Mrs barack obama biography

Michelle Obama , the wife of 44th U. Despite her initial misgivings, she proved to be an effective surrogate for him on the campaign trail. As a young mother, a fashion icon and the first African American first lady, Michelle Obama became a role model to many Americans. Both children skipped the second grade, and Michelle was later chosen for a gifted-student program that enabled her to take French and advanced biology courses.

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Making the lengthy daily trip to attend Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Michelle became student council treasurer and a member of the National Honor Society before graduating as class salutatorian in After earning her J. Assigned to mentor a summer intern named Barack Obama , she deflected his initial romantic advancements before they began dating.

They were engaged within two years, and married at the Trinity United Church of Christ on October 3, In , she was named executive director for the Chicago branch of Public Allies, a leadership-training program for young adults. When Obama decided to run for Illinois state senator in , Michelle proved a disciplined campaign aide by canvassing for signatures and throwing fundraising parties.

However, their victory presented the family with new challenges; following the births of daughters Malia and Sasha , Michelle often had to juggle the demands of work and child-rearing alone with her husband tending to business in the state capital of Springfield.

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Successful despite the difficulties, Michelle was named executive director of community relations and external affairs for the University of Chicago Hospitals in Initially criticized for her candor, Michelle soon proved an asset on the campaign trail with her knack for delivering relatable stories about her family. In , she worked with local elementary school students to plant a 1,square-foot vegetable garden on the South Lawn of the White House.

In , Michelle co-founded the Joining Forces program to expand educational and employment options for veterans and to raise awareness about the difficulties plaguing military families. After helping Obama win a second term in office, she formed the Reach Higher initiative to inspire young people to explore higher education and career-development opportunities.