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Michelle Obama comes back to London where she learned how to help girls succeed Michelle Obama comes back to London, where she learned how to help girls succeed
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When Michelle Obama shared her story with students at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school in Islington, London, four years ago, the girls responded with cheers and smiles. She answered with hugs. As she climbed into her car, she told aides: “I could do that all day.”When Michelle Obama shared her story with students at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school in Islington, London, four years ago, the girls responded with cheers and smiles. She answered with hugs. As she climbed into her car, she told aides: “I could do that all day.”
Obama, who was labouring to define a meaningful White House role for herself, found her voice when she recognised that the lessons of her upbringing as a black girl on the working-class south side of Chicago translated to audiences around the world.Obama, who was labouring to define a meaningful White House role for herself, found her voice when she recognised that the lessons of her upbringing as a black girl on the working-class south side of Chicago translated to audiences around the world.
It is a more confident and outspoken American first lady who returns to London on Monday – accompanied by her mother, Marian Robinson, and daughters Malia and Sasha – to push Let Girls Learn, her international effort to channel disadvantaged adolescents towards university. In her seventh year in the White House, with no races left to run, Obama is talking more often about the themes of inequality and uplift that have long been her passion. Focusing on young people, especially girls of colour, she offers the example of her own trajectory as a member of the first generation to come of age after the civil rights movement. Her message defines poverty, sexism and racism as enduring hardships to be faced and overcome.It is a more confident and outspoken American first lady who returns to London on Monday – accompanied by her mother, Marian Robinson, and daughters Malia and Sasha – to push Let Girls Learn, her international effort to channel disadvantaged adolescents towards university. In her seventh year in the White House, with no races left to run, Obama is talking more often about the themes of inequality and uplift that have long been her passion. Focusing on young people, especially girls of colour, she offers the example of her own trajectory as a member of the first generation to come of age after the civil rights movement. Her message defines poverty, sexism and racism as enduring hardships to be faced and overcome.
Two in three Americans have a favourable impression of Obama. She is consistently more popular than her husband. Yet she faces a vociferous array of critics on the political right who think she talks too much about what ails the United States, especially the stark shortage of opportunity for millions of children limited by poor schools, dangerous neighbourhoods, even unhealthy diets.Two in three Americans have a favourable impression of Obama. She is consistently more popular than her husband. Yet she faces a vociferous array of critics on the political right who think she talks too much about what ails the United States, especially the stark shortage of opportunity for millions of children limited by poor schools, dangerous neighbourhoods, even unhealthy diets.
She recently recalled the pummelling she took during the 2008 campaign, when she was called “Mrs Grievance” and “Barack’s Bitter Half”. She said: “I had a lot of sleepless nights, worrying about what people thought of me, wondering if I might be hurting my husband’s chances of winning his election, fearing how my girls would feel if they found out what some people were saying about their mom.” Her answer was to persevere.She recently recalled the pummelling she took during the 2008 campaign, when she was called “Mrs Grievance” and “Barack’s Bitter Half”. She said: “I had a lot of sleepless nights, worrying about what people thought of me, wondering if I might be hurting my husband’s chances of winning his election, fearing how my girls would feel if they found out what some people were saying about their mom.” Her answer was to persevere.
“Throughout this journey, I have learned to block everything out and focus on my truth,” the 51-year-old first lady told graduates in May at Tuskegee University, a historically African-American college. “I had to answer for myself, ‘Who am I? No, really, who am I?’”“Throughout this journey, I have learned to block everything out and focus on my truth,” the 51-year-old first lady told graduates in May at Tuskegee University, a historically African-American college. “I had to answer for myself, ‘Who am I? No, really, who am I?’”
The stories Obama tells are rooted in her working-class upbringing in the 1960s and 1970s. Around the dinner table she learned the history of her parents and grandparents, who knew the sting of racial prejudice in one of America’s most segregated cities.The stories Obama tells are rooted in her working-class upbringing in the 1960s and 1970s. Around the dinner table she learned the history of her parents and grandparents, who knew the sting of racial prejudice in one of America’s most segregated cities.
If Fraser C Robinson Jr had been born white, Obama once said of her shrewd and smart paternal grandfather, he would have been a banker. But in Chicago before the civil rights movement he became a postal worker. Her maternal grandfather, Purnell Shields, was a talented carpenter, but when he was a young man, the best jobs were reserved for members of trade unions that barred African-Americans.If Fraser C Robinson Jr had been born white, Obama once said of her shrewd and smart paternal grandfather, he would have been a banker. But in Chicago before the civil rights movement he became a postal worker. Her maternal grandfather, Purnell Shields, was a talented carpenter, but when he was a young man, the best jobs were reserved for members of trade unions that barred African-Americans.
