Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls

Description

This edited collection explores how First Lady Michelle Obama gradually expanded and broadened her role by engaging in social, political and economic activities which directly and indirectly impacted the lives of the American people, especially young women and girls. The volume responds to the various representations of Michelle Obama and how the language and images used to depict her either affirmed, offended, represented or misrepresented her and its authors. It is an interdisciplinary evaluation by African American women and girls of the First Lady’s overall impact through several media, including original artwork and poetry. It also examines her political activities during and post-election 2016. Front Matter ....Pages i-xxxiii Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Queen of Grace and Power (Rhonda Gray)....Pages 3-4 Power (Stenetta Anthony)....Pages 5-5 Michelle Obama as an Administrator: Reflections (Barbara J. Edwards)....Pages 7-9 First Ladies/First Wives, First Women Presidents: Sexuality, Leadership and Power in the African Diaspora (Carole Boyce Davies)....Pages 11-27 Michelle Obama and Black Women as Alchemists (Ruby Mendenhall)....Pages 29-30 Michelle Obama: Flight vs. Fight (Yasmine Huggins)....Pages 31-42 When and Where I Enter (Jasmine J. Wyatt)....Pages 43-49 Front Matter ....Pages 51-51 Dark and Lovely (Rhonda Gray)....Pages 53-54 Mrs. Michelle Obama (Hazel Marie Harris Watson)....Pages 55-55 Michelle Obama: American—Whether You Like It or Not (Michelle Duster)....Pages 57-78 My Hero (Sandy Philippeaux)....Pages 79-80 “A Quiet Untold Story of Profound Need”: The Activism, Partnerships and Advocacy of First Lady Michelle Obama, Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Military Families (Rose C. Thevenin)....Pages 81-109 Celebrating African American Women Through Dance at the White House (Daveisha Gibson)....Pages 111-120 Let’s Move! with Michelle Obama (Rachelle J. Brunn-Bevel, Kristin Richardson)....Pages 121-152 Striving in Style (Kenisha Coy)....Pages 153-153 Front Matter ....Pages 155-155 Unapologetic (Rhonda Gray)....Pages 157-158 Michelle’s Arms (Verna Hampton)....Pages 159-160 A Woman “Other Women Talk About”: Michelle Obama and the “Looks” of First Black Ladyhood (Tiffany Austin)....Pages 161-166 “Eating the Right Way”: Michelle Obama and Healthy Habits (Maurisha Ebanks)....Pages 167-169 Michelle Obama Raising Black Daughters to Be Magic (Duchess Harris, Avi Thomas)....Pages 171-174 Reconfiguring Black Motherhood: Michelle Obama and the “Mom-in-Charge Trope” (Paula Marie Seniors)....Pages 175-208 The Beauty of Michelle Obama (Terra Renee)....Pages 209-211 Michelle Obama: Marching to the Beat of Her Own Strengths and Defying Negative Stereotypes Along the Way (Leah T. Johnson)....Pages 213-222 Front Matter ....Pages 223-223 Dreams of a Wildflower (Rhonda Gray)....Pages 225-226 A Free-Spirited Dream (Chamille Weddington)....Pages 227-227 Black Girl Rocks: Michelle Obama, My Inspiration (Trishaun C. Hall)....Pages 229-231 Downton (CR)Abbey: The First Lady, Hecklers and the Demise of Decorum (Lisalyn R. Jacobs)....Pages 233-239 Recipes for Michelle (Suzannah Grace Sese-khalid Jones)....Pages 241-246 And Then There Was Michelle Obama: Reflections from a Baby-Boomer Educator and a Millennial Young Woman (Michelle Howard-Vital, Madelyn G. Vital)....Pages 247-253 Multiple Sclerosis: An Unintended Motivator for First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Deidre Hill Butler (Deidre Hill Butler)....Pages 255-259 Brown Girl Challenge (Clara B. Freeman)....Pages 261-262 Front Matter ....Pages 263-263 Election 2016 and Michelle Obama (Patiqua Rolle)....Pages 265-267 ‘Living Outloud’: Michelle Obama and Election 2016 (Rose C. Thevenin)....Pages 269-283 A Title Removed: First Lady Michelle Obama Since Leaving the White House (Charleigha P. Knowles)....Pages 285-286 The Legacy of Michelle Obama Will Live on (Michelle Duster)....Pages 287-288 You Dared (Michelle Duster)....Pages 289-292 Back Matter ....Pages 293-307