Michelle Obama Reveals Scars From Cuts Of Racism Endured As First Lady
Michelle Obama recently opened up about her very personal journey, one that the American people didn’t see while she was in the White House as the nation’s only African-American first lady. While giving a speech at the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Michelle spoke in a serious tone as she shared the pain she endured while sitting in the White House with her husband and two daughters.
On Tuesday night Michelle Obama told the crowd that gathered to hear her speak that she didn’t get through her husband’s presidency without scars and some of those scars are deep. She shared how the “shards” that fell from that glass ceiling that she shattered as America’s first African-American first lady cut deep.
“The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut. I felt how they intended,” Michelle said.
The former first lady was referring the abuse that she suffered while in the White House that came from some people in this country, including those making the headlines with their horrific words of hate. At one point she was referred to as an “ape” by an Arkansas teacher, a Colorado doctor, and officials in West Virgina, according to the New York Daily News.
“The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut.” — @MichelleObama says of racist jabs https://t.co/j12HZSfSye pic.twitter.com/QgABJd42Yq
— CNN (@CNN) July 27, 2017
All three were instantly pounced on verbally from the masses and they lost their jobs. The New York Daily News offered this as a small sampling of incidents Michelle endured as the nation’s first lady. The racist attacks made toward her and her family came with pain for Michelle.
Michelle continued with her speech by telling the audience, “For underrepresented people to pretend like it doesn’t hurt, it lets those who hurt us off the hook.” The former first lady made it clear that she wasn’t going to start a career in politics, despite many believing she has a chance, a very good chance, at becoming the nation’s next president if she were to run. As the tweet below from The African Vault reports, Michelle Obama is the most educated first lady in the history of this nation.
She didn’t tie this pain she suffered into her decision not to run for office, but she didn’t have to. When she completed her speech, she was praised and thanked for her “moving perspective” of her life in the White House. Next year Michelle is expected to release a memoir, which she is working on today.
[Featured Image by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images]
