Early during the last presidential campaign, many wondered if biracial Barack Obama was black enough. Then after the flap over Rev. Jeremiah Wright, folks wondered if perhaps he was too black. Meanwhile, the conservative blogosphere was abuzz with the rumor that there was a secret video of Michelle Obama referring to Caucasians as "whitey." Now there's debate over whether New York magazine retouched a recent cover illustration of her to make her look lighter, more white.Not that such questions are new to the First Lady. "I remember there were kids around my [Chicago] neighborhood who would say, 'Ooh, you talk funny. You talk like a white girl,'" she said. "I heard that growing up my whole life. I was like, 'I don't even know what that means, but I am still getting my A.'" Critics like that couldn't stop her drive to achieve, said the lawyer and former hospital executive.
Michelle Obama's appearance at Anacostia High School was part of a day in which she introduced D.C.-area students at several schools to a number of accomplished women as examples of the success they, too, can achieve if they are willing to work hard for it.
The women who visited area schools included Grammy Award-winning singers Alicia Keys and Sheryl Crow; sibling actresses Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad; Gen. Ann Dunwoody, the first woman to achieve the four-star rank; actresses Kerry Washington and Tracee Ellis Ross; and Debra Lee, president and CEO of BET Holdings.
To see more about the First Lady's chat with students, check out the video below:
Comments: (87)
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By: ann on 3/20/2009 8:48PM
wow, I no that was hard for her to live with,being told she sounded white.she must still feel the pain, didn't see a white kid there.she still must hate white people.she sure as hell don't care if she hurts their feeling.this is a good way for white kids to respect her.
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By: The Dollhouse on 3/20/2009 9:49PM
You are so stupid and out of touch. I am not sure if you are white, black or even human. But, that is an issue that a great many black kids experience on a daily basis for generations. It’s not that "talking white" is an issue as much as it is an insult for "selling out" your culture. Many high achievers dummy down to meet a lowered standard to avoid this label. Michelle is very diplomatic. But, she knows the challenges of our culture are different from that of the others. It’s an issue that these students needed someone in power to address. Unless, you have walked in our shoes and know the black experience, I suggest you stick to Eonline or TMZ. Dumbazz.
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By: Lanette on 3/20/2009 10:32PM
you are really stupid.
In the African American community if a person spoke a certain way,,proper english...people would say you talk like a white person.
that is not an insult to you people. get a grip.
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By: Greg D. on 3/21/2009 12:52PM
I'm not willing to call you stupid, just unaware.
There's a broader, deeper issue here. There remains a general assumption in our society that the dominate culture is what's "right". The second class citizen status that blacks have historically been relegated to gave birth to the presumption that anything that seemed to mimic stereotypic dominate culture behavior brought that person closer to equal status. An old saying comes to mind; "If it's white, it must be right". Some blacks who bought in to that notion actually made/make conscious efforts to mimic the behavior and colloquial language of whites whom they held/hold in higher esteem than their own black culture. Some call it "self hate". While other blacks who's habits or speech patterns, etc were different than their neighborhood might suggest it "should be" were accused of "trying to act white". When the reality was they were just trying to exercise good or better grammar. White society also tends to hold blacks who use better grammar in high esteem than other blacks. Not necessarily equal to themselves but at least better than "the rest of them". I often hear whites comment on how articulate President Barack Obama is. They are somehow surprised! As if they expected something else. The colloquialism used where I grew up called it"talking proper". Generally we humans tend to over simplify things as good or evil, up or down, black or white. We think in polarizing terms. Opposites. Assuming that premise, the opposite of black is white. Automatically, different from "black" was considered "white". I've never heard whites speak using proper English anymore than blacks. Whites have hardly had a corner on the "King's English". It's just that white bad grammar sounds different that black bad grammar. Good grammar spoken by blacks is perceived as something different or opposite therefore it must be white.
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By: I talk like myself on 3/21/2009 3:13PM
Ann, why don't' you just GET OFF IT! OMG, every time BV has an article about President Obama, First Lady Obama, or any blacks in the media here you are? You are just as ignorant and disrespectful individual like some of the people on here. Nobody wants to hear your worthless 2 cents on here. People like you like to turn words around, bring people down, insult people, and think they are to good and righteous . Get a life! Please don't address nothing else. Nobody CARES!
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By: bmw on 4/13/2009 3:24PM
How does it hurt white people's feelings to learn Michele Obama was teased as a child? Anyone who has been teased about how they look or dress or talk should be able to identify. Maybe you've lived the perfect life and never experienced being teased? If so, you are one of the lucky few in the world, so sit back and enjoy it.
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By: Deb on 3/26/2009 9:25PM
I know the feeling. I also was teased for using proper grammer. My high school years were the worst/horrble; it almost felt like being bi-racial and trying to figure out where you fit; knowing that I wasn't white but wasn't accepted by blacks either. I graduated early to escape the pain and never attended any of my proms.
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By: Alexis S. on 3/23/2009 7:39PM
I remember being teased for speaking "proper English," when most thought it was me not being "Black enough". This stigma still follows me even now in my adulthood. I can relate to the First Lady, Michelle Obama.
For those of you who say were "uppity" or "tryin to act White," your a bunch of haters because "you didn't dare to be different."
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By: eric on 3/20/2009 11:30PM
Been there done that myself! It's true even to this day that if a black person has command of the english language, or as we used to say "can speak the king's english"...minus all that "slang" nonsense, then it's very commomn for them even as either both children or adults that they are referred to you as "talking white!" Sorry, to have to burst someone's bubble ot there, but that ghetto rhetoric just doesn't make it in the real world of business, education, nor politics. That also shows our people's attitudes, and values towards education, and the aquistion of knowledge! A child only becomes the voice to the world that he/she aquires from their parents. Enough said!
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By: ann on 3/21/2009 12:04AM
Well you can call me all the names you want.and you may think I am out of touch.but I am not you think that white children can't read or ask questions.I guess President Obamas remark was o.k. to.and lets don't forget whoopi today.and this is all white people fault.I was going to address something else.but it is not worth it .I think today speaks for its self.
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