Through the years, people have always had to prove that they belonged in certain places just like everyone else. Rights were given to them by the Civil Rights Act, but many people still look at people of color in a disproving way. This is not just the case of everyday people.
The former First Lady Michelle Obama admitted that she also had to work harder to prove herself that any of the other former First Ladies of the United States. In an exclusive interview with Gayle King, Michelle Obama said that she worked harder during her husband’s campaign for President, and while they were in the White House. Mrs. Obama has always shown a classic and stylish beauty as well as an awareness of the struggles of a minority people that includes blacks and all people of color.
Michelle was asked about life on the campaign trail, and she replied that there were many accusations thrown at her, and she faced may stereotypes from various people all around the country. The interview took place at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. Michelle Obama felt that the Democrats as well as the Republicans turned the black woman’s strength into a cartoon character.
Critics were depicting her as an angry black woman who was depriving her husband of strength. Taking time out for this interview, Michelle was enjoying the 25th Essence Music Festival in New Orleans when she sat down with Gayle for this interview. Michelle reiterated during the talk a fact that many black women already know, and that is that they are often mislabeled and stereotyped because of the color of their skin.
This issue was brought up by Gayle King because it was discussed in Michelle’s memoirs, Becoming. She was a successful lawyer in Chicago, and felt that she had to fight her way to the top from very humble beginnings as First Lady.
Michelle Obama expressed that she was honored to have the opportunity to tell her story through her book because many black women did not get the chance to tell their story.
Michelle felt that it was important for people to know from whence they came because they only see them as President and First Lady, and do not know what it took for them to get there. Michelle’s memoir is said to become the most popular memoir in history across all of North America. Both Republicans and Democrats tried to take her down by focusing on the black woman’s strength, and making it a caricature. Michelle felt that she had to work extraordinarily hard to make because she was the first African American First Lady in the United State’s history.
She had to prove to the nation and the world that she was smart, strategic, and that she could work harder than any other First Lady in history. She now reaps the rewards from all of her efforts in the White House, and the years before Barack Obama was President fir twi terms.