Obama’s father, Fraser C Robinson III, was warm and gregarious. A former boxer, swimmer and soldier, he spent his working life tending boilers at the city’s water plant, a patronage job he owed to his service to Chicago’s Democratic machine under mayor Richard J Daley. As a young man, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; he died before his 56th birthday.Obama’s father, Fraser C Robinson III, was warm and gregarious. A former boxer, swimmer and soldier, he spent his working life tending boilers at the city’s water plant, a patronage job he owed to his service to Chicago’s Democratic machine under mayor Richard J Daley. As a young man, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; he died before his 56th birthday.
Neither of Obama’s parents graduated from university, a regret they turned into a lesson for Michelle and her older brother, Craig. Their lessons were rooted in a paradox echoed in Obama’s thinking to this day. One was the fact that it was not a level playing field for their children because of their race and class. The other was the faith that a combination of love, support, perseverance and upright living could win out.Neither of Obama’s parents graduated from university, a regret they turned into a lesson for Michelle and her older brother, Craig. Their lessons were rooted in a paradox echoed in Obama’s thinking to this day. One was the fact that it was not a level playing field for their children because of their race and class. The other was the faith that a combination of love, support, perseverance and upright living could win out.
Obama sketched the juxtaposition in a speech to a largely black audience in South Carolina in November 2007, during the first presidential campaign. On the one hand, she spoke of the “veil of impossibility that keeps us down and keeps our children down – keeps us waiting and hoping for a turn that may never come. It’s the bitter legacy of racism and discrimination and oppression in this country.”Obama sketched the juxtaposition in a speech to a largely black audience in South Carolina in November 2007, during the first presidential campaign. On the one hand, she spoke of the “veil of impossibility that keeps us down and keeps our children down – keeps us waiting and hoping for a turn that may never come. It’s the bitter legacy of racism and discrimination and oppression in this country.”
On the other, she reported that her grandfather Fraser “filled my brother and me with big dreams about the lives we could lead. He taught me that my destiny had not been written before I was born, that it was in my hands.”On the other, she reported that her grandfather Fraser “filled my brother and me with big dreams about the lives we could lead. He taught me that my destiny had not been written before I was born, that it was in my hands.”
Despite warnings from high-school advisers who said her scores were too low, Obama worked her way into Princeton University, where she immediately struggled academically. She was stunned by the wealth and privilege she saw among her white classmates at an elite university where just 8% of the students were African-American.Despite warnings from high-school advisers who said her scores were too low, Obama worked her way into Princeton University, where she immediately struggled academically. She was stunned by the wealth and privilege she saw among her white classmates at an elite university where just 8% of the students were African-American.
She felt an outsider even as she earned honours in the sociology department. Shortly before her 1985 graduation, she wrote that her years on campus made her “far more aware of my Blackness than ever before. I have found that at Princeton, no matter how liberal and open-minded some of my White professors and classmates try to be toward me, I sometimes feel like a visitor on campus; as if I really didn’t belong.”She felt an outsider even as she earned honours in the sociology department. Shortly before her 1985 graduation, she wrote that her years on campus made her “far more aware of my Blackness than ever before. I have found that at Princeton, no matter how liberal and open-minded some of my White professors and classmates try to be toward me, I sometimes feel like a visitor on campus; as if I really didn’t belong.”
After Harvard Law School, Obama returned to Chicago and a highly paid job at a law firm, where she was asked to mentor a Harvard student called Barack Obama. He was cute, smart, different. He grew up in Hawaii, had lived in Indonesia. He was named Barack. “I always thought he’d be useful,” she said in a talk at Oxford in 2011.After Harvard Law School, Obama returned to Chicago and a highly paid job at a law firm, where she was asked to mentor a Harvard student called Barack Obama. He was cute, smart, different. He grew up in Hawaii, had lived in Indonesia. He was named Barack. “I always thought he’d be useful,” she said in a talk at Oxford in 2011.
Obama spent 20 years developing a professional and civic profile in Chicago independent of her increasingly famous husband. She spent a dozen of those years at the University of Chicago, seeking to bridge the private institution and the surrounding black working-class neighbourhoods.Obama spent 20 years developing a professional and civic profile in Chicago independent of her increasingly famous husband. She spent a dozen of those years at the University of Chicago, seeking to bridge the private institution and the surrounding black working-class neighbourhoods.
Opportunities for advancement had increased for African-Americans since the era when her parents came of age. Obama had possibilities they could hardly have imagined. And yet, she often said, thousands of young people like her had been left behind for lack of a good school, a supportive family or perhaps a lucky break.Opportunities for advancement had increased for African-Americans since the era when her parents came of age. Obama had possibilities they could hardly have imagined. And yet, she often said, thousands of young people like her had been left behind for lack of a good school, a supportive family or perhaps a lucky break.
