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The mother of a white roommate reportedly tried to get her daughter reassigned because of Michelle's race.<ref name="boston-globe-2008" /> Robinson said being at Princeton was the first time she became more aware of her ethnicity and, despite the willingness of her classmates and teachers to reach out to her, she still felt "like a visitor on campus".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/03/michelle-obama-princeton-harvard-116390|title=Michelle Obama, Race and the Ivy League|date=March 26, 2015|publisher=POLITICO| first=Peter| last=Slevin}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/10/AR2007051002573_2.html| title=Michelle Obama's Career Timeout|date=May 11, 2007|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> There were also issues of economic class. "I remember being shocked," she says, "by college students who drove [[BMW]]s. I didn't even know parents who drove BMWs."<ref name="tn" />
 
While at Princeton, Robinson became involved with the Third World Center (now known as the Carl A. Fields Center), an academic and cultural group who supported minority students. She ran their daycare center, which also offered after -school tutoring for older children.<ref name="Biography Today">{{cite book|title=Biography Today|year=2009|page=[https://archive.org/details/biographytodaypr0000unse/page/117 117]|publisher=Omnigraphics|location=Detroit, Michigan|isbn=978-0-7808-1052-5|url=https://archive.org/details/biographytodaypr0000unse/page/117}}</ref> She challenged the teaching methodology for French because she felt it should be more conversational.<ref name=FWtWMO /> As part of her requirements for graduation, she wrote a sociology thesis, entitled ''Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community''.<ref name="thesis">Robinson, Michelle LaVaughn (1985), Sociology Department. "[http://libweb5.princeton.edu/theses/index.htm Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community (96 pages).] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527042623/http://libweb5.princeton.edu/theses/index.htm |date=May 27, 2019 }}" [[Seeley G. Mudd]] Manuscript Library, Princeton University. (Thesis currently unavailable from this library; see next footnote for links to text.)</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8642.html
|title=Michelle Obama thesis was on racial divide|access-date=April 19, 2008|date=February 22, 2008|work=[[Politico]] |author=Ressner, Jeffrey}}</ref> She researched her thesis by sending a questionnaire to African-American graduates, asking that they specify when and how comfortable they were with their race prior to their enrollment at Princeton and how they felt about it when they were a student and since then. Of the 400 alumni to whom she sent the survey, fewer than 90 responded. Her findings did not support her hope that the black alumni would still identify with the African-American community, even though they had attended an elite university and had the advantages that accrue to its graduates.<!--Needs more explanation.--><ref name=Bond44>{{cite book|title=Michelle Obama, a Biography|first=Alma Halbert|last=Bond|pages=44–45|publisher=Greenwood|year=2011|isbn=978-0-313-38104-1}}</ref>
 
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[[File:ObamaHouseChicago.jpg|thumb|The Obama family home in Chicago]]
The Obama family lived on Chicago's South Side, where Barack taught at the University of Chicago Law School. He was elected to the state senate in 1996, and to the USU.S. Senate in 2004. They chose to keep their residence in Chicago after Barack's election rather than to move to Washington, DC, as they felt it was better for their daughters. Throughout her husband's [[Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign|2008 campaign for USU.S. President]], Obama made a "commitment to be away overnight only once a week{{snd}}to campaign only two days a week and be home by the end of the second day" for their two daughters.<ref name=PasadenaWeekly>{{cite news|title=Mother, wife, superstar|url=http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/mother_wife_superstar/6037|author=Piasecki, Joe|date=June 5, 2008|work=Pasadena Weekly|publisher=[[Southland Publishing]]|access-date=April 3, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416013539/http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/mother_wife_superstar/6037/|archive-date=April 16, 2009}}</ref>
 
[[File:Barack Obama family portrait 2011.jpg|thumb|left|Official portrait by [[Pete Souza]] of the Obama family in the [[Oval Office]], December 11, 2011|234x234px]]
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She continued to hold the [[University of Chicago Hospitals]] position during the primary campaign of 2008, but cut back to part-time in order to spend time with her daughters as well as work for her husband's election.<ref name=ABCNews20080124>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4179656&page=1|publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|title=Michelle Obama: Mom First, Politics Second|author=Snow, Kate|date=January 24, 2008|access-date=April 4, 2009}}</ref> She subsequently took a leave of absence from her job.<ref name="blaze">{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-michelle_obama_first_ladynov09,0,7595775.story|title=Michelle Obama blazes a new trail|author=St. Clair, Stacy|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=November 8, 2008|access-date=November 20, 2008}}</ref>
 
