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Marian Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, has passed away at age 86.

My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today, Michelle Obama announced on social media.

Former President Barack Obama also shared an obituary remembering Robinson on Medium.

On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand, the obituary noted, adding that she wound up moving to the White House and being the familys rock through Obamas presidency.

The trappings and glamour of the White House were never a great fit for Marian Robinson, the family wrote. The only guest she made a point of asking to meet was the Pope. Over those eight years, she made great friends with the ushers and butlers, the folks who make the White House a home.

Robinson was a Chicago native who inspired confidence and strength in her children and wasn't afraid to speak her mind, according to the family.

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, the family said.

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Marian Robinson, Mother of Former First Lady Michelle Obama, Passes Away - The Daily Beast

By Black PR Wire

(Black PR Wire) Washington, DC Recently, When We All Vote launched the Culture of Democracy Tour, a summer of action to register, educate and engage thousands of voters and volunteers. The Culture of Democracy Tour brings voting to popular culture through events, sweepstakes, campaigns, voter registration drives and more in partnership with the organizations thousands of volunteers and partners.

More than 200 partners have joined When We All Votes Culture of Democracy Collective a network of leading national and community organizations, including sports, corporate and entertainment partners, committed to registering, educating and mobilizing voters. Members include Essence, BET, Lyft, Girls Inc., NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Global Black Economic Forum, Lime, the Divine Nine National Pan-Hellenic Organizations, VoteRiders and the Executive Leadership Council, as well as major sport teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Mystics, New England Revolution, Houston Dynamo and more.

At a time when fewer young people are identifying with political parties, the work of nonpartisan organizations like When We All Vote has never been more critical, said Beth Lynk, executive director of When We All Vote. Through the Culture of Democracy Tour this summer, we will bring voting to the culture and meet voters where they are transforming how they view and participate in democracy and taking this momentum to the biggest stop of all: the ballot box.

Culture of Democracy Tour

When We All Votes Founder and Co-Chair Michelle Obama continues to be a trusted voice in the political space. She will use her voice throughout the tour to engage eligible voters.

More than 40 million Gen Zers will be eligible to vote in November, and almost half are people of color, including 8.8 million Latinos and 5.7 million Black youth. 71 percent of the people who registered with When We All Vote in 2020 were young people and people of color, with a turnout rate of 83 percent surpassing the national average by nearly 20 percentage points. With reports of lower voter enthusiasm dominating the narrative, the Culture of Democracy Tour is critical to remind voters of their power and encourage voter participation. Highlights include:

Culture of Democracy Collective

The more than 200 members of the Culture of Democracy Collective will register voters through their platforms. For example:

Earlier this year, When We All Vote laid out its three-pronged strategy for 2024: 1) register at least 500,000 Americans to vote; 2) reach and mobilize 5 million voters to cast their ballots; 3) change the culture around voting with partners and celebrity co-chairs and ambassadors.

ABOUT When We All Vote:

When We All Vote is a leading national, nonpartisan initiative on a mission to change the culture around voting and to increase participation in each and every election by helping to close the race and age gap. Created by Michelle Obama, When We All Vote brings together individuals, institutions, brands, and organizations to register new voters across the country and advance civic education for the entire family and voters of every age to build an informed and engaged electorate for today and generations to come. We empower our supporters and volunteers to take action through voting, advocating for their rights, and holding their elected officials accountable.

In 2020, When We All Vote ran a robust, multifaceted campaign and reached more than 100 million people to educate them about the voting process and get them registered and ready to vote. The initiative also led in voter education, registration, and volunteer engagement and as a result, 512,000 people started or completed the voter registration process, and nearly 500 media, corporate, and nonprofit partners joined its efforts.

Michelle Obama launched When We All Vote in 2018 and is joined by fellow Co-Chairs Stephen Curry, Becky G, Selena Gomez, Tom Hanks, H.E.R., Liza Koshy, Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Bretman Rock, Kerry Washington and Rita Wilson.

When We All Vote is an initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and works with Civic Nation Action, a 501(c)(4). Learn more here.

ABOUT Civic Nation:

Civic Nation is a nonprofit ecosystem for high-impact organizing and education initiatives working to build a more inclusive and equitable America. Civic Nation shifts culture, systems, and policy by bringing together individuals, grassroots organizers, industry leaders and influencers to tackle some of our nations most pressing social challenges. Civic Nation is home to seven national initiatives and campaigns: ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, Change Collective, Its On Us, Online for All, SAVE On Student Debt, We The Action, and When We All Vote. Learn more here.

Excerpt from:
PRESS ROOM: Michelle Obama's When We All Vote will bring voting to the culture and engage voters across the ... - Afro American Newspaper

Marian Robinson, the mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, passed away at the page of 86 on Friday.

Both Michelle and her husband, former President Barack Obama, issued statements online in honor of Robinson's passing. The former first lady wrote in a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, that her mother "was my rock, always there for whatever I needed."

"She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today," Michelle said.

The family said in a shared statement that Robinson "passed peacefully this morning, and right now, none of us are quite sure how exactly we'll move on without her."

Robinson, a Chicago native, moved to Washington, D.C., after Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election. During her son-in-law's eight years in office, she became a well-known figure in the White House and made occasional appearances at holiday celebrations and other events. Her priority, however, was taking care of her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha, who were 10 and 7 years old when their father became president.

During a 2018 interview with CBS News, Robinson said that after Barack Obama was elected, she "felt like this was going to be a very hard life for both" him and her daughter.

"And I was worried about their safety. And I was worried about my grandkids. I mean, that's what got me to move to DC," Robinson said.

