Michelle Obama's Impact on African American Women and Girls

Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls

“An engaging, multi-dimensional commentary on embracing power with poise and grace. Michelle Obama simply lives the American brand with a secure humil- ity that should be replicated in all of our leaders. This collection of essays serves as an Obama encore. I want more!” —Robert J. Benz, Co-Founder, Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives

“A timely and insightful work, Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls is an impactful piece. It is one that should be read for ALL generations to come. Kudos to the authors who heeded the call and contributed to this thought-provoking book.” —Sharron Goodman-Hill, Instructor of Mass Communications, Rust College and Host, WURC’s Straight Talk Live

“This timely collection reminds us all how the character of our national leaders profoundly shapes our everyday lives and aspirations. In engaging and heartfelt contributions, these authors show how Michelle Obama not only infuenced national policy initiatives, but how her character sets a legacy of integrity, energy and intelligence that continues to inspire and guide millions of Americans.” —Marilyn Krogh, Associate Professor of Sociology, Loyola University Chicago

“This lively, personal, and insightful anthology makes abundantly clear the far-reaching and multi-faceted impact of Michelle Obama. In the work of these authors, the First Lady’s legacy will nourish and challenge future generations of Americans to come. I welcome and celebrate this book!” —Patricia A. Schechter, Professor of History, Portland State University

“It is necessary and inspiring to read these insightful and powerful refections on the legacy of Michelle Obama. America’s only African American First Lady made an extraordinary impression around the world during her eight years in the White House. From her stylish emergence in 2008 to her powerful oratory at the Democratic National Convention in 2016, she has energized people around the globe. This marvelous collection of essays and refections is a beautiful and critically important documentation of Michelle Obama’s impact and a thoughtful exploration of the issues her leadership has shaped.” —Bryan Stevenson, Director, Equal Justice Initiative and Professor of Law, New York University and best-selling author of Just Mercy “This collection of the myriad voices of Black women from all felds pays tribute to the inspiring, eloquent, and elegant former First Lady, Michelle Obama. The contents of this compelling and provocative book, more than a mere compilation of essays and poems, are rather deeply felt personal, heartfelt refections on Mrs. Obama’s legacy. No need to read in chronological order, from beginning to end; treat it like a literary smorgasbord; a tasting menu; but do read it all! Completely satisfying, engaging and all together spiritually nourishing. A true keepsake.” —Tazewell Thompson, Award-winning Playwright, Theatre and Opera Director Michelle Duster · Paula Marie Seniors Rose C. Thevenin Editors Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls Editors Michelle Duster Rose C. Thevenin Columbia College Chicago Department of Social Sciences Chicago, IL, USA Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens, FL, USA Paula Marie Seniors Africana Studies Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA, USA

ISBN 978-3-319-92467-0 ISBN 978-3-319-92468-7 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92468-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018942885

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifcally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microflms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifc statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affliations.

Cover credit: Courtesy of The Obama Presidential Library/The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Cover design by Fatima Jamadar

Printed on acid-free paper

This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer International Publishing AG part of Springer Nature The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland Womanity, Cheryl Green The juxtaposition of stability and the diversity in texture, color and movement are synonymous with the personality of our country’s First Lady, Michelle Obama. She embodies the example of what an all- American woman should be. Her combination of warmth, candor, intelligence, stability and colorful personality brings out the humanity in those she comes in contact with, a distinction that has made her the subject of admiration, curiosity and even controversy. She embodies the quali- ties of the kind of daughter, mother, wife, business partner and/or friend that you would want or hope to have in your life. Her confdence is what allows her to be so natural and poised, and her American experience is so relatable that she inspired a sense of energy within myself to follow my passion, count my blessings, be true to myself and stay grounded. To my parents Donald and Maxine Duster, who always believed in my brothers and me. Thank you for being creative about stretching modest resources to provide amazing opportunities and experiences. —Michelle Duster I dedicate this book to my daughter Shakeila and to my present students at Virginia Tech, and former students from Florida Memorial College and The College of New Jersey. May you soar like Michelle Obama! —Paula Marie Seniors In loving memory of three phenomenal women. Marie Jacqueline Thevenin, Francine Barthelemy and Annanie Charlo whose nurturing, love and support will always remain unmatched. —Rose C. Thevenin Acknowledgements

We wholeheartedly thank Shaun Vigil, the flm cultural and media studies editor at Palgrave Macmillan for having complete confdence in Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls from the moment we contacted him. Thank you, Shaun for your grace, your unstinting kindness, support and patience with us. Thank you also Glenn Ramirez the cultural, media and communications assistant editor for your hard work in getting our book published. —Michelle Duster, Paula Marie Seniors and Rose C. Thevenin Thank you to my fellow editors Paula Marie Seniors and Rose C. Thevenin for your scholarship, friendship and inspiration. Thank you to the women in my life who taught and showed me by example how to navigate the world with grace, intellect, pride and a sense of humor: Norma Bean, Barbara Brown, Erma Bruce, Eloise Cornelius, Jacqueline Duster, Murrell Duster, Alfreda Ferrell, Alma Henley, Charlotte Martin, Carole Savage, Marva Watkins, and Alma Wyatt. Never-ending thanks for support and encouragement from my brothers David and Daniel Duster and my uncle Troy Duster. And my cous- ins: Denise Bland, Hal Bland, Frank Carroll, Roy Carroll, Troy Carroll, Charles Cross, Horace Cross, Charles Duster, Jr., Jon Duster, Carlla Franklin, Connie Hicks, Cecelia Hunt, Marin Heiskell, Michael Heiskell, Nicole Porter, Charles Smith, Racheal Walker, and Patricia Woods. And all of my wonderful friends: Debra Almgren-Horwitz, Kyra Auslander, Lance Brown, Lemar Brown, Michael Brown, Stephanie Carr,