According to the couple's 2006 [[Tax return (United States)|income tax return]], her salary was $273,618 from the University of Chicago Hospitals, while her husband had a salary of $157,082 from the [[United States Senate]]. The Obamas' total income was $991,296, which included $51,200 that she earned as a member of the board of directors of [[TreeHouse Foods]], and investments and royalties from his books.<ref name=MOChw>{{cite news|access-date=February 12, 2008 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-05-10-michelle-obama_N.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070513022818/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-05-10-michelle-obama_N.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 13, 2007 |title=Michelle Obama: Campaigning her way |date=May 12, 2007 |work=[[USA Today]] |author=Keen, Judy}}</ref>
 
Obama served as a salaried board member of [[TreeHouse Foods]], Inc. ({{nyse2|THS}}),<ref name=TreeHouse>{{cite web|access-date=April 4, 2009 |url=http://www.treehousefoods.com/bio_michelle_obama.html |title=Board of Directors: Michelle Obama |publisher=TreeHouse Foods |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415173151/http://www.treehousefoods.com/bio_michelle_obama.html |archive-date=April 15, 2009}}</ref> a major [[Wal-Mart]] supplier from shortly after her husband was seated in the Senate until she cut ties shortly after her husband announced his candidacy for the presidency; he criticized Wal-Mart labor policies at an [[AFL–CIO]] forum in [[Trenton, New Jersey]], on May 14, 2007.<ref name=SunTimesBlog200705>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/05/sweet_column_michelle_obama_qu.html |title=Sweet Column: Michelle Obama Quits Board of Wal-Mart Supplier |author=Sweet, Lynn |work=Chicago Sun-Times |date=May 22, 2007 |access-date=April 4, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209000555/http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/05/sweet_column_michelle_obama_qu.html |archive-date=February 9, 2009}}</ref> She also served on the board of directors of the [[Chicago Council on Global Affairs]].<ref name=ChicagoCouncil>{{cite web|url=http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/chicago_council_board_directors.php|title=Directors|publisher=Chicago Council on Global Affairs|access-date=April 4, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218114043/http://www.thechicagocouncil.org/chicago_council_board_directors.php|archive-date=February 18, 2009}}</ref>
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=== 2008 presidential campaign ===
[[File:Michelle Obama and Barack Obama enjoy a victory fist pound upon winning the Democratic Nomination.jpg|thumb|190px|The Obamas [[fist bump]] upon his winning the Democratic nomination.]]
At first, Obama had reservations about her husband's presidential campaign, due to fears about a possible negative effect on their daughters.<ref name=MONYT>{{cite news|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/o/michelle_obama/index.html|title=Michelle Obama|access-date=April 8, 2009|date=March 5, 2009|work=The New York Times|first1=Rachel L.|last1=Swarns|first2=Jodi|last2=Kantor}}</ref> She says that she negotiated an agreement in which her husband was to quit smoking in exchange for her support of his decision to run.<ref name=MOoCF>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120248883340754123|title=Michelle Obama on Campaign, Family|access-date=February 12, 2008|date=February 11, 2008|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|author=Langley, Monica}}</ref> About her role in her husband's presidential campaign she has said: "My job is not a senior adviser".<ref name=MOIGaLM>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3199620|title=Michelle Obama: 'I've Got a Loud Mouth'|access-date=February 12, 2008|date=May 22, 2007|publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|author=Roberts, Robin|author-link=Robin Roberts (newscaster)}}</ref><ref name=MOpuric /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/05/22/news/iowa/819e27c77eaa19fc862572e30012e0d4.txt|title=Michelle Obama: I'm his wife, not adviser|access-date=April 3, 2008|date=May 22, 2007|work=[[Sioux City Journal]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415223824/http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/05/22/news/iowa/819e27c77eaa19fc862572e30012e0d4.txt|archive-date=April 15, 2009}}</ref> During the campaign, she discussed race and education by using motherhood as a framework.<ref name=FWtWMO>{{cite news|title=Focus: Women to Watch: Michelle Obama|author=Klein, Sarah A.|date=May 5, 2008|publisher=[[Crain Communications, Inc.]]|work=[[Crain's Chicago Business]]|page=29}}</ref>
 
