Barack Obama became visibly teary-eyed during a reception for the forthcoming opening of the Obama Presidential Center after noticing the deeply personal tribute on Michelle Obama’s skirt — a surprise the former first lady hadn’t shown him ahead of time.
The former president was “shaken up” by the garment’s large portrait of his mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, he said in a video from the reception shared on X.com.
“I am a little shaken up by this because I loved my mother-in-law, and she made a home for Michelle and Craig, not with a lot. But with a lot of love and hope and perspective,” Barack, 64, said. “They represent, to me, what’s best about this country.”
The portrait is Michelle Obama’s “favorite” of her mother, she said, depicting her as a young woman.
Robinson raised Michelle, 62, on Chicago’s South Side, where the Center is set to open its doors Friday, June 19. She lived in the city her entire life, aside from a period beginning in 2009 when she moved to Washington D.C. to live in the White House and help care for her granddaughters during Barack’s presidency.
Robinson passed away in May 2024 at 86 years old.
During the reception, Michelle Obama reflected on her mother’s pride in their family.
“Marian would’ve been so proud. She was so proud of her son-in-law and the man that he is and has been to our family. Always dreaming, probably way too big, but always pulling it off,” she said during the reception.
To Barack Obama, she said: “Thank you for doing this for the South Side of Chicago. I love you.”
The Center’s opening festivities will continue throughout the week with a star-studded Grand Opening Ceremony on Thursday, June 18. Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Stevie Wonder, John Legend and other stars are among the performers set to take stage.
“The Grand Opening Ceremony will reflect a spirit of inspiration and joy, with a big boost from the performers who are sharing their talent with us,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of The Obama Foundation. “We hope to inspire people everywhere to believe in their power to bring change home.”
Opening weekend tickets for the Center’s museum are already sold out but the rest of the campus will be open to the general public at no cost after opening day.
Robinson’s legacy will also be featured inside the museum. Michelle Obama shared that its “Opening the White House” exhibit will be named in honor of her mother.
“In the exhibit, visitors will discover the many ways Barack and I — and also my mom — worked to make the White House an active place of inclusion, innovation, and culture,” she said. “It’ll be infused with so many of the values that my mother instilled in me: community, family, bringing people in — making them feel at home.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
- Could Giving Your Baby This ‘Knickname’ Guarantee a Future Professional Athlete?
- Craig Melvin Reveals Deep-Seated Hatred for Peanut Butter: ‘They Perverted the Peanut!’
- Woman, 101, Who’s Always Loved to Garden, Shares Her Longevity Tips
0 Comments