Barack Obama became emotional as he spoke about his late mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, ahead of the opening of the Obama Presidential Center this week. The former US President highlighted Robinson's quiet strength, resilience, and caring nature.
Obama's Emotional Tribute
“I got a little teary-eyed tonight thinking about my mother-in-law, Marian Robinson. She made a home for Michelle and Craig here on the South Side of Chicago, not with a lot, but with a lot of love and hope and perspective and wisdom, and her husband, Fraser Robinson, who got up every day and went down right next to Navy Pier, working in the water reclamation district. He showed what it means to work hard and to put family first,” Obama said in a deeply moving speech, later shared on social media.
He added, “They represent to me what’s best about this country and what’s best about our values, and people who aren’t trying to get every last nickel, and aren’t cutting corners when it comes to values, and treat people high and low with respect and kindness, and handle their business, just salt-of-the-earth, bedrock people. There are people like that all across the South Side of Chicago, and there are people like that all across this great country of ours.”
Michelle Obama's Homage
Former First Lady Michelle Obama paid tribute to her mother by wearing a custom-made pencil skirt featuring her mother’s picture. Marian Robinson, though not as widely known as her daughter, was the heart and soul of the Obama family. She passed away in 2024 at the age of 86.
Early Life and Background
Born as Marian Lois Shields in 1937 to Purnell Shields and Rebecca Jumper, she was raised on the South Side of Chicago. In her daughter’s words, Robinson was a “sweet, witty companion who doesn't need the limelight.” She grew up in a small house with seven siblings. Her parents separated when she was a teenager, and her mother worked as a nursing aide to support the family. Her father faced racial discrimination, unable to join a union or work for larger construction firms due to his skin color. Despite these hardships, he brought joy to his children by waking them up with blasting jazz records.
Robinson faced hardships from a young age. She studied to become a teacher before working as a secretary. She fell in love with Fraser Robinson III, a pump operator for Chicago's water department. They married in 1960 and had two children: Craig in 1962 and Michelle two years later. She worked as a secretary and for a bank before becoming a stay-at-home mother, raising her children in their tiny upstairs apartment on Euclid Avenue in South Shore.
Supportive Mother and Grandmother
Robinson always encouraged her children to believe in their dreams and stand up for them. “When Craig decided to leave a lucrative finance job to pursue his dream of coaching basketball, she was there with her wholehearted support. When Michelle married a guy crazy enough to go into politics, she was just as encouraging,” Barack Obama said during her passing in 2024.
“My mum Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same steady backstop for our entire family,” the former first lady said while announcing her death on June 1, 2024.
First Grandmother of the United States
After Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, Robinson became known as the country's first grandmother. Initially hesitant to move into the White House, she eventually agreed at her family’s insistence. She spent her time caring for her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha. During Obama's eight years in office, she was a quiet but constant presence. She preferred to stay away from the spotlight and stuck to a simple routine rather than the glamour of the new place. “Just show me how to work the washing machine and I’m good,” she would say. Instead of meeting Oscar winners or Nobel laureates, she preferred to make friends with the ushers and butlers, those who truly made the White House a home. The only guest she requested to meet was the Pope.
Marian Robinson was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, mother-in-law, and an incredible human being who believed in hard work, integrity, and keeping family close.
