of proof of his U.S. citizenship. In 2009, Jimmy Carter said:

%shareLinks-quote="An overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man." type="quote" author="Jimmy Carter" authordesc="Former U.S. President" isquoteoftheday="false%

In 2008, Geraldine A. Ferraro -- a former congresswomen and vice-presidential candidate said:

%shareLinks-quote="If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman of any color, he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." type="quote" author="Geraldine A. Ferraro" authordesc="former congresswoman and vice-presidential candidate" isquoteoftheday="false"%

The president -- along with his team at the White House -- stood up for his roots in a strong way when he tweeted this from his account in August 2012:

Obama will arrive in Kenya tonight and will also be making a stop in Ethiopia. He is expected to discuss security and trade issues. He will also address topics relating to democracy, poverty and human rights.

For more on President Obama's ancestral background, watch the video below:

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