In May 2007, three months after her husband declared his presidential candidacy, Obama reduced her professional responsibilities by 80 percent to support his presidential campaign.<ref name=FLIW>{{cite news|url=http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/12/michelle_obama200712|title=First Lady in waiting|work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|access-date=February 12, 2008|date=December 27, 2007|author=Bennetts, Leslie}}</ref> Early in the campaign, she had limited involvement, in which she traveledtraveling to political events only two days a week and rarely traveledtraveling overnight;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/michelle-obama-interview|title=How Michelle Obama Does It: Michelle Obama: The real story behind her everyday life.|access-date=September 23, 2014|date=October 18, 2008|work=[[Redbook]]}}</ref> by early February 2008 her participation had increased significantly. She attended thirty-three events in eight days.<ref name=MOSHR /> She made several campaign appearances with [[Oprah Winfrey]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/07/MNC8UT9LM.DTL|title=Millions of cell calls for Clinton Big effort to contact list of likely backers gave her the state|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=February 15, 2008|date=February 7, 2008|author1=Marinucci, Carla|author2=John Wildermuth}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title={{-'}}I'm Tired of Politics as Usual'; Oprah Winfrey Makes Her Case for Sen. Obama's Presidential Candidacy|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=December 19, 2007|author1=Kornblut, Anne E.|author2=Murray, Shailagh|name-list-style=amp|page=A1}}</ref> She wrote her own [[stump speech (politics)|stump speeches]] for her husband's presidential campaign and generally spoke without notes.<ref name=tn>{{cite news|url=http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/2007_Sept_Michelle_Obama|title=The natural|access-date=January 8, 2009|date=September 2007|work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]|author=Johnson, Rebecca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116125432/http://style.com/vogue/feature/2007_Sept_Michelle_Obama|archive-date=January 16, 2009}}</ref>
 
During the campaign, columnist [[Cal Thomas]] on [[Fox News]] described Michelle Obama as an "[[Angry Black Woman]]"<ref name=AAMOLfaNI>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/us/politics/18michelle.html?|title=After Attacks, Michelle Obama Looks for a New Introduction|access-date=October 13, 2008|date=June 18, 2008|work=The New York Times|author1=Powell, Michael|author2=Jodi Kantor|name-list-style=amp}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/23/mann.michelle.obama|title=A First Lady of a different kind|author=Mann, Jonathan|work=CNN| date=May 23, 2008|access-date=April 4, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,367601,00.html|title=Transcript: 'Fox News Watch', June 14, 2008|date=June 16, 2008|access-date=April 4, 2009|publisher=[[Fox News]]}}</ref> and some web sites attempted to promote this image.<ref name=MUM>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/opinion/11dowd.html?|title=Mincing Up Michelle|access-date=October 13, 2008|date=June 11, 2008|work=The New York Times|author=Dowd, Maureen}}</ref> Obama said: "Barack and I have been in the public eye for many years now, and we've developed a thick skin along the way. When you're out campaigning, there will always be criticism. I just take it in stride, and at the end of the day, I know that it comes with the territory."<ref name="WatsonCovarrubias2012">{{cite book|first1=Robert P.|last1=Watson|first2=Jack|last2=Covarrubias|first3=Tom|last3=Lansford|first4=Douglas M.|last4=Brattebo|title=The Obama Presidency: A Preliminary Assessment|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kNxb9efuIrIC&pg=PA393|date=April 11, 2012|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-1-4384-4330-0|pages=393–|access-date=February 23, 2015}}</ref>
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On June 5, 2009, the White House announced that Michelle Obama was replacing her then chief of staff, [[Jackie Norris]], with [[Susan Sher]], a longtime friend and adviser. Norris became a senior adviser to the [[Corporation for National and Community Service]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/05/Michelle-Obama-gets-new-chief-of-staff/UPI-61071244180466/|title=Michelle Obama gets new chief of staff|access-date=July 27, 2009|date=June 5, 2009|work=[[United Press International]]}}</ref> Another key aide, [[Spelman College]] alumna Kristen Jarvis, served from 2008 until 2015, when she left to become chief of staff to the [[Ford Foundation]] president [[Darren Walker]].
 
