Michelle was born on 17 January, 1964 in Chicago Illinois. Her mother Marian was a former
secretary, and her father Fraser Robinson, worked at a city water plant. Michelle Obama was raised
in a conventional home, along with her brother Craig, who is 16 months older. Craig is also a
success story, with a history in mens basketball - he is currently Oregon State Beavers mens
basketball coach. Michelles father had high morals and levels of expectations, which she has carried
with her to date.
While better known as the wife of Republican Candidate Senator Barack Obama, Michelle is her own
success story. She appeared on a list of "25 of the World's Most Inspiring Women" published by
Essence magazine, which she followed up in 2007 with Vanity Fair magazine nominating her as one of
the "World's Ten Best Dressed People."
Again in 2007, she entered "The Harvard 100" - ranking 58th on a list of the prior year's most
influential Harvard alumni, with her husband Barack ranked fourth. She also keeps good company,
having made two campaign appearances with Oprah Winfrey (at the time of writing this).
Following Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, Michelle went to Princeton University,
graduating with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in African American studies. She then continued at
Harvard Law School, earning her law degree in 1988. Following law school, Michelle Obama worked as
an Associate in the field of marketing and intellectual property at the Chicago law firm, Sidley and
Austin. It was at Sidley and Austin that she met Barack Obama.
Leaving the corporate law world in 1991 to pursue a public service career, she became an assistant
to the Mayor of Chicago, and then Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development for Chicago.
Michelle Obama then served as Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago, where
she developed the University's first Community Service Program.
In 2002, she began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as an Executive Director
for Community Affairs, and then as Vice President for Community and External Affairs. She now works
this position part-time, to enable her to have more time to devote to her family.
Michelle married Barack Obama in 1992 and they now have two daughters, Malia Obama, born in 1999,
and Natasha Obama born in 2001. During 1993, she became Executive Director for the Chicago office of
Public Allies, a non-profit organization that helps young adults develop skills for careers in the
public sector.
Three months after her husband declared his Presidential Candidacy, she reduced her professional
responsibilities by eighty percent. Accepting the role of aspiring First Lady, she travels the
country with her husband, giving speeches and attending events - making sure she is not away from
her daughters for too long. Michelle Obama is described as focused, tough, steely, and has a sharp
sense of humor.
Past the point of no return, life for both Barack and Michelle Obama has now changed for ever. They
will always be in the sights of blatant and shameful propagandists who, for example, paint good
Christians as Muslims, and who show little regard for truth or family privacy. Secret Service
protection is now a way of life, with Michelle having her own dedicated team, as they face the fears
of extremist action.
Michelle Obama compliments her husband Barack well; she is naturally competitive, intelligent, does
not take things for granted and has a direct, practical approach toward politics. She likes to keep
things calm, keeping Barack focused, with his feet firmly planted on the ground. She displays a
determined passion for his campaign, and may well be the best asset Barack Obama has. However,
Michelle herself is increasingly being targeted; whether the dirty politics of America will turn on
their pre-teen children remains to be seen.