ix x Acknowledgements

Jennie Chen, Todd Cranford, Margaret Eaglin, Crystal Fencke, Robin Florzak, Sophie Folly, Pat Fuller, Gina Gayle, Jeanne Gills, Carole Green, Cheryl Green, Herb Hardwick, Deborah Hayden, Camilla Hudson, Marilyn Jackson, Veronica Jenkins, Jen Cullerton Johnson, Eric Kearney, Adrienne Lotson, Karyn Marsh, Ervin Martin, Rena Henderson Mason, Adrienne McCue, Sonia Myrick, Tracey Newsome, Christy Niezgodski, Jerome Ratliffe, Michael Ratliffe, Marvin Rochelle, Alejandro Rodriguez, Tracey Salmon-Smith, Kenneth Scott, Howard Shavers, Casey Smith, Trina Sotira, Daina Staisiunas, Paul Stoner. Maurice Sykes, Julie Taylor, Bernard Turner, Ernestine Weaver, Chamille Weddington, Ganiyu Williams, and Quentin Wyatt. Thank you for help- ing me make it through this unforgettable six-year journey! —Michelle Duster At the beginning of our collaboration, Michelle Duster worked tire- lessly with Rose and me on Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls while simultaneously advocating to keep her great-grandmother, anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells legacy alive. When we began this book, Rose Thevenin and I longed silently and in my case desperately for motherhood. With the books completion, Rose and I are proud single mothers of feisty African American girls who we will raise to aspire to greatness. I thank Michelle and Rose for their friendship and their commitment to our book. I am grateful to my father Clarence Henry Seniors for his unbend- ing love, support and encouragement. I am grateful to the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities for granting me space to think for two years with the South Atlantic Humanities Faculty Fellow, South Atlantic Humanities Award, and the sabbatical year. I would especially like to thank Dr. Joanne Gabbin, Ann Spencer, Hillary Holladay, Jeanne Nicholson Siler and Rob Vaughan for the awards. I am ever thankful for my VFH friends Judy Moody and Jeanne Palin for their everyday encouragement, supportive words and friendship. I would also like to thank my VFH comrades for their friendship and conversations Caroline R. Cades, Jeanne Siler, Elliott Majerczyk, Sarah McConnell, Ramona Marcia, Jamal Millner, Diana Williams, Emily Gadek and Brigid McCarthy. I am also ever appreciative of the fellows. I want to express my gratitude to all the contributors, especially my former Virginia Tech students graduate student Daveisha Gibson and undergraduate students Suzannah Grace ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xi

Sese-khalid Jones, and Yasmine Huggins. I am so grateful to the strong women who came before me, my mother Audrey Proctor Seniors (deceased), my Aunt Doris Proctor, self-defense activist Mae Mallory and her daughter educator/activist Patricia Oduba. I am also thankful for my friends Verna Hampton, Antoinette Thomas, Charlotte Houston, Laura Clark, Nadine Saxton, Adriene Hughes, Marianne Kubik, Nichole Rustin Paschal, Janet Splitter, Keith Driver and Lucy. I am forever grateful and thankful to my mentors and friends Dr. Gloria Dickinson (deceased), Dr. Carole Boyce Davies, Dr. Carol Bailey and Dr. Joanne Gabbin. —Paula Marie Seniors I thank God for all His blessings. I thank my family whose love and support have brought me this far, Pierre, Regine, Mitchell, Nancy, Stanley, Stella and Jeff. Mere words cannot adequately express how much you all mean to me. A very, very special thanks to Regine, thanks for everything. To my children whose beaming smiles light up my days, may this volume inspire your journeys and pathways. I would like to thank all of the people who taught me the historian’s craft, and I remain humble and grateful for your guidance, encouragement and never-ending support especially the late Monroe Fordham, Whittington B. Johnson, Wilma King, Darlene Clark Hine, Harry Reed, Richard Thomas and the late Victor Barthelemy. I can never fnd enough words to thank all of you for your never-ending faith in my work. My most sincere thanks to Dr. David A. Carson, and the history and social sciences departments at the State University College at Buffalo, the University of Miami, and Michigan State University especially Leslie Moch, Lewis Seigelbaum, Maxi Jackson and Patrick McConeghy. Special thanks to William Perry, Robert Labadie and Thomas Bynum. Special thanks to the MSU “crew” for your friendship and encouragement especially Marshanda Smith. Thanks to Karl S. Wright and Mary Williams at Clafin University and a very special thanks to Sandra Thompson, Monique Earl Lewis and my colleagues at Florida Memorial University. Special thanks to the ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. for your sisterly love and strong support. To Beatrice Rabel, Yves Gachette and Patricia Lieba, “ours” is one that has withstood the test of time. I would like to take this opportunity to formally thank the men and women of the U.S. military, thank you for all that you do to keep our nation safe. My essay “A Quiet Story” is an attempt to illuminate some xii Acknowledgements of your triumphs and hardships. A profound thanks to all military families who sacrifce daily for our nation. This book comes from a sphere of mutual admiration as we, the authors embarked on a journey to record history. Thank you again to Michelle Duster and Paula Marie Seniors. —Rose C. Thevenin Contents