In 2009, Obama was named [[Barbara Walters]]'s [[Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People|Most Fascinating Person]] of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/michelle-obama-named-1012998/|title=Michelle Obama Named "Most Fascinating" Person of 2009|author=Joyce Eng|date=December 10, 2009|work=TV Guide}}</ref> In her memoir, ''[[Becoming (book)|Becoming]]'', Obama describes her four primary initiatives as First Lady: [[Let's Move!]], Reach Higher,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ReachHigher|title=Reach Higher (@ReachHigher)|via=Twitter|access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref> Let Girls Learn,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usaid.gov/letgirlslearn|title=Let Girls Learn {{!}} U.S. Agency for International Development|website=[[usaid.gov]]|access-date=January 11, 2019|archive-date=January 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190109063531/https://www.usaid.gov/letgirlslearn|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Joining Forces]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/JoiningForces|title=Joining Forces (@JoiningForces)|via=Twitter|access-date=January 11, 2019}}</ref> Some initiatives of First Lady Michelle Obama included advocating on behalf of military families, helping working women balance career and family, encouraging national service, and promoting the arts and arts education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/first-lady-michelle-obama/|title=First Lady Michelle Obama|access-date=April 6, 2010|publisher=[[WhiteHouse.gov]]| url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100407154631/http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/first-lady-michelle-obama|archive-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref><ref name=MOMMFHM /> Obama made supporting military families and spouses a personal mission and increasingly bonded with military families. According to her aides, stories of the sacrifice these families make moved her to tears.<ref name=MOMMFHM>{{cite web|last=Walsh|first=Kenneth T.|date=March 26, 2009|url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/obama/2009/03/26/michelle-obama-makes-military-families-her-mission.html|title=Michelle Obama Makes Military Families Her Mission: The first lady is often moved by accounts of personal sacrifice by service families|access-date=April 7, 2009|work=[[U.S. News & World Report]]}}</ref> In April 2012, Obama and her husband were awarded the Jerald Washington Memorial Founders' Award by the [[National Coalition for Homeless Veterans]] (NCHV). The award is the highest honor given to homeless veteran advocates.<ref>{{cite news|title=President Obama, Michelle Obama Receive Highest Award in Homeless Veteran Advocacy|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/veteran-homelessness-barack-obama_n_1459433.html|access-date=August 16, 2015|publisher=Huffington Post|date=April 27, 2012}}</ref>
Obama was again honored with the award in May 2015, accepting with [[Jill Biden]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=Michelle Obama And Dr. Jill Biden To Receive 2015 Jerald Washington Memorial Founders' Award For Efforts To End Veteran Homelessness|publisher=PR Newswire|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/michelle-obama-and-dr-jill-biden-to-receive-2015-jerald-washington-memorial-founders-award-for-efforts-to-end-veteran-homelessness-300085779.html|access-date=August 16, 2015}}</ref>
 