She also thought about gender relationships and the struggle of women to find a satisfying balance between work and family lives. She spoke openlyof ways her marriage did not always go smoothly. Although she, too, had a pair of Ivy League degrees and significant professional ambition, more often than not the logistical work of parenting two young girls and running the household fell to her. Barack was less involved – and less evolved – than she had expected.She also thought about gender relationships and the struggle of women to find a satisfying balance between work and family lives. She spoke openlyof ways her marriage did not always go smoothly. Although she, too, had a pair of Ivy League degrees and significant professional ambition, more often than not the logistical work of parenting two young girls and running the household fell to her. Barack was less involved – and less evolved – than she had expected.
She sometimes wondered why his ambitions always seemed to take precedence over hers.Barack said they argued repeatedly about how to juggle their obligations to work and family. Michelle’s anger towards him “seemed barely contained”, he wrote. She told him more than once: “You only think about yourself. I never thought I’d have to raise a family alone.” Her displeasure forced him to confront the ways he was falling short.She sometimes wondered why his ambitions always seemed to take precedence over hers.Barack said they argued repeatedly about how to juggle their obligations to work and family. Michelle’s anger towards him “seemed barely contained”, he wrote. She told him more than once: “You only think about yourself. I never thought I’d have to raise a family alone.” Her displeasure forced him to confront the ways he was falling short.
In the harsh spotlight of the White House after the history-making 2008 campaign, Michelle Obama worked to define a role that went beyond feelgood photo opportunities. Ever strategic, she told her staff: “Don’t just put me on a plane, send me someplace and have me smile.”In the harsh spotlight of the White House after the history-making 2008 campaign, Michelle Obama worked to define a role that went beyond feelgood photo opportunities. Ever strategic, she told her staff: “Don’t just put me on a plane, send me someplace and have me smile.”
After making certain heryoung daughters were settled, she developed a portfolio of issues, starting with childhood obesity, which afflicts an estimated one in three US children, with higher percentages among black and Hispanic kids. She focused on the lives of military families, where soldiers and their partners most typically have only a high-school education. And she began pushing more young people at home and abroad into university and skills training.After making certain heryoung daughters were settled, she developed a portfolio of issues, starting with childhood obesity, which afflicts an estimated one in three US children, with higher percentages among black and Hispanic kids. She focused on the lives of military families, where soldiers and their partners most typically have only a high-school education. And she began pushing more young people at home and abroad into university and skills training.
Feeling liberated after Barack’s election to a second term in 2012, the first lady uses her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to support an array of progressive causes, including immigration reform and LGBT rights. She also began to speak more directly on issues of race. She is not afraid of acting in skits on late-night TV or dancing for fitness on YouTube videos that collect tens of millions of hits. Most recently, she shot a workout video that showed her kick-boxing and lifting weights. “As you can see,” she once said, “I’m pretty much willing to make a complete fool out of myself to get our kids moving.”Feeling liberated after Barack’s election to a second term in 2012, the first lady uses her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts to support an array of progressive causes, including immigration reform and LGBT rights. She also began to speak more directly on issues of race. She is not afraid of acting in skits on late-night TV or dancing for fitness on YouTube videos that collect tens of millions of hits. Most recently, she shot a workout video that showed her kick-boxing and lifting weights. “As you can see,” she once said, “I’m pretty much willing to make a complete fool out of myself to get our kids moving.”
With 18 months left in her White House tenure, Obama is defending her record – and her husband’s – while making clear she is not yet finished. She has no interest in following Hillary Clinton’s path into politics, but says she has learned something about how a serious-minded first lady can be useful.With 18 months left in her White House tenure, Obama is defending her record – and her husband’s – while making clear she is not yet finished. She has no interest in following Hillary Clinton’s path into politics, but says she has learned something about how a serious-minded first lady can be useful.
Obama discussed the role during a trip to Africa amid a typical media fuss over one of her new hairstyles. She said: “We take our bangs and stand in front of important things the world needs to see. And eventually, people stop looking at the bangs and start looking at what we’re standing in front of.”Obama discussed the role during a trip to Africa amid a typical media fuss over one of her new hairstyles. She said: “We take our bangs and stand in front of important things the world needs to see. And eventually, people stop looking at the bangs and start looking at what we’re standing in front of.”
Peter Slevin spent a decade on the national staff of the Washington Post. His new biography is Michelle Obama: A Life, which was published in AprilPeter Slevin spent a decade on the national staff of the Washington Post. His new biography is Michelle Obama: A Life, which was published in April