Part I Power

Queen of Grace and Power 3 Rhonda Gray

Power 5 Stenetta Anthony

Michelle Obama as an Administrator: Refections 7 Barbara J. Edwards

First Ladies/First Wives, First Women Presidents: Sexuality, Leadership and Power in the African Diaspora 11 Carole Boyce Davies

Michelle Obama and Black Women as Alchemists 29 Ruby Mendenhall

Michelle Obama: Flight vs. Fight 31 Yasmine Huggins

When and Where I Enter 43 Jasmine J. Wyatt

xiii xiv Contents

Part II Patriotism and Service

Dark and Lovely 53 Rhonda Gray

Mrs. Michelle Obama 55 Hazel Marie Harris Watson

Michelle Obama: American—Whether You Like It or Not 57 Michelle Duster

My Hero 79 Sandy Philippeaux

“A Quiet Untold Story of Profound Need”: The Activism, Partnerships and Advocacy of First Lady Michelle Obama, Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Military Families 81 Rose C. Thevenin

Celebrating African American Women Through Dance at the White House 111 Daveisha Gibson

Let’s Move! with Michelle Obama 121 Rachelle J. Brunn-Bevel and Kristin Richardson

Striving in Style 153 Kenisha Coy

Part III Defying Stereotypes: Black Body, Black Beauty & Motherhood

Unapologetic 157 Rhonda Gray

Michelle’s Arms 159 Verna Hampton CONTENTS xv

A Woman “Other Women Talk About”: Michelle Obama and the “Looks” of First Black Ladyhood 161 Tiffany Austin

“Eating the Right Way”: Michelle Obama and Healthy Habits 167 Maurisha Ebanks

Michelle Obama Raising Black Daughters to Be Magic 171 Duchess Harris and Avi Thomas

Reconfguring Black Motherhood: Michelle Obama and the “Mom-in-Charge Trope” 175 Paula Marie Seniors

The Beauty of Michelle Obama 209 Terra Renee

Michelle Obama: Marching to the Beat of Her Own Strengths and Defying Negative Stereotypes Along the Way 213 Leah T. Johnson

Part IV Legacy

Dreams of a Wildfower 225 Rhonda Gray

A Free-Spirited Dream 227 Chamille Weddington

Black Girl Rocks: Michelle Obama, My Inspiration 229 Trishaun C. Hall

Downton (CR)Abbey: The First Lady, Hecklers and the Demise of Decorum 233 Lisalyn R. Jacobs xvi Contents

Recipes for Michelle 241 Suzannah Grace Sese-khalid Jones

And Then There Was Michelle Obama: Refections from a Baby-Boomer Educator and a Millennial Young Woman 247 Michelle Howard-Vital and Madelyn G. Vital

Multiple Sclerosis: An Unintended Motivator for First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Deidre Hill Butler 255 Deidre Hill Butler

Brown Girl Challenge 261 Clara B. Freeman

Part V Aftermath

Election 2016 and Michelle Obama 265 Patiqua Rolle

‘Living Outloud’: Michelle Obama and Election 2016 269 Rose C. Thevenin

A Title Removed: First Lady Michelle Obama Since Leaving the White House 285 Charleigha P. Knowles

The Legacy of Michelle Obama Will Live on 287 Michelle Duster

You Dared 289 Michelle Duster

Conclusion 293

Index 295 Notes on Contributors

Stenetta Anthony was born in Chicago, Illinois. She was an educator of middle age students, before shifting to become a children’s author. As a former educator her belief is that all children are capable of learning— no matter, their physical, social, mental or psychological. Therefore, Stenetta uses the foundation of her many years spent in the classroom to engage, invite, educate and create material for children. Stenetta’s favorite phrase derives from, P. L. Travers, Mary Poppins, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You fnd the fun, and the job’s a game.” Tiffany Austin is an Assistant Professor of English at Florida Memorial University. Her critical work has appeared in College Language Association Journal and creative work in journals Obsidian, Callaloo and Warpland. She recently had one of her poems accepted for publication in the “Black Poets Speak Out” issue of pluck! The Journal of Affrilachian Arts and Culture. She also recently participated in the NEH Summer Institute: Buddhist Asia. Austin received her B.A. in English from Spelman College, JD from Northeastern University School of Law, M.F.A. in creative writing from Chicago State University and Ph.D. in English from Saint Louis University. Rachelle J. Brunn-Bevel is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Fairfeld University. Her research examines how students’ race, ethnicity, class, gender and immigrant status intersect to