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Several Republicans have critiqued or lampooned Obama's initiative. In October 2014, senator [[Rand Paul]] linked to Michelle Obama's Twitter account when announcing on the website that he was going to [[Dunkin' Donuts]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/17/rand-paul-to-michelle-obama-look-at-me-im-at-dunki/|title=Rand Paul to Michelle Obama: Look at me – I'm at Dunkin' Donuts|date=October 17, 2014|newspaper=Washington Times|first=Cheryl K.|last=Chumley}}</ref>
In January 2016, [[Chris Christie]], Republican [[Governor of New Jersey]] and presidential candidate, criticized the first lady's involvement with healthy eating while he was campaigning in [[Iowa]], arguing that she was using the government to exercise her views on eating.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chasmar|first=Jessica|date=January 19, 2016|title=Chris Christie: Michelle Obama 'has no business' meddling in school lunches|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/19/chris-christie-michelle-obama-has-no-business-medd/|newspaper=Washington Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gunlock|first=Julie|date=January 21, 2016|title= Christie Takes a Tougher Tone against Michelle Obama's School-Lunch Reforms|url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430115/chris-christie-criticizes-michelle-obamas-school-lunches|work=National Review}}</ref> Obama had previously cited Christie as an example of an adult who struggled with obesity, a demographic that she sought to diminish by targeting children since ''Let's Move!'' was "working with kids when they're young, so that they don't have these direct challenges when they get older."<ref>{{cite news|last=Camia|first=Catalina|date=May 8, 2013|title=Michelle Obama: Chris Christie is 'terrific'|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/onpolitics/2013/05/08/michelle-obama-chris-christie-weight-loss/2144981/}}</ref> In February, Senator [[Ted Cruz]] said that he would end Obama's health policies and return [[french fries]] to school cafeterias if his wife waswere First Lady.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ted Cruz Takes Shot at First Lady Michelle Obama|url=http://www.mediaite.com/online/ted-cruz-takes-shot-at-first-lady-michelle-obama/|work=[[mediaite.com]]|date=February 1, 2016}}</ref>
 
=== LGBT rights ===
In the 2008 USU.S. presidential campaign, Obama boasted to gay Democratic groups of her husband's record on LGBT rights: his support of the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois gender violence act, the [[Employment Non-Discrimination Act]], repealing the "[[Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010|Don't Ask Don't Tell]]" policy, and full repeal of the [[Defense of Marriage Act]], [[civil unions]]; along with hate crimes protection for sexual orientation and gender identity and renewed effort to fight [[HIV/AIDS|HIV and AIDS]]. They have both opposed amendments proposed to ban same-sex marriage in the [[Federal Marriage Amendment|federal]], [[Proposition 8|California]], and [[2008 Florida Amendment 2|Florida]] constitutions. She said that the USU.S. Supreme Court delivered justice in the ''[[Lawrence v. Texas]]'' case, and she drew a connection between the struggles for gay rights and civil rights by saying, "We are all only here because of those who marched and bled and died, from Selma to Stonewall, in the pursuit of a more perfect union."<ref>{{cite news |last=Wulfhorst |first=Ellen |date=June 27, 2008 |url=http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2008/06/26/michelle-obama-speaks-to-gay-democrats/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130321071320/http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2008/06/26/michelle-obama-speaks-to-gay-democrats|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 21, 2013|title=Michelle Obama speaks to gay Democrats|work=Reuters|access-date=January 22, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/06/the-audacity-of-hope-from-selm.php|title=The audacity of hope – 'from Selma to Stonewall'|access-date=January 22, 2013|work=TMP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307001621/http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/06/the-audacity-of-hope-from-selm.php|archive-date=March 7, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Michelle Obama Speaks to LGBT Delegates at Convention Lunch|url=http://www.towleroad.com/2008/08/michelle-obama.html|access-date=January 22, 2013|date=August 27, 2008|work=Towleroad}}</ref>
 
