Michelle Obama Watch

The emphasis on Mrs. Obama’s slave ancestry can be taken to mean any number of things.

For me, it means a chance to reflect on the incredible resilience of a people who achieved so very much in their own right; managing in a way – that I will never understand but fully appreciate and am awed and humbled by – to preserve an internal dignity when so much in their external environment taught them to think that they were lesser beings. In insisting on the right to be educated and instilling the value of a good education in successive generations, they truly paved the way for us to move upwards and onwards.

As a thankful and proud descendant of enslaved people, myself, to me they are the ultimate expression of the phrase “Yes, we can!”

It is no bad thing to be reminded of this, partly because often when the mainstream media starts to talk about Black people’s “slave past” it’s often done in a way that would suggest that we have something to be ashamed of. I’ve seen it when there’s been all this nonsense about Mr. Obama’s success meaning we’re now (allegedly) living in a “post racial” world, whatever that means, and then, for some illogical reason, unfavourably comparing, Mrs. Obama’s slave ancestry with her husband’s lack of one, as if in some way he’s superior to her because of this!!

The irony is that Mrs. Obama clearly has resilience, drive, patience, tenacity, determination and endurance, all qualities that her ancestors would have possessed in abundance, and it is truly fitting that she has used all that and much, much more to help steer her (clearly appreciative) husband right to the very top!

I don’t know what their angle is yet. But, considering that Michelle Obama isn’t an immigrant, it was like, DUH – she’s has ancestors who were slaves?

Who’d a thunk it.

But, let them knock themselves out.

It IS a testament to a strong people. To a people who knew the way up was through books, and it is the quintessential BLACK American story.

O Kay…. name an African American in this country who don’t have a connection with a slave or two in their ancestry… Get a life. This woman is fantastic, She is a classic black woman. I want to be her when I grow up.

I have never understood why I should feel any shame that I descended from people who were slaves.

I graduated from college with honors, have a great career and make a positive contribution to the world around me.

In my opinion, at least a part of my success comes from the strength that my fore-bearers possessed that allowed them to endure slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and other difficulties and still create the circumstances that have allowed me to achieve as I have done.

I feel only love, pride and the utmost gratitude for my slave ancestors.

Michelle Obama’s ancestry makes her and us poor prouder that indeed, from scratch, we could go far with determination and education. People should stop emphasizing her ancesty in a negative manner; in the first place slaves were victims and it is not something to be ashamed of.

“It is my hope that we don’t get too caught up in where she’s come from but how…”

I’m not sure I’d agree with this perspective.

Although her family was uprooted from adversity through education, the significance of “where she’s come from” is extremely important to me and so many other African-American women.

It’s that history and the history of our foremothers which makes it possible for us to appreciate our accomplishments today. Our characters have been molded from the history of the slave woman. Our ability to persevere and carry the community on our shoulders comes from the strength we saw in our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on.

Let us also remember those who lived through the institution of slavery, as the apple does not fall far from the tree.

MsBlake
ATL, GA

It means, survival of the fittest. Only the strong were able to make the passage in inhuman conditions to be enslaved in America.

It, also, highlights that America, at least about 40% of them, may be ready to come to terms with their bestiality. The masters sired many children by raping those slaves and then turned around and enslaved his own children!!!

Boy! Taklking about sexual harassment! Their is not a superlative that would capture what was going on. I know it was more than picking cotton.

It is amazing Black American have remained loyal to such a dastardly country.

It was Barach Obama who was elected to the presidency not Michelle.
In the past I empathized with those of the African American persuasion, however it’s getting old.
I never owned a slave, nor did any of my ancestors. They were all immigrants who had to fight their way to the top (or in my case middle). I give ANYONE credit who improves their life or lifestyle whether they are Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Jewish Americans etc.
Please stop what happened over 100 years ago and let’s live for TODAY and our future.

@DI

While any truthful historian will tell you that all immigrant populations, especially the Irish and Italians, were severely discriminated against and were called and treated like n*****s when they first arrived on American soil, they were eventually able to assimilate in to the overall white Anglo-Saxon population because of their skin color.Through intermarriage (such as Italians marrying Irish) the ethnic distinctions became a little blurred,.and what is now referred to as “white” in America is often a mixture of many different ethnic backgrounds including some hidden black at times. It is silly to compare the options and privileges many whites have to those available to POC. People who start behind the line should be commended when they win the contest. All people should be commended for hard work. However, if I have to be exceptional to succeed and you only have to be mediocre to average to achieve the same level of success, then something is wrong with the picture.

@SUE

If pointing out obvious truths is playing the race card then feel free to deal me and many others a hand of spades. Not every situation where something unfair or or unjust happens is racially motivated. But the difference between blacks and whites even now is that whites do not ever have to wonder in 9.5 out of 10 situations if they are being treated unfairly because of their race. POC’s always have to wonder. When we don’t have to ever wonder anymore, the race card will no longer be needed.