xvii xviii Notes on Contributors infuence their educational experiences and outcomes. She has published her scholarship in several academic journals including the Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, Humanity & Society and Race and Social Problems. She is the co-editor (with Dannielle Joy Davis and James L. Olive) of Intersectionality in Educational Research (Stylus 2015). Deidre Hill Butler, Ph.D. is a Black feminist scholar with womanist ten- dencies whose work focuses on the intersections of race, gender and place. Hill Butler recently curated two community engaged photograph exhibits focusing on the revitalization of the Bordeaux neighborhood in Nashville, Tennessee through Black women’s grassroots leadership. One of the exhibits, “Revitalized Community: Bordeaux Since the 2010 food,” was installed at the Bordeaux Branch of the Nashville, Tennessee public library and the other at the Schaffer Library at Union College. Hill Butler’s publications and teaching focus on Black women’s activism in social spaces; the Black Baptist Church in New England; and blended families. She is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Union College in Schenectady, NY. Kenisha Coy is a multi-talented writer and impresario who currently resides in Massachusetts. She believes her lifework is to serve through the healing properties of art. She has been published in a variety of publications, recognized for creative engagement and talents and has collaborated with national business franchises to birth literacy and community engagement programs. Break Through Silence, a division within her nonproft, My CARE Initiative (Community, Arts, Research & Education), has recently been granted a National Day of Recognition, National G.O.E. (Growth. Overcome. Empower.) Day which connects the arts as key to empowerment and healing from abuse and assault trauma. Dr. Carole Boyce Davies is a Distinguished Professor of Africana Studies and English at Cornell University. The author of the prize-winning Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones (2008) and the classic Black Women, Writing and Identity: Migrations of the Subject (1994), her most recently published mono- graph is Caribbean Space: Escape Routes from Twilight Zones (2013) deal- ing with the issue of transnational migration and the internationalizing of Caribbean culture. In addition to over a hundred journal essays, articles and encyclopedia entries, Dr. Carole Boyce Davies has also published over twelve critical editions on African, African Diaspora and Caribbean Notes on CONTRIBUTORS xix literature and culture such including the 3-volume Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora (2008). Her new project is a study of Black women and political leadership in the African Diaspora. She is the recipient of the 2017 Franz Fanon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Caribbean Philosophical Association and the New York State African Studies Association Distinguished Africanist Award for 2017. Michelle Duster is an author, speaker and educator who teaches writing at Columbia College Chicago. She co-edited and contributed to Shifts: An Anthology of Women’s Growth Through Change (2015), fnalist for 2015 USA Book News Award and 2016 Indie Book Award. She also co-wrote the popular children’s history book Tate and His Historic Dream (2015), fnalist for the 2015 Phillis Wheatley Book Award for young readers. Duster has written articles, essays and compiled two books that include the original writing of her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells—journalist, civil rights activist and suffragist: Ida From Abroad (2010) and Ida In Her Own Words (2008). She contributed to the books In Spite of the Double Drawbacks: African American Women in History and Culture (2012) and Women Building Chicago 1790–1990: A Biographical Dictionary (2001). Born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, she is a product of the Chicago public school system and graduated from Whitney M. Young High School in 1981. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH and her M.A. in Media Studies from The New School in New York City. Maurisha Ebanks was born and raised in Groveland, Cleveland. She is a graduate of East Ridge High School in Clermont, Florida. She is attend- ing Florida Memorial University where she is enrolled in the Honors Program with a major in Social Work. She is a Dean’s List student, peer educator for Healthy Life Choices and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and the Queen Club of 1964 Inc. Dr. Barbara J. Edwards served as a Cabinet level administrator at Florida Memorial University for over twenty-six years. As Vice President for Development, she planned and conducted a $35 million Capital Campaign and was invited to be a presenter at the Oxford Round Table in Oxford, England. Since 2011, Dr. Edwards has assumed the position of Associate Professor of Management in the School of Business. Dr. Edwards received a D.B.A. from Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL and both a M.B.A. and B.B.A. from Bernard M. Baruch College of the City University of NY. xx Notes on Contributors

Clara B. Freeman born and raised in Mississippi, is an activist, poet and former nurse. She is author of the popular eBook, My Authentic Woman Story (2011) and Unleash Your Pearls Empowering Women’s Voices (2016). Her work has appeared in anthologies, magazines and other publications, including Black Lives Have Always Mattered (2017), Chicago Magazine, Bronze Magazine, Me! Magazine and the Chicago Bulletin Newspapers. She is currently working on a chapbook of personal and socially conscious poems. For more about Clara’s work, visit her weblog at http://wisewoman2.wordpress.com. Daveisha Gibson holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (Towson University) and Master of Fine Arts in Theatre (Virginia Tech). Her artistic career centers on the acquisition of social and political justice through artistic expression, activism and culture. She studied with Ann Kilkelly, Baakari Wilder, Sylvia Soumah, Nikki Giovanni, Charles Dye and Legacy Arts Ensemble. Her career highlights include Going To Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project with Rada Film Group (production assistant), city festivals, educational programs and social awareness campaigns. Driven by a commitment to the storytelling potential within the young, Daveisha works as an artrepreneur in Washington, DC. Rhonda Gray is a visual artist who works in oil, acrylics, sand, sequins, molding compounds, specialty and other mixed media. The subjects in her portraits refect personal journey and are inspired by Afro-magical realism and Africana Womanism. Her work unearths a visceral confron- tation between stereotypical ideologies and images of Black women with the reassertion of self-love and self-worth. Rhonda Gray’s work has been exhibited in several solo and group gallery shows. It has been collected internationally. She has led several public art murals working with professional and student artists. As a dedicated educator, Rhonda has taught art and history in Chicago area schools for several years. Cheryl Green is a New York City-based artist who has had a success- ful freelance career as an Art Director for Conde Nast, Women’s Wear Daily, Clarins, Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein, Cablevision, Madison Square Garden, NBC and Comedy Central. In addition, she has served on the Board of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NY Emmy Awards). Early in her artistic development, she studied commercial art, color theory, watercolor, paper sculpture, photography and advertising art. She learned the creative business of advertising at the age of 17 at Notes on CONTRIBUTORS xxi