After the repeal of [[Don't Ask Don't Tell]] on September 20, 2011, Obama included openly gay service members in her national military families initiative.<ref>{{cite news|title=Michelle Obama Welcomes Gay Families to National Military Initiative|url=http://www.advocate.com/news/daily-news/2011/09/19/michelle-obama-welcomes-gay-families-national-initiative|access-date=January 22, 2013|date=September 19, 2011|work=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]}}</ref> On May 9, 2012, Barack and Michelle Obama came out publicly in favor of same-sex marriage. Prior to this, Michelle Obama had never publicly stated her position on this issue. Senior White House officials said Michelle Obama and Senior Adviser [[Valerie Jarrett]] had been the two most consistent advocates for same-sex marriage in Barack Obama's life.<ref>{{cite news |last=Haberman |first=Maggie |date=May 9, 2012 |title=Jarrett, Michelle Obama pushed for gay marriage |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/05/jarrett-michelle-obama-pushed-for-gay-marriage-123021.html |access-date=May 9, 2012 |work=[[Politico]]}}</ref> Michelle said:
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[[File:President and First Lady Obama, With Saudi King Salman, Shake Hands With Members of the Saudi Royal Family.jpg|thumb|Michelle and Barack Obama with [[King Salman]] of [[Saudi Arabia]] and members of the Saudi royal family, January 27, 2015]]
In June 2015, Obama undertook a weeklong trip to London and three Italian cities. In London, she spoke with students about international education for adolescent girls and met with both British prime minister [[David Cameron]] and [[Prince Harry]]. She was joined by her two daughters and mother.<ref>{{cite news|last=Superville|first=Darlene|date=June 12, 2015|title=Michelle Obama follows predecessors with foreign travel|url=https://news.yahoo.com/michelle-obama-follows-predecessors-foreign-travel-220044877--politics.html|agency=Associated Press |website=Yahoo News |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305104744/https://news.yahoo.com/michelle-obama-follows-predecessors-foreign-travel-220044877--politics.html |archive-date= Mar 5, 2016 }}</ref> In November, she spent a week in [[Qatar]], her first official visit to the Middle East. She continued advancing her initiative for international education for women by speaking at the 2015 World Innovation Summit for Education for her "Let Girls Learn" initiative in [[Doha, Qatar]], and touring a school in [[Amman, Jordan]], where she met with female students.<ref name=2015CNN /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.voanews.com/content/michelle-obama-promote-education-initiative-mideast-trip/3027025.html|title=Michelle Obama to Promote Education Initiative in Mideast Trip|date=October 28, 2015|publisher=Voice of America |agency=Associated Press |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112010836/http://www.voanews.com/content/michelle-obama-promote-education-initiative-mideast-trip/3027025.html |archive-date= Jan 12, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="instyle let girls learn">{{cite web|title=5 Things to Know About Michelle Obama's Let Girls Learn Initiative|url=https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/michelle-obama-let-girls-learn-initiative|website=InStyle.com|access-date=February 22, 2019}}</ref> During the Qatar trip, Obama had intended to visit Jordan as well, but the trip was canceled due to weather conditions. In Jordan, Obama had intended to visit an [[Amman, Jordan|Amman]] school, whichthat had been constructed with assistance from U.S. funds.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20151105-disappointed-michelle-obama-calls-off-jordan-trip |title='Disappointed' Michelle Obama calls off Jordan trip |work=France24 |date=November 5, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222111840/http://www.france24.com/en/20151105-disappointed-michelle-obama-calls-off-jordan-trip |archive-date=December 22, 2015 }}</ref>
 
