Marian Robinson, the mother of Michelle Obama who lived in the White House, dies at 86
WASHINGTON — On election night 2008, as Barack Obama sat nervously in a Chicago hotel suite and awaited news on whether he would become the country’s first Black president, his mother-in-law was by his side.
“Are you ready for this, Grandma?” Obama asked Marian Shields Robinson, who years earlier had doubted that he and her daughter, Michelle, would last.
Six months, tops, she had predicted.
“Never one to overemote, my mom just gave him a sideways look and shrugged, causing them both to smile,”
Michelle Obama wrote in her memoir, “Becoming.” “Later, though, she’d describe to me how overcome she’d felt right then, struck just as I’d been by his vulnerability. America had come to see Barack as self-assured and powerful, but my mother also recognized the gravity of the passage, the loneliness of the job ahead.” She continued: “The next time I looked over, I saw that she and Barack were holding hands.”
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All About Michelle Obama's Parents, Fraser and Marian Robinson
Michelle Obama's parents, Fraser and Marian Robinson, married in 1960 and raised the former first lady and her brother, Craig, in Chicago’s South Side, not far from where they each grew up.
Over the years, Michelle has openly praised her father, who died in 1991 — less than two years before she and former president Barack Obama married. Ahead of Father’s Day in 2021, the mom of two shared a photo of herself with her parents on Instagram and captioned it, “My father gave great advice, taught me the value of hard work, encouraged me to ask questions, and always gave me the space to do so."
Michelle has also been effusive in praise and gratitude for her mother, who died on May 31, 2024. "My mom was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same steady backstop for our entire family," the former first lady wrote on X, formerly Twitter, when announcing Marian's passing.
Here is a look at the lives of Michelle Obama’s parents, Fraser and Marian Robinson.
Fraser and Marian both grew up in Chica •
Description de l’éditeur
Michelle Obama's mother and the mother-in-law of Barack Obama, the 44th U.S. President, Marian Shields Robinson, had an extraordinary life that touched the course of history. She moved into the White House with the first family after her son-in-law, Barack Obama, was elected to the presidency. Marian was by Barack Obama's side on election night in 2008 as he awaited word on whether he would become the nation's first Black president. Her persistent support and quiet strength left an enduring impression on the Obama legacy. Marian regrettably died quietly at the age of 86, leaving a legacy of love, family, and sacrifice. Check out Chris R. Dixon's book "Marian Robinson: Exploring the Remarkable Life of Michelle Obama's Mother and Her Journey from Chicago to the White House" if you're interested in learning more about her life.