Lord, Geller, Federico, Einstein Inc., and worked on Bankers Trust and Citibank accounts. Cheryl earned her B.F.A. in Communication Design from the Parsons School of Design where she also studied Art History while honing her fne art skills studying color theory, life drawing, com- position and photography. She is currently the Creative Director of Green Creative Group, LLC. www.cherylgreendesign.com. Trishaun C. Hall was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in Fort. Lauderdale, Florida. She graduated from Deerfeld Beach High School and is currently enrolled at Florida Memorial University majoring in Social Work with a minor in Psychology. She is very active in many social service organizations and plans to attend graduate school to be a clin- ical/mental health social worker. She hopes to establish a non-proft organization for young women focusing on providing access to psychological services for young women who need additional tools and resources to live a prosperous life. Verna Hampton is an artist/activist and native of Boston who started her New York career when renowned professor and acting coach, Susan Batson, sent her to Director Marvin “Pancho” Felix Camillo and The Family Repertory Company. Verna credits the beginning of her artistic growth to the in-depth, professional training she received from the “La Familia” workshops, their award-winning performances and Joe Papp’s Public Theater. Verna is a professional actress, singer and teaching artist who devel- ops educational and community programming—utilizing multi-media theater, writing and music. Verna has been commissioned to write several plays for community, educational and performance institutions throughout the USA—garnering her, among others, the frst Anne Frank Spirit Award for Education. She has written for television and radio. Since its inception, Verna has written and presented several performances at the New York City La MaMa E.T.C. “Poetry Electric” series. She has performed throughout the USA, Europe and the Caribbean. She appears frequently on the New York stage—in dramas, musicals and comedies. Duchess Harris is a Professor and Chair of the American Studies Department at Macalester College. She is the author of several books including, Black Feminist Politics from Kennedy to Obama (Palgrave Macmillan). She is also the curator of the Duchess Harris Collection, xxii Notes on Contributors which is a book line that produces social justice books for 3–12 grad- ers with ABDO Publishing. Professor Harris earned her Doctorate in American Studies from the University of Minnesota and her Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell College of Law. She is married to Jon Thomas, and together they have two sons and a daughter who embodies Black Girl Magic. Dr. Michelle Howard-Vital is a long-time educator and administrator in higher education, currently serving as the Interim President of Florida Memorial University. Dr. Howard-Vital was born and educated in Chicago and has worked in four states: Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida. Dr. Howard-Vital is also a former President of Cheyney University, Interim Chancellor of Winston-Salem State University, Associate Vice President for the University of North Carolina System at its General Administration and Vice Chancellor for Public Service/Associate Provost at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Dr. Howard-Vital has co-authored various book chapters, articles, reviews and professional papers. Yasmine Huggins was born in Lynchburg, VA. She attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA, and graduated with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in Sociology. Currently, she is a graduate student in School Counseling at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She aims to help African American high school students attain higher education or develop skills necessary in the workforce and life. Yasmine has deep interests in social justice for those less heard. This has led Yasmine to join local organizations and community discussions aimed at developing solutions for the betterment of African American residents in Charlotte, NC. Lisalyn R. Jacobs is the CEO of Just Solutions: Bringing in justice to counteract injustice and the former V.P. (for 13 years) of Government Relations for Legal Momentum (formerly NOW Legal Defense & Education Fund). She advises clients on a variety of issues, including: campus sexual assault, workplace, and other protections for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, and stalking, racial equity, criminal justice, and policing reform, and the intersections of many of these issues. She has testifed before congressional committees at both the state and federal levels. Twitter: @LRockL, Blog: https://followthetangerineroad.wordpress. Leah T. Johnson is co-founder and editor of ColorBlind Magazine (colorblindmagazine.com) which debuted in 2012. It is a quarterly Notes on CONTRIBUTORS xxiii online e-zine dedicated to enlightening, encouraging and empowering teen girls and women. She also manages two blogs: “Leah Figures It Out” (leahtjohnson.wordpress.com) where she writes about topics including life, women and culture and shares her love for food and shoes at (brunchandpumps.wordpress.com). Aside from writing, Leah loves spending time with her husband and family, cooking, reading, dancing and traveling. She earned her B.A. in Communication and minored in Psychology and African & African American Studies at the University of Michigan- Dearborn. Suzannah Grace Sese-khalid Jones believes life should be enjoyed and fulflling. The cookbook “Recipes for Michelle” is a refection of her passion for health and wellness. Beginning as a child, health was a journey toward balance and understanding. Understanding of her relationship with food and habits that encouraged self-esteem. Grace is currently pur- suing a career in communication for the ability to provide her community with the opportunities to be informed and discover health and wellness. For four years, Grace served within the New River Valley, while acquir- ing a bachelor’s in Business from Virginia Tech. There she discovered a passion for women’s history and wellness. The introduction to Africana and Women’s history courses broadened her understanding of community service into a calling for women’s advocacy. Grace hopes her legacy will be to curate for Women’s Museums, after working with community organizations and government programs. She is currently working on a Web specialist certifcation while working at the Offce of Veteran Affairs, at Tidewater Community College. Her personal projects include manag- ing a health and wellness website, http://suzannah5.wixsite.com/secret- lifeofbees and creating Web art celebrating women’s history. Charleigha P. Knowles is a sophomore at Florida Memorial University and was born in Miami Florida raised in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas. She attended Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Academy in the Bahamas focusing on accounting, economics and music and sports. She is a fnance major, minoring in music at FMU. She is a member of the FMU Honors Council and the Vice-President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. Ruby Mendenhall is an Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in Sociology, African American Studies, Urban and Regional Planning and Social Work. She is a Faculty Affliate at the xxiv Notes on Contributors

