Marian Robinson
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Marian Robinson | |
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.jpg) Robinson in 2022 | |
| Born | Marian Lois Shields July 29, 1937 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | May 31, 2024 (aged 86) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Known for | Mother of Michelle Obama |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Craig Robinson Michelle Obama |
| Relatives | Barack Obama (son-in-law) |
Marian Lois Robinson (née Shields; July 29, 1937 – May 31, 2024) was the mother of Michelle Obama, former first lady of the United States, and Craig Robinson, a basketball executive. She was the mother-in-law of Barack Obama, the former president of the United States.
Ancestry and early life[edit]
Marian Shields was born in Chicago in 1937, the fourth of seven children—five girls, followed by two boys—born to Purnell Nathaniel Shields, a house painter and carpenter,[1][2] and his wife Rebecca Jumper,[3] a licensed practical nurse.[2] Her parents later separated.[3] Both parents had multi-racial ancestry.[4] Her mother's grandfather, Dolphus T. Shields (c. 1860–1950), was a descendant of slavery, with his mother a slave and his white father the heir of the slaveowner;[4] he had moved from rural Georgia to Birmingham, Alabama, where he established his own carpentry and tool sharpening business.[5] His descendants would eventually move to Chicago during the Great Migration.[5]
Personal life[edit]
Shields married Fraser Robinson III on October 27, 1960, in Chicago.[6] They had two children together, Craig Malcolm and Michelle LaVaughn, named after Fraser's mother.[2] Fraser died from multiple sclerosis in 1991.[7]
Robinson worked as a secretary for mail-order retailer Spiegel, the University of Chicago, and a bank.[2] In the late 1960s, Shields lived with her family in a rented second floor apartment of a brick bungalow the South Side of Chicago that belonged to her aunt Robbie and her husband Terry. This is where she raised her two children, Michelle and Craig, and continued to live until she eventually moved to the White House with the Obamas. Michelle Obama, in her book Becoming, describes her mother's strong attachment to her Chicago home and her commitment to raising her children as a stay at home mother. Shields resumed work as an executive assistant at a bank when her daughter Michelle started high school.[1]
Robinson died in Chicago on May 31, 2024, aged 86.[7][8]
Relationship with Michelle Obama[edit]
Michelle described her mother as forthright and honest, and spoke of her implacability and her silent support as a child and beyond.[1] Shields used to take her daughter Michelle to the library long before she started school and used to sit beside her as she learned to read and write. Usually the kind of mother who expected her children to settle their own disputes, Shields was quick to see real distress and stepped in to help when needed. For example, when Michelle was in second grade and was distressed because of being devalued by a teacher, Shields advocated for her and was instrumental in getting her daughter better learning opportunities at school. Shields encouraged her children to communicate with her about all subjects by being available when needed and giving practical advice. She entertained Michelle's school friends when they visited and enabled her to make her own choices in important matters.[1]
Obama campaign and life in the White House[edit]
While Michelle and Barack Obama campaigned for his candidacy as president in 2008, Robinson helped them by providing support to her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha Obama. During Barack Obama's presidency, Robinson lived at the White House with the First Family.[9][10]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Obama, Michelle (2018). Becoming. New York: Crown. ISBN 978-1-5247-6313-8.
- ^ a b c d Skiba, Katherine (March 8, 2010). "First grandma keeps low profile". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
- ^ a b Trotter, Greg (May 12, 2015). "Michelle Obama's grandfather, known as Southside, was a 'magnet'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ a b Swarns, Rachel L. (June 16, 2012). "Meet Your Cousin, the First Lady: A Family Story, Long Hidden". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ a b Swarns, Rachel L.; Kantor, Jodi (October 7, 2009). "In First Lady's Roots, a Complex Path From Slavery". The New York Times. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
- ^ LoBello, Lia (July 2, 2008). "First Families: Radar introduces you to the next president's relatives". Radar. Archived from the original on January 23, 2009. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
- ^ a b O'Donnell, Kelly; Lee, Carol E. (May 31, 2024). "Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama's mother, dies at 86". NBC News. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Rogers, Katie (May 31, 2024). "Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama's Mother, Dies at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ^ Swarns, Rachel L. (9 January 2009). "Obama's Mother-in-Law to Move Into the White House". The New York Times. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
- ^ Palmer, Ewan (July 30, 2019). "Barack Obama Praises Michelle's Mom In Heartfelt Facebook Post: 'She's Been There For Us Every Day'". Newsweek. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
Further reading[edit]
- Swarns, Rachel L. (2012). American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-220465-3.
External links[edit]
- "Marian Robinson", The New York Times
- "A Mother's Love: First Lady & Mom", Essence magazine
- "An In-Law Is Finding Washington to Her Liking ", The New York Times
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