We may think of First Lady Michelle Obama as American President Barack Obama’s wife, but before she ever stepped foot in the White House she was a distinguished student and lawyer and even now is an avid activist for many causes and charities. Find out more about her in her Kidzworld Bio!
Chicago Kid
Michelle Obama was born Michelle LaVaughn Robinson and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Michelle has told people that she grew up in a “conventional” home where her mother stayed at home and her father worked. Her brother Craig is a men’s coach for the Oregan State University basketball team.
As a child Michelle was naturally gifted academically, she skipped the second grade and by 6th grade was enrolled in a program for bright students at Bryn Mawr Elementary School. After being on the honor role for four years during high school and being the student council treasurer, she was named the class salutatorian of her year (only the Valedictorian has a higher standing.)
Law to First Lady
Given her academic abilities, it was only natural that Michelle follow in her brother Craig’s footsteps and attend Princeton University. She continued to excel at Princeton where she majored in Sociology and earned a minor in African American Studies. She also got involved with the Third World Center, an academic and cultural group that helps minority students excel with tools like tutoring. She went on to earn her law degree at Harvard University.
Michelle met her future husband (and future American President!) while working at Sidley Austin , a law firm in Chicago. She was assigned to mentor him as a summer student, but he quickly decided to try and woo the young lawyer and by 1992 the two work colleagues were married! They bonded over being two of the few African Americans at their workplace. In 1998 Michelle gave birth to their daughter Malia, and in 2001 their second daughter Sasha was born. Not just content with law, Michelle worked in the Chicago public sector where she excelled in fundraising for the non-profit Public Allies – in fact she broke the record for funds raised at the organization! While she was making waves in the non-profit sector, her husband was gearing up for his first major campaign to become President, and although she worried that being a politician of such importance may not be good for their daughters, by 2009 The Obamas were in The White House!
Michelle was on the cover of Vogue!Courtesy of Vogue
Fun Facts!
- Michelle and Barack’s first date was to see the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing
- Michelle is the third First Lady to have a postgraduate degree
- During the first few months of being First Lady she visited soup kitchens and homeless shelters
- The White House uses organic foods, and Michelle also installed the first White House vegetable garden and bee hives that produce organic honey!
- Michelle is an activist for LGBT rights, saying that she wants to teach her daughters that everyone is equal under the law
- She is a leader of Let’s Move, which aims to combat childhood obesity
- She is the second First Lady to appear on the cover of Vogue
- In the 2013 Oscars she was the first First Lady to announce the winner of an Oscar (to Argo, for Best Picture)
Check out Michelle Obama on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon promoting "Let's Move!"
Have Your Say
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