Woese Institute for Genomic Biology and the Institute for Computing in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. She received the Richard and Margaret Romano Professorial Scholar for outstanding achievements in research and leadership. Mendenhall’s research focuses on understanding the lived experiences of Black women and the consequences of racial oppression on mental and physical health using census data, surveys, in-depth interviews, topic modeling and visualizations. Sandy Philippeaux was born and raised in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, and migrated to the state of Florida at the age of thirteen, in search of a bet- ter education. She is a graduate of North Miami Senior high school. In 2016, she graduated (Magna Cum Laude) from Florida Memorial University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. She currently teaches biology and volunteers in many differ- ent hospitals. She is very passionate about public health and medicine and hopes to earn a Master’s degree in Public health to fulfll her dream of becoming an OB-GYN. Terra Renee is Founder and President of African American Women In Cinema Organization, Inc. For the past 20 years, Terra has utilized her strong background in flmmaking to serve as a continuous support for the vibrant work of women. She studied flmmaking at Tisch School of the Arts (NYU) and flm directing at the School of Visual Arts. She is a recipient of many awards including the NAACP Woman of the Year, the Bill McCreary Living Legend Award and the Bridge Builder Award from the United African Coalition. She sits on the American Diabetes Association Committee and the Executive Board of UNESCO NYS. Kristin Richardson is a Visiting Professor of Sociology at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia. She also teaches courses on Social Justice and Peace and Violence at Roanoke College and Virginia Tech. Kristin earned a Ph.D. in Sociology from Virginia Tech in 2016, with an empha- sis in Criminology and a Graduate Certifcate in Race and Social Policy. Patiqua Rolle was born and raised in New Providence, Bahamas. She graduated from Jordan Prince William High School and is currently enrolled in the Honors Program at Florida Memorial University majoring in sociology. She is the President of FMU’s Sociology Club and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. In addition to the Dean’s List, she was awarded the most outstanding student in the Social Sciences Department at FMU. Notes on CONTRIBUTORS xxv

Dr. Paula Marie Seniors is an Associate Professor of Africana Studies, Virginia Tech, and the biographer of her family’s legacy Mae Mallory, the Monroe Defense Committee and World Revolutions: African American Women Radical Activists (1956–1987), University of Georgia Press, forthcoming 2018. Seniors won the Letitia Woods Brown Memorial Prize, Association of Black Women Historians for Beyond Lift Every Voice and Sing: The Culture of Uplift, Identity and Politics in Black Musical Theater, Ohio State University Press, 2009. Other publications include “Most Infuential Black Artists in Musical Theatre,” Virginia Tech Magazine, January 2016, “Mae Mallory” and “The Monroe Defense Committee,” Black Power Encyclopedia, Akinyele Umoja, Editor, Greenwood Publishing, 2018; “Mae Mallory and the Southern Belle Fantasy Trope,” From Uncle Tom’s Cabin to The Help, Palgrave (2014); and “Bob Cole’s “Colored Man’s Declaration of Independence and Black Broadway: The Case of Cole and Johnson’s Shoo Fly Regiment and George C. Wolfe’s Shuffe Along,” Routledge Companion to African American Theatre and Performance, 2018. Dr. Rose C. Thevenin is an Associate Professor of History at Florida Memorial University where she served as Coordinator of the history program and College Historian. Her degrees include a Ph.D. in American History from Michigan State University and an M.A. in American History from the University of Miami. She served as National Vice-Director, Southern Regional Director and Parliamentarian of the Association of Black Women Historians and is the Co-founder and Coordinator of Academic Institutions of the Florida Africana Studies Consortium (FLASC). She was a visiting scholar at Harvard University and a visiting fellow at Columbia University and the Rockefeller Archive Center. She is the co-editor of the three volumes Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora and is at work on books about the Black Panther Party and Florida history. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and has won numerous awards and fellowships for scholarship, leadership and community service. She is a native of Haiti. Avi Thomas is in 8th grade. She made the High Honor Roll with a 3.7 GPA, and she plays on the volleyball team. She dreams of attend- ing UCLA to study business. Although Avi loves California, one of her favorite trips was to Washington D.C. to see the National Museum of African American History and Culture with her Mom. Avi enjoys music and has played piano since she was four years old. She also likes art, and xxvi Notes on Contributors her favorite subjects are math and science. She has taken a few acting classes and likes that people think that she is slightly “dramatic.” Madelyn G. Vital is an aspiring food, environmental and social justice advocate with a J.D. and a Masters in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. Like Michelle Obama and her parents, Madelyn was also born in Chicago, but now calls North Carolina home. Madelyn is honored to help celebrate Michelle Obama’s dignity, perse- verance and achievements with her mother and many other impressive women in this wonderful collection. Obama’s groundbreaking, com- manding, yet graceful presence as the F.L.O.T.U.S. especially in spear- heading the needed national Let’s Move! campaign to reduce childhood obesity and promote a healthier future continues to inspire Madelyn’s career. Hazel Marie Harris Watson, RN is a retired Registered Nurse who graduated from Kings County Hospital Center School of Nursing. She grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and has lived in Roosevelt, NY, for over forty years. She is a member of numerous creative writing groups on Long Island. Her writings have appeared in Musings of Maturity and Grist for the Mill publications. Hazel has spoken at numerous civic and church events. She describes herself as a closet scribe who loves words. Her retirement has allowed her to pursue this passion. Chamille Weddington is a marketing consultant who specializes in promotion conceptualization, management and execution. She is also an Assistant Professor of Instruction at Columbia College Chicago where she teaches several business courses in the college’s Business & Entrepreneurship Department. In her commitment to teaching, Chamille has formerly worked as a substitute instructor with the Chicago Public Schools and has had the opportunity to teach hundreds of students across various educational levels and socioeconomic backgrounds, having taught general studies to children as well as business concepts to adult learners. As a social entrepreneur, she is co-founder of LifeVine Works, a non-proft organization that teaches teens the arts and sciences through dynamic job and service learning programs. In her spare time, she is a docent and driver of the mobile museum for the DuSable Museum of African American History. Jasmine J. Wyatt is a Legislative Correspondent for the US Senate Democratic Whip, Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), and Vice President Notes on CONTRIBUTORS xxvii of the Council of American Ambassadors Alumni Association. In the past, Ms. Wyatt served as a Council on Foreign Relations Franklin Williams Fellow and a Public Affairs Assistant at the State Department working on strategies to communicate the importance of foreign policy to the American people. An aspiring Foreign Service Offcer, Ms. Wyatt hopes to use diplomacy as her platform to advocate for global human rights. In May 2015, she earned her B.A. in Government and South Asian Studies and a Spanish Language Citation from Harvard University. Introduction