In March 2016, Obama accompanied her husband and children to [[Cuba]] in a trip that was seen by the administration as having the possibility of positively impacting relations between the country and America.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Parsons|first1=Christi|last2=Wilkinson |first2=Tracy|date=March 18, 2016|title=Obama's Cuba visit to augur a 'new beginning' between nations|url=http://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-obama-cuba-advance-20160318-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kimble|first=Lindsay|date=March 17, 2016|title=Malia and Sasha Obama Will Join the President and First Lady for Landmark Cuba Trip|url=http://www.people.com/article/barack-obama-michelle-cuba-trip|work=People}}</ref> Later that month, the first couple and their daughters traveled to [[Argentina]],<ref>{{cite news|last=Boyer|first=Dave|date=March 24, 2016|title=Obama brings two fuel-guzzlers to serve as Air Force One in Argentina|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/24/obama-takes-two-air-force-one-planes-argentina/|work=The Washington Times}}</ref> meeting with Argentine president [[Mauricio Macri]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Feldman|first=Jamie|date=March 24, 2016|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/michelle-obama-tango-dress_us_56f3de28e4b0c3ef5217fc0a|title=Michelle Obama Tangos in a Magnificent Metallic Dress|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Krol|first=Charlotte|date=March 24, 2016|title=Barack and Michelle Obama tango in Argentina|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/12202837/Barack-and-Michelle-Obama-tango-in-Argentina.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324084405/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/12202837/Barack-and-Michelle-Obama-tango-in-Argentina.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 24, 2016|newspaper=The Telegraph}}</ref>
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Obama has been compared to [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Kennedy]] due to her sense of style,<ref name=MOmraotVFibdl /> and also to [[Barbara Bush]] for her discipline and decorum.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/fashion/08michelle.html? | title=She Dresses to Win |access-date=October 13, 2008|date=June 8, 2008 |work=The New York Times| author=Trebay, Guy}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/70165|title=Ground Support: Michelle Obama Has Seemed Ambivalent About Barack's'08 Run. But She's Provided The Entree For Him To Give It A Go.|access-date=November 16, 2008|date=January 29, 2007 |work=Newsweek|author1=Springen, Karen |author2=Jonathan Darman |name-list-style=amp }}</ref> Obama's style has been described as "fashion populist".<ref name=VLiCBTO>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/171275|title=Very Little in Common But That 'O' | access-date=January 9, 2009 |date=November 29, 2008 |work=Newsweek|author=Connolly, Katie}}</ref> In 2010, she wore clothes, many high end, from more than fifty design companies with less expensive pieces from [[J.Crew]] and [[Target Corporation|Target]], and the same year a study found that her patronage was worth an average of $14{{nbs}}million to a company.<ref name=Horyn>{{cite news|author=Horyn, Cathy|title=First in Fashion| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/30/fashion/michelle-obama-first-in-fashion.html|date= December 28, 2012|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> She became a fashion trendsetter, in particular favoring sleeveless dresses, including her first-term official portrait in a dress by [[Michael Kors]], and her ball gowns designed by [[Jason Wu]] for both inaugurals.<ref>{{cite news|author=Wilson, Eric|title=Mrs. Obama in Kors|url=http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/27/mrs-obama-in-kors/|date=February 27, 2009}} and {{cite news|title=Mrs. Obama's Inaugural Wardrobe by Many Designers|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/us/first-lady-and-fashion-are-no-longer-so-combustible.html|date=January 21, 2013|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 17, 2013}}</ref> She has also been known for wearing clothes by African designers such as [[Mimi Plange]], [[Duro Olowu]], Maki Oh, and Osei Duro, and styles such as the [[Adire (textile art)|Adire]] fabric.<ref name="ObamaGuardian">{{Cite news|url=https://guardian.ng/life/culture-lifestyle/the-evolution-of-adire/|title=Adire: The Love Affair Between Art And Fashion|newspaper=Guardian|location=Lagos, Nigeria|date=July 12, 2016 |access-date=September 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://alainelkanninterviews.com/duro-olowu/|title=Alain Elkann interviews designer and curator Duro Olowu|date=April 9, 2017|work=Alain Elkann Interviews|access-date=September 24, 2017}}</ref>
 
Obama appeared on the cover and in a photo spread in the March 2009 issue of ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]''.<ref name=MOgcoVm /><ref name=MOmVc>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7883253.stm|title=Michelle Obama makes Vogue cover |access-date=February 14, 2009|date=February 11, 2009 }}</ref> Every first lady since [[Lou Henry Hoover|Lou Hoover]] (except [[Bess Truman]]) has been in ''Vogue'',<ref name=MOgcoVm>{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/usPoliticsNews/idUKTRE51A86320090211|title=Michelle Obama graces cover of Vogue magazine|access-date=February 14, 2009|date=February 11, 2009 |work=[[Reuters]] | first=Jill | last=Serjeant}}</ref> but only Hillary Clinton had previously appeared on the cover.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2009/02/first-look-mich.html|title=All the Rage: The Image Staff Muses On The Culture of Keeping Up Appearance in Hollywood and Beyond|access-date=February 14, 2009|date=February 11, 2009 |work=Los Angeles Times|author=Tschorn, Adam}}</ref> Obama later appeared two more times on the cover of ''Vogue'', while First Lady, the last time in December 2016, with photographs by [[Annie Leibovitz]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/11/politics/michelle-obama-vogue/index.html|title=Michelle Obama makes third Vogue cover appearance|first=Kevin|last=Liptak|date=November 12, 2016|work=CNN|access-date=November 29, 2016}}</ref> In August 2011, she became the first woman ever to appear on the cover of ''[[Better Homes and Gardens (magazine)|Better Homes and Gardens]]'' magazine, and the first person in 48 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.babycenter.com/celebrities/better-homes-gardens-put-first-woman-on-its-07222011-cover/ |title=Better Homes and Gardens put first woman on its cover |publisher=Blogs.babycenter.com |date=July 22, 2011 |access-date=December 14, 2012}}</ref> In 2013, during the [[85th Academy Awards]], she became the first first lady to announce the winner of an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] (Best Picture, which went to ''[[Argo (2012 film)|Argo]]'').<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainment-us-oscars-michelleobama-idUSBRE91O07020130225|title=Michelle Obama surprises Oscars by presenting Best Picture award|access-date=February 25, 2013|date=February 24, 2013|publisher=Reuters}}</ref>
 
