According to Time, a newly authorized autobiography on the life of the United States’ 1st African American First Lady to occupy the White House explores more on the formative years of Michelle Obama. The book was written by a professor of Northwestern University, Peter Slevin and painted a picture of the First Lady as the President’s rock, noting the impact her background would have on her future as the nation’s first ever black First Lady
“To say that during her Princeton years she could not envision an African American president is like saying that the sun rises and sets every day,” writes Slevin.
However the author pointed that Michelle’s background as a black girl did a lot in propelling her to extraordinary academic excellence to prove her worth. She is a graduate of both Ivy League Colleges, Princeton and Harvard Universities Law School, an attainment considered a stratospheric height for an African American of her time. The book also explores her growing up years with her brother, living in a tiny apartment on the second floor of a bungalow on South Euclid Avenue, Chicago and her parents who always emphasized on academic excellence. Towards her young adult life, the book describes her graduation from the Ivy League Colleges, her first job at law firm Sidley Austin and her foray into community work with an organization such as ‘Public Allies.’
Her work as a lawyer and passion for community work seem to dovetail that of Barrack Obama as the future Senator and President also a lawyer who shared a similar passion for public work. The book particularly touched on one of the poignant moment during her school life when her counselors advised her that a black girl like her should not set her eyes too high by aiming to attend Princeton or Harvard but instead should set her ambition lower.
Her graduation from both Ivy League colleges is a great lesson to encourage other black or brown students to reach higher for educational achievement!
The book is about 300 pages and will be available earliest by 7th April, 2015.
Check out the evolution of Michelle Obama on several magazine covers!