In January 2009, African American attorney Michelle Obama—a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School—became the First African American First Lady of the USA. Such an accomplishment marked a victorious triumph after a very contentious presidential campaign where she appeared on the campaign trail to support her husband as they fought for the Democratic presidential nomination, followed by an arduous challenge from Republican presidential nomi- nee Arizona Senator John McCain. Considering America’s long history of racial, political and economic inequality, the Obama election was not only historic but also represented hope, a pillar of the Obama campaign. Considering that over ffty years before African Americans experienced enormous levels of violence, hostility and destruction in our struggle for equality, Obama’s position of power represented progress. As many cele- brated, regardless of race, class, gender and sexuality, Michelle Obama’s frst lady status caused indignation from those who wanted to maintain White supremacist hegemonic norms and could not accept an African American First Lady representing the USA on a world stage. The main argument of this book is that First Lady Michelle Obama gradually expanded and broadened her role by engaging in social, political and economic activities which directly and indirectly impacted the lives of the American people. This book does not merely compliment, but eval- uates the First Lady’s overall impact through several media in the book including original artwork and poetry.

xxix xxx Introduction

As First Lady, Michelle Obama’s status was indeed unprecedented, especially given her unmistakable brown skin, her open discussion of her heritage as the descendant of slaves and her modest working-class background. Ultimately, her story embodied the “American Dream.” Because of this, she drew enormous attention. Black and White-owned fashion magazines featured affrming images of Obama on their covers; she appeared regularly on television, and people dedicated websites such as Michelle O which followed her fashion style. Obama also faced a barrage of negative media representation and criticism. The July 21, 2008, issue of The New Yorker featured her on the cover as an Afro-wearing mas- culinized terrorist, and the media and others used coded language that defned her as an “Angry Black woman.” Because of her Blackness and working-class status, because she was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago and attended public schools, many felt she did not belong on the campaign trail and certainly not in the White House. She aptly noted:

The truth is, I’m not supposed to be standing here. I am a statistical odd- ity. Black girl, brought up on the South Side of Chicago. Was I supposed to go to Princeton? No. They said maybe Harvard Law was too much for me to reach for. But I went, I did fne.1

Obama blazed trails as First Lady, as wife, mother, daughter and sister. She emerged as the quintessential ideal for African American girls and women. Thus, this volume captures a multitude of voices to answer the overarching question, how the visibility of First Lady Michelle Obama impacted African American women and girls. Despite her popularity, the First Lady was attacked for her body, her speech, her facial expressions, her education, her career, her dress, her hair and even her thoughts. And we noticed that during her time in the White House the popularity of books and flms which maintained stereotypical renderings of African American women and girls like The Butler, The Help, The Secret Life of Bees and The Long Walk Home embodied a com- mon theme of subservience. Michelle Duster stumbled upon the Spanish magazine cover Fuera de Serie which juxtaposed the image of First Lady Michelle Obama to an 1800 artwork by artist Marie-Guillemine Benoist. The painting, “Portrait D’une Negresse” depicted an African slave woman in France with a White head dress and cloth baring her breast. However, in the twenty-frst century, this painting elicited various responses. Duster decided to send out a note to other African American women to see if they had the same reaction that she did. INTRODUCTION xxxi

