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    LIFE Michelle Obama
    LIFE Michelle Obama
    LIFE Michelle Obama
    Ebook195 pages1 hour

    LIFE Michelle Obama

    By Meredith Corporation

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    About this ebook

    From her youth on Chicago's South Side to her years at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as America's First Lady, and in the years that have followed, Michelle Obama has shown the world how to lead with kindness and grace. Revisit the glorious, historic era of the Obama White House—and the many roads traveled to get there—in LIFE Michelle Obama, a photo-filled biography and Special Edition featuring beautiful images and discerning text from the editors of LIFE. Follow Michelle's journey from her years under the tutelage of her mother, Marian, who encouraged her children to be thinkers, doers, and decision makers, to her time at Princeton, Harvard Law, and then back home to Chicago to work for the law firm Sidley Austin, where one fateful, rainy day in 1989, a young man named Barack walked through the door. Relive their romance, and their time in the Illinois Senate back in early aughts, before the Obamas would become a household and worldwide name. In the White House, Michelle would dedicate much of her time to ensuring the next generation of children lived a healthy, active lifestyle, and outside of it, she'd be recognized as a fashion icon on par with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMeredith Corporation
    Release dateAug 21, 2020
    ISBN9781547856152
    LIFE Michelle Obama

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      Book preview

      LIFE Michelle Obama - Meredith Corporation

      Obama

      INTRODUCTION

      A CLASS OF HER OWN

      By Haley Sweetland Edwards

      PAUL SANCYA/AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK

      The Democratic National Convention, July 2016.

      Michelle Obama rocketed into the American consciousness just 16 years ago, shortly after her husband’s speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention galvanized voters and launched his national political career. In those early days, reporters grappled with how to describe the statuesque wife of Illinois state senator Barack Obama. Some, besotted by her flawless fashion choices, likened her to Jacqueline Kennedy, while others, noting her deep intelligence, invoked Eleanor Roosevelt. But neither description seemed quite right. And from the outset, Michelle evaded classification as a political plus-one, destined instead to become a force in her own right.

      She was, for starters, never just a senator’s wife. The towering 5-foot-11 Michelle was a Princeton- and Harvard-educated attorney in possession of a sharp wit, formidable ambition—and arms that would make a gladiator blush. If some political spouses such as Hillary Clinton embraced the limelight, and others, such as Barbara Bush, opted for domesticity, Michelle Obama fit neither mold. She told anyone who would listen that she hated politics, and yet she seemed also to chafe at expectations that she play a deferential role. It wasn’t always easy going.

      During her husband’s first presidential campaign, critics slammed Michelle for over sharing when she joked about his morning breath, and she regularly made headlines—both glowing and scathing—for her unguardedly expressive face. (In 2013, Buzzfeed compiled a list of Michelle’s 38 greatest facial expressions, many of which reappear in GIFs and jokes online today.) In one particularly memorable gaffe, Michelle told a campaign rally, For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. The comment drew fury from Republicans and sparked a national conversation about the complex patriotism often required of Black Americans.

      But in emerging into the searing limelight, Michelle Obama also found her way, quietly becoming something of an idol for American women trying to make their way in a career-driven world. Michelle was not just a political wife and the mother of two beautiful girls. And she was not just an ambitious lawyer of her own. She was, unapologetically, both. In campaign speeches, and later, in countless addresses as First Lady, she celebrated her roles, inviting voters into the ups and downs of her family life, joking about her husband allowing the bread to go stale on the counter, and expertly articulating the complex challenges facing young Americans today.

      Michelle, who was raised in modest means on Chicago’s South Side, seemed to give credence to the possibilities that America offered—and to add urgency to efforts to equalize access to real opportunity. When she spoke about the Obama administration’s efforts to help students repay massive debt, voters had reason to believe her. You’re looking at a young couple that’s just a few years out of debt, Michelle told a crowd, referring to herself and her husband. See, because, we went to those good schools, and we didn’t have trust funds. I’m still waiting for Barack’s trust fund.

      If she was once reticent about politics, Michelle embraced her role as First Lady, using her podium to become a fitness leader, an advocate for healthy eating, and a persistent example of grace and poise. If her predecessor Laura Bush had been known for her flawless etiquette, Michelle’s charm was somewhat more earthy. Her language was often peppered with the jargon of pop-culture and references to TV shows, and she spoke openly and bluntly about life’s challenges. She had every right to be pretentious, but somehow, she was utterly without pretension.

      And she managed to do it all, as was said of Ginger Rogers, backwards and in heels. As the country’s first African American First Lady, Michelle carried the additional responsibility, fairly or not, of representing an often underrepresented community. In an essay on TheRoot.com, Kim McLarin described Michelle and Barack’s relationship as validation for dark-skinned women. He chose one of us, and I am thrilled, McLarin writes. She loves, respects, and adores Barack, but she is the prize and she damn well knows it. He better know it, too. In 2008, Ebony magazine named the Obamas to its 10 Hottest Couples list, alongside Beyoncé and Jay-Z.

      As her time in the White House drew to a close, and the venomous 2016 presidential campaign reached a crescendo, Michelle took on a new role—that of fiery orator. In a memorable speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, it was Michelle Obama who, this time, gave a speech that galvanized the crowd. Touching on race, partisanship, patriotism and feminism, her words united a divided arena and offered an upbeat version of how far America has come.

      Those themes have remained a constant in Michelle’s post-White House works, from her 2018 autobiography, Becoming, which has sold more than 10 million copies, to her 2020 YouTube commencement address. And while the former First Lady’s appearances inevitably spark interest and applause, she remains grounded, her legacy clear. She is one of the most loved American icons representing grit, grace, humility—and the importance of fresh veggies.

      KEVIN MAZUR/THE RECORDING ACADEMY/GETTY

      Michelle Obama has long been a crucial voice with an avid fan base. When she joined Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Lopez at the 2019 Grammy Awards, she had to calm the cheering with All right, you all, all right, we got a show to do.

      STR/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK

      During a stop in Vietnam to promote girls’ education, she was approached by a fan with a hug.

      LIM HUEY TENG/REUTERS

      The former First Lady and President attended a community service project in Malaysia in December 2019.

      MARCEL KRIJGSMAN/HOLLANDSE HOOGTE/REDUX

      After the release of her memoir, Becoming, Michelle’s speaking events sold out in Amsterdam and elsewhere.

      DEAR CLASS OF 2020

      YOUR STORY MATTERS

      On June 7, 2020, as America entered its fourth month of deaths and lockdowns due to Covid-19, and as massive Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality unfolded across the nation, YouTube hosted a virtual celebration of students whose graduation plans had been upended. Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, BTS, Lizzo and Lady Gaga were among those who participated, but there was little doubt who the headliners were: Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. The couple initially spoke together, addressing the 665,000 viewers who tuned in live for the four-hour production (more than 17 million watched over the next 24 hours). Then they spoke separately. Michelle Obama’s tack was both personal and direct. Acknowledging the protests in the streets and acknowledging the horrific incident that inspired them—the brutal killing of

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