The well gets deeper and deeper. Every time I write a post about the First Lady’s slave roots, I keep telling myself it will be the last one. What’s the use in stating the obvious? However, the mainstream media just won’t let up. How dare that Michelle Obama become First Lady of the United States and forget her Caucasian fourth cousins? Shoudn’t they have been looked up and invited to the Inauguration festivities? Maybe invited to live at 1600? Or a spin on Air Force One?
With her blonde hair and blue eyes, Debbie Shields looks nothing like First Lady Michelle Obama, but they actually share a common bond — they’re related.
Debbie’s great-great-grandfather is also Michelle Obama’s great-great-great-grandfather.
“You were told that you were Michelle Obama’s fourth cousin. What was your reaction?” asks INSIDE EDITION’s Les Trent.
“I said, ‘Awesome!’ “
“Did you believe it?”
“No, not at first. [I] thought it was a joke,” Shields says.
The man believed to be the family link between Debbie Shields and Michelle Obama was a white slave owner named Charles Marion Shields. He died 93 years ago, in 1916…
“What goes through your head? You, a white woman, when you find out you may possibly be related to the first African American First Lady?” Les Trent asks.
”I think it’s great. I would like to sit down and talk with her and share memories, share photographs, stories,” says Shields.
All I can say is WOW! Share memories? Share photos? That would be a really interesting conversation. I guess all us Black folks need to get busy searching census data and finding our “forgotten family”, because if we ever move on up, we would never want to be accused of leaving them behind. That way the media can go straight to giving them their props, instead of wasting time and money on expensive genealogists and researchers.
As for me, I’ve devoted the rest of 2009 to compiling a list of every successful Caucasian person, cross-referencing our family trees, and getting ready for my come up. Anybody want to join me?
Posted by Aminah Hanan
15 Comments, Comment or Ping
elledub08
I believe many blk ppl have white relatives who they likely don’t even know abt but you don’t see us rushin to find out who they are, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing though I’m not surprised that the media would color it as such.
…Why would they expect Michelle to be any different?
And, her story isn’t much different from many Black Americans in terms of her genealogy so I never got why it was news in the first place. Sounded like some “water is wet” shit to me.
Nov 10th, 2009
pepper
Shaking my mother f#$%@&*$% head. Along with Michelle’s roommate from Princeton none of these white folks would care who she was. I’ll join you to look for every successful white 5th cousin twice removed to get a hand out. Get outta here with that mess!!!
Nov 10th, 2009
TJKDragon
Well I am not black but I am apalled at all the crap that the first family has recieved since they moved in to the 1600. Fact of the matter both Prez and Mrs worked their way to where they are. Where were these “cousins” b4? I love love love the Obamas. They are proof positive that you can be as smart as you choose to be. You can make intelligent choices and not be sidelined by mud slinging. The negative pudents out there need to wake up! Stop digging into things that aren’t there or are really not important. For the first time in yearseven decades that we have positive role models in the White house.
Nov 10th, 2009
Lonni
This would be funny if it weren’t so sad. Everyone knows that white slave owners took very inappropriate and damaging advantage of their women slaves(ie, tell it like it is: rape)so I wouldn’t want to be one who crows about it and surely not “share photos” and bring up memories.
I think anyone who wants to “move on up” should do it by their own strengths and abilities and not by who they are related to, know, or the color of their skin. Just my opinion tho’ and you know how that goes.
Nov 10th, 2009
Sister P
If she didn’t have white relatives how would you explain her “speaking so well”? LOL
Nov 10th, 2009
Lynne
LMAO @ Sister P…….perxactly!
Nov 10th, 2009
Dee
Oh, Oh, they just can’t let this one go….
Where is a similar enthusiasm for searching out the Black ancestors of high profile White people? Did any of these White media outlets go rooting around in the family trees of any of the previous 43 First Ladies to see if any Black/Native Americans had been swimming around in their gene pools? If not, why not?! (As if I don’t know…)
This is just so galling.
You know what. Maybe this should inspire me to go look in some slave logs in the West Indies, find out who my English slaver ancestors are, grab one Yellow Pages, and start seeking out my White, English ancestors. I’m sure they’d be glad to hear from me, don’t you think….?!!!
Nov 10th, 2009
Dee
This is what happens when you read something that heats up your blood, and type in haste!!
I meant, of course, “and start seeking out my White, English relatives…”
Nov 10th, 2009
Robin
She Probably Didn’t Know That She Have Some White People in her Family A Lot of Us Did Not Know That President Obama and Dick Cheney is Cousins.
Nov 10th, 2009
Michelle Obama's 6th cousin
“Debbie’s great-great-grandfather is also Michelle Obama’s great-great-great-grandfather.”
That’s where I stopped reading. Journalism my @**
Nov 10th, 2009
Dee
Hey there, Robin!
You know, I think the First Lady probably did as it isn’t uncommon. As for the Obama & Cheney link, I have to say that made me chuckle when I found out, as it is just so ironic…but there we have it!
Nov 11th, 2009
admin
Do y’all remember about ten years or so ago, when Strom Thumond’s daughter came out in the open and people accused her of “slurring” Senator Thurmond as if her mere existence was an assault on his person… Or maybe it was having to admit that he had been in a relationship with a 14 year old Black girl when he was a fully grown man… That is all. I’m sure I have some Robinson’s in my family tree so I’ll be waiting on an invite to the White House Christmas.
Nov 11th, 2009
michelle
WHAT A JOKE MICHELLE OBAMA HAVE A WHITE CUZ ? YEAH RIGHT MR OBAMA HAVE A WHITE CUZ TO BUT HE OR SHE IS NOWAY IN SITE WHEN HE BECAME THE PRESIDENT. IF MICHELE DID HAVE A WHITE CUZ SHE WILL AREADY TOLD EVERYBODY SO THIS IS A FAKE PERSON WHO IS TRYYING TO GET OUR FRIST LADY. EVEAN IF SHE HAD PROOF OF IT IT WILL BE FAKE PAPERS SO EVERYBODY NEED TO GET OFF OUR FRIST LADY COATTAIL AZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. KEEP DIGGING NEXT ONE WILL BE THAT OUR PRESIDENT HAD A WHITE BABY BEFORE HE MET HIS WIFE.SHM
Nov 11th, 2009
rikyrah
you are so on point, and I continue to roll my eyes at this.
Nov 12th, 2009
Aminah Hanan
@Sister P LOL so that explains it.
It just goes to show what kind of numb brains are running the so-called media. Is this the best that they can come up with. Give me a break!
Nov 12th, 2009