“I seriously need to share this with people who might be able to respond to this. If you haven’t seen it, AND it’s truly the cover of a magazine… What can we as African American women do to respond? I think this portrayal of our First Lady, Michelle Obama is the most offensive thing I’ve seen in a LONG time! Has any other First Lady in the history of our country EVER been portrayed like this? Would they ever do anything like this in the name of “artistic expression” to an image of Queen Elizabeth?”….. I can’t imagine the eternally revered and beloved First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and other First Ladies being portrayed in such an incendiary manner. —Michelle Duster, letter to the members of The Association of Black Women Historians (2012)

The “Portrait D’une Négresse” spoke volumes in a politically charged America and was interpreted by some as an effort to dehumanize, objec- tify and malign African American women under the guise of “creative license.” First Lady Michelle Obama rose above the fray and did not address the maligning of her beauty, her womanhood or her character, but we could not be silent. The foundation of Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls culminated out of Duster’s emotional response to this insulting portrayal. She sent out this call to action to The Association of Black Women Historians, and we, Rose C. Thevenin, who was the National Vice-Director of the ABWH, and Paula Marie Seniors, answered. We talked and expressed our feelings concerning what this image meant and more importantly what did the image of First Lady Michelle Obama mean to young Black women and girls. Through this book, we decided to embark on a journey. As African American women, educators, writers, artists, poets and leaders, we would express our concerns and defne ourselves. We channeled our concerns into a constructive mechanism, this book, Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls. This book draws from a statement that Michelle Obama made:

“I started thinking about the fact that I went to some of the best schools in the country and I have no idea what I want to do,” she says. “That kind of stuff got me worked up because I thought, “This isn’t education. You can make money and have a nice degree. But what are you learning about giving back to the world, and fnding your passion and letting that guide you, as opposed to the school you got into?”2 —Michelle Obama xxxii Introduction

This book tells the stories of African American women and girls told by them. We need to own our voices and our stories. We attempted to fll the void in the majority of the books and magazine articles about Michelle Obama which were written by White women and men, while our voices—African American women—were muted and limited. Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls recti- fes this, by following in the tradition of African American and Ethnic Studies publications which sought to include all members of the African American community; this interdisciplinary book includes contributors from all walks of life, ages and classes, normal everyday African American girls and women, artists and creative and academics writers. Part I “Power” sets the tone for the book by exploring Michelle Obama’s power as the proud descendent of slaves, a lawyer and an administrator. This chapter examines her as the First African American First Lady and as an advocate for African American girls, women and the undeserved. Ultimately, this chapter looks at her as a role model. Part II “Patriotism and Service” explores the grace of Obama as a patriot and in service to all people. It remedies negative ascriptions of her, examines her military families and veterans’ initiatives, her healthy eating and body campaigns Let’s Move and African American girls dancing at the White House, and it explores her education initiatives as inspi- rational to immigrant college women. Part III “Defying Stereotypes: Black Body, Black Beauty & Motherhood” examines how Michelle Obama defed stereotypes. It investi- gates her body positive physicality and beauty, her inspiration to young girls and college women to eat healthy foods and exercise. This chapter investi- gates her use of the White House Garden as inspiration for the Black femi- nine aesthetic body perfect and her Mom-in-Charge persona in the face of White supremacist criticism of her choice to mother her own children. Part IV “Legacy” captures her free spirit, her appearances on Black Girls Rock, which compelled young African American girls and women to stand proud in their Blackness and reach their goals. It explores African American women who share connecting fbers with Obama edu- cationally and through the shared experience of having a disabled parent who compelled their children to reach for academic stars, and it looks at Obama’s defense of herself against hecklers who discard decorum ala Downton Abbey TV style. Part V “Aftermath” focuses on Michelle Obama’s activities on the campaign trail during election 2016 and the post-2016 election efforts INTRODUCTION xxxiii to dismantle Michelle Obama’s legacy. It also includes reactions to the elections by young women to the fact that the Obamas left the White House and were replaced by Donald J. Trump and his wife, Slovenian model and businesswoman Melania Trump. The last chapter captures the sentiment that the dignity, brilliance and class of Michelle Obama will shine brighter as time passes. It also includes refections from the authors. The volume ends with a poem about how Michelle Obama dared to strive for more than most people assume African Americans should want while she faced her critics with dignity and pride. By no means does this book represent all African American women or all women of African descent, given our diversity and differing inter- pretations, reactions and opinions concerning Michelle Obama and Black women’s experience. Our volume addresses the social, economic and political inequities as refracted through Michelle Obama’s portrayal and treatment by the media. Although the political and racial stereotypes of the First Lady are scrutinized, this book contains an interdisciplinary evaluation of the local, national and international activism and visibility of First Lady Michelle Obama. By combining artwork, poetry, personal essays and academic essays, we argue that there is physical, spiritual and political meaning to First Lady Michelle Obama. Our book is a canvas for framing not only her life, but also her activities and overall local, national and international impact. Michelle Obama’s White House years inspired generations and flled those who paved the way with a sense of accomplishment. First Lady Michelle Obama served as more than a symbol or an image; and she car- ried the torch to inspire and sustain generations of African American girls and women.

Michelle Duster Paula Marie Seniors Rose C. Thevenin

Notes 1. Newsweek, February 25, 2008. 2. Richard Wolfe, “Who Is Michelle Obama,” Newsweek, February 16, 2008, http://www.newsweek.com/who-michelle-obama-94161.