The media have been criticized for focusing more on the first lady's fashion sense than her serious contributions.<ref name=VLiCBTO /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/blogs/morgan-felchner/2008/11/14/for-mom-in-chief-michelle-obama-and-women-everywhere-its-about-choice.html|title=For Mom-in-Chief Michelle Obama and Women Everywhere, It's About Choice | access-date=January 10, 2009 | date=November 14, 2008 | work=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|author=Felchner, Morgan E.}}</ref> She said after the 2008 election that she would like to focus attention as First Lady on issues of concern to military and working families.<ref name=WMMtU /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/10/17/michelle-obama-as-baracks-first-lady-i-would-work-to-help-working-families-and-military-families.html|title=Michelle Obama: As Barack's First Lady, I Would Work to Help Working Families and Military Families|access-date=January 10, 2009|date=October 17, 2008 | work=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|author=Obama, Michelle}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/170435|title=The Editor's Desk | access-date=January 9, 2009|date=November 22, 2008 |work=Newsweek|author=Klaidman, Daniel}}</ref> In 2008, ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' blogger, [[PBS]] host and [[E. W. Scripps Company|Scripps Howard]] columnist [[Bonnie Erbé]] argued that Obama's own publicists seemed to be feeding the emphasis on style over substance,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2008/11/13/michelle-obama-is-making-herself-a-stay-at-home-mom-not-the-media-2.html|title=Michelle Obama Is Making Herself a Stay-at-Home Mom, Not the Media | access-date=January 10, 2009 | date=November 13, 2008 | work=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|author=Erbe, Bonnie}}</ref> and said Obama was miscasting herself by overemphasizing style.<ref name=MOSWW /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2008/11/06/barack-and-michelle-obama-sound-tone-deaf-on-womens-issues.html|title=Barack and Michelle Obama Sound Tone-Deaf on Women's Issues | access-date=January 10, 2009|date=November 6, 2008 |work=[[U.S. News & World Report]]|author=Erbe, Bonnie}}</ref>
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In 2021, she was inducted into the [[National Women's Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=March 9, 2021 |title=Michelle Obama, Mia Hamm chosen for Women's Hall of Fame |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/womens-half-fame-michelle-obama-20210308.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer}}</ref>
 
On April 28, 2023, Obama, along with actress [[Kate Capshaw]], joined [[Bruce Springsteen]] on stage during his show in [[Barcelona]] where they provided backing vocals and tambourine on Springsteen's song "[[Glory Days (Bruce Springsteen song)|Glory Days]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blanchett |first=Ben |date=April 29, 2023 |title=Michelle Obama Joins Bruce Springsteen Onstage During Barcelona Concert|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/michelle-obama-joins-bruce-springsteen-onstage-during-barcelona-concert/ar-AA1avzvt|access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=MSN.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
Amid media speculation over the candidacy of President Biden, Obama's office announced in March 2024 that she would not be running for president in the [[2024 United States presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/michelle-obama-former-first-lady-not-running-president-2024-rcna141767|title=Michelle Obama's office says the former first lady 'will not be running for president' in 2024|website=NBC News |date=6 March 2024|access-date=6 March 2024}}</ref>
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