Obama, Michelle

Michelle La Vaughn Robinson Obama was born January 17, 1964, to Fraser Robinson III (who died in 1991) and Marian Shields Robinson. Having grown up on the south side of Chicago, she is a product of the broader African American community who traces her roots to pre-Civil War African Americans in the South. Her great-great grandfather, Jim Robinson, was a slave in South Carolina. Michelle exemplifies achievement through discrimination as well as opportunity, becoming the first African American First Lady of the United States. Her husband, Barack Obama, is the 44th president and a former senator from Illinois. Among the many other roles she plays, she is an attorney, a mother, and a health care executive.

She graduated from Whitney M. Young Magnet High School in 1981 and enrolled at Princeton University as a sociology major, with a minor in African American Studies. After graduating cum laude from Princeton in 1985 with her Bachelor of Arts, she matriculated at Harvard University Law School, where she received her Juris Doctor degree in 1988. Upon graduation, she joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, where she met her husband; she was assigned to be his mentor while he was a summer associate. The couple married in October 1992 at Trinity United Church of Christ. The couple has two daughters, Malia Ann born in 1999, and Natasha (Sasha), born in 2001.

Subsequent to Sidley Austin law firm, she worked for the City of Chicago as an assistant to Mayor Richard M. Daley. With her communication and community-organizing skills, she became the executive director for the Chicago office of Public Allies in 1993. In 1996, she became the associate dean of student services at the University of Chicago, where she developed the university's Community Center, moving on to serve as vice president for community and external affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center.

As the First Lady, she supports military families, working women balancing career and family, and national service. When the presidential campaign began in February 2007, Michelle initially reduced her work schedule to 20 percent by May. When it became difficult, she took a leave of absence. Whenever she was at home during this period, she tried to carry on her life with her children as normally as possible. The girls continued to be active in piano, dance, tennis, soccer, and gymnastics.

In May 2006, Essence magazine listed her among the “25 World's Most Inspiring Women.” In July 2007, Vanity Fair magazine listed her among “10 [Page 933]of the World's Best Dressed People.” In September 2007, 02138 magazine listed her 58th of “The Harvard 100,” a list of the year's most influential Harvard alumni. In July 2008, Michelle accepted the invitation to become an honorary member of the African American sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha.

First Lady Michelle Obama in early 2009 visiting Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care in Washington, D. C.