Today In Black History: Mrs. Marian Robinson
The former "First Grandmother"
Issue #623 Today In Black History, Monday, June 3, 2024
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Today’s Black History WOW!
Marian Lois Shields Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama and grandmother to Sasha and Malia Obama was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and public servant who left a lasting impact on those around her. She was born on July 30, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois, where her family moved from Alabama during the Great Migration. She graduated from the Chicago Public Schools and worked in a variety of retail and secretarial jobs until her marriage.
In 1960, Marian Shields married Fraser Robinson III and together they raised their two children, Michelle and Craig, in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. Marian Robinson was a homemaker until Michelle went to high school when she went to work at a bank. Fraser Robinson III died in 1991 after years of suffering from multiple sclerosis.
Marian Robinson's life took on a new level of public attention when her daughter Michelle LaVaughn Robinson married Barack Obama, who would go on to become the 44th President of the United States. Robinson moved into the White House in 2009 to help care for her granddaughters and support her daughter in her role as First Lady.
Throughout her time in the White House, Mrs. Robinson was a calming presence for her family and a source of strength for Michelle Obama as she navigated the challenges of being the First Lady. Marian Robinson was known for her down-to-earth nature and her ability to connect with people from all walks of life.
After leaving the White House in 2017, Mrs. Robinson moved back to Chicago, volunteering at local schools and advocating for causes she cared about. She was a beloved figure in the South Side of Chicago, where she lived out her final years surrounded by family and friends.
Marian Lois Shields Robinson died in Chicago on May 31, 2024, at the age of 86.
In a joint statement, Michelle and Barack said that Mrs. Robinson "had a way of summing up the truths about life in a word or two, maybe a quick phrase that made everyone around her stop and think" and that "In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life. And we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example."
Today In Black History
In 1883, the 4th National Black Convention met in Philadelphia.
In 1884, John Lynch (R-MS) became the 1st Black major party national convention chair.
In 1884, Black inventor Granville T. Woods patented the steam-boiler furnace, his first invention.
In 1906, Belgian King Leopoldo II claimed the Congo as his private possession.
In 1919, the Liberty Life Insurance Company, the first Black-owned legal reserve company was incorporated in Chicago.
In 1946, the U.S. Supreme Court, in the case of Irene Morgan v Commonwealth of Virginia, banned segregation in interstate bus travel.
In 1949, Wesley A. Brown became the first Black graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis.
In 2008, Barack Obama became the first Black person to win the presidential nomination of a major political party when he won the majority of the Democratic Party delegates.
In 2019, Jay-Z was announced by Forbes magazine as the 1st billionaire rapper.
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