By Charlotte Fontaine
NASHVILLE, TN — Michelle Lauvghn Robinson Obama was born on January 17, 1964. Her childhood centered around a close relationship to her family while she was being raised in the South Side of Chicago, IL. Growing up in a cramped second floor apartment owned by her aunt, Obama was brought up on a foundation that valued strong work ethic, resilience in hardship, and dreaming big despite limitations. She was born to Fraser Robinson, III, a city water plant employee by day, Democratic precinct captain by night, and Marian Shields Robinson, a secretary turned homemaker who dedicated many years of her life solely to raising Michelle and her older brother, Craig. Obama has credited her mother with her ability to accomplish so much, sharing on X (formerly known as Twitter), in 2022, “From an early age, my mom, Marian Robinson, taught me how to think for myself, use my own voice, and understand my own worth.”
Obama experienced racism and exclusion at a young age. In the second grade, Michelle had a teacher belittle her simply because she was Black. She was soon catching positive attention of other educators, however, being placed in gifted classes, receiving good grades, and quickly becoming known for her stoic intelligence even as a little girl. On her bus rides to and from school, Michelle would sit next to Santita Jackson, daughter of Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson. Becoming class Salutatorian in 1981, graduating from Whitney Young, Chicago’s first magnet high school, everyone predicted Obama would have a bright future ahead.
Despite earning her place as a student at the academically rigorous Princeton University, Obama would again experience racism, in an intimate way. Majoring in ociology, and Minoring in African American studies (one can read her thesis – “Princeton Educated Blacks and the Black Community” where she interviewed Princeton students post-graduation, paneling their experiences of race in the work world off campus) upon arrival in her freshman dorm, she was rejected by her randomly assigned roommate, whose family did not want their daughter to be living with a Black woman.
Obama was focused and determined to make something of herself despite countless experiences of not being accepted by the world because of the color of her skin and background. As a young adult, she was carving out an impressive resume. Upon graduating Princeton, she went on to become a student at Harvard Law School. It was during her work at Sidley Austin law firm she met her future husband and president, Barack Obama. Over 15 years into their marriage, Michelle became the first Black woman to be First Lady of the White House. Known for her lifelong dedications to physical health, and adolescent girls education, her “Let’s Move!” program with an intent to end childhood obesity became a well known sensation whose effects can still be soon in school cafeterias today.
The year 1964, beyond Michelle’s birthday, was one of brutal Race Riots clutching cities across the US, the Civil Rights Act getting signed into law, and when the Beatles first arrived in America. To some, birthdays are celebrations mostly meant for children, and as they approach in adulthood they can take on a more sinister significance of getting older, with a lack of desire for cake, and candles. To others, however, birthdays can be a fun triumph, a privilege of the marking of time and all a person has accomplished in their lifetime so far. As Michelle Obama is is swiftly approaching her 60th birthday, we can all recognize the success she has achieved despite setbacks in her early life.
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