The joint statement regarding Robinson's death was signed by the former president and former first lady as well as Michelle's older brother, Craig Robinson, and his wife Kelly. Marian Robinson's six grandchildrenAvery, Leslie, Malia, Sasha, Austin and Aaronwere also signed on the statement.

Family members described Robinson as having a "wisdom" that "came off as almost innate," and said that she was nothing but "encouraging" to her children as they forged their own career paths.

"At every step, as our families went down paths none of us could have predicted, she remained our refuge from the storm, keeping our feet on solid ground," the statement read. "On Election Night in 2008, when the news broke that Barack would soon shoulder the weight of the world, she was there, holding his hand."

Barack Obama said in his own statement regarding his mother-in-law's passing, "There was and will be only one Marian Robinson. 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."

Tributes poured out on social media following the news of Robinson's passing. Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey wrote in response to the former first lady's post to X that his "thoughts are with the Obama and Robinson families as they grieve this great loss and remember her remarkable life."

Illinois Congresswoman Robin Kelly wrote that, "Marian Robinson was a true Chicagoan who instilled our values of family and community to her children and grandchildren. My heart is with the Obama and Robinson families as they grieve and remember her extraordinary life."

"RIP Mrs. Marian Robinson, who has passed away at the age of 86. Mrs. Robinson was the beloved mother of former First Lady, Mrs. @MichelleObama," posted Shermichael Singleton, a political commentator and Republican strategist. "You and your late husband, Mr. Fraser Robinson III, did an outstanding job raising Mrs. Obama and Craig Robinson."

Niall Stanage, a White House columnist for The Hill, shared an image taken in 2008 of Robinson on the night that her son-in-law won the presidential election. The image features Barack Obama holding Robinson's hand while sitting on a couch.

"One of the simplest yet most moving news photos I've ever seen," Stanage wrote along with the post.

Funeral proceedings have not been announced by the Obama and Robinson families at this time.

Update 05/31/24, 7:41 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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Michelle Obama's Message on Her Mother's Death - Newsweek

First Lady Michelle and former President Barack Obama posted a statement today announcing the passing of Michelles mother Marian Shields Robinson, and the Black Internet wasted no time sending their love and prayers to Obamas in honor of the matriarch.

Oprah And Michelle Obama in The Light We Carry Is Our TV Pick This Week

Marian Robinson was truly an inspiration. Her legacy of kindness and strength will continue to guide us all, wrote Pablo Joselu on X.

George O. Obikoya added, Accept my condolences May her soul rest in peace. Amen.

A retired Black Navy physician by the name of Michael Walker wrote, Very sorry for your loss. Your mother-in-law raised a wonderful, thriving family.

And then this social media commentator wrote what we all have been thinking since the Obamas left the White House and the whole Trump circus started: Bless your mom for raising one of the best First Ladies we ever had.

Amen.

In celebration of her life, Michelle posted a tribute written by Barack in which he delved deeper into Robinsons life and her impact on three generations of family.

My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed, wrote Michelle. She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today. We wanted to offer some reflections on her remarkable life.

Earlier this month Michelle posted a poignant message honoring her mother on on Mothers Day, May 12, and gushed that she felt lucky that she gets to pass that same wisdom down to my own girls, she said.

And if you remember this CBS interview with Gayle King, some of that wisdom included teaching First daughters Sasha and Malia how to do laundry in the White House.

And then lets not forget this 2009 interview Robinson gave in which she gushed that both her kids, Michelle and Craig, were always simply set and determined when it came to their plans in life.

Judging from Baracks tribute, these were qualities that Robinson instilled in her children as she supported her children with radiating grace.

Her wisdom came off as almost innate, as something she was born with, but in reality it was hard-earned, fashioned by her deep understanding that the worlds roughest edges could always be sanded down with a little grace, wrote Barack in his tribute. ... 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.

Rest in power, Mrs. Robinson.

Originally posted here:
RIP: Reactions to Death of First Lady Michelle Obama's Mom - The Root

Marian Shields Robinson, the matriarch whose nurturing spirit profoundly shaped America's first African-American First Family, passed away at age 86. In a statement shared by former President Barack Obama and signed by the entire family:

She passed peacefully this morning, and right now, none of us are quite sure how exactly well move on without her.

Robinson was raised in a household with five sisters and two brothers, Robinsons upbringing was a modest means but with close family bond.

Her father worked tirelessly as a house painter while her mother served diligently as a licensed practical nurse, instilling in their children the values of hard work and dedication.

Robinsons journey from a lively Chicago neighborhood to the White House proves her strength and resilience. In her own career, sheexcelled as a bank executive secretary, but it was her role as mother to Michelle and brother Craig Robinson, wife to Fraser C. Robinson III and as grandmother to a host of grandchildren that defined her legacy.

When her son-in-law, Barack Obama, launched his campaign for the presidency, Robinson retired from her position in the banking industry to watch over her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha. She acted to ensure her family experienced a semblance of normalcy being caught in a whirlwind of political pressures.

Living in the White House, Robinson became a silent yet steadfast presence. She maintained a low profile but her influence was felt. Often taking her granddaughters to school and being there for them, she provided grounding during the Obama family's historic administration. Her involvement allowed Michelle Obama to focus on being First Lady, supporting initiatives that ranged from advocating for military families to promoting healthy eating and exercise.

Robinsons influence extended beyond her immediate family. She often shared wisdomfrom her own life experiences, emphasizing the importance of education and community service. Her quiet strength showed the nation the importance of family values.

In reflecting on her mother's impact, Michelle Obama often highlighted Robinsons role in shaping her own approach to motherhood and public service. Robinson's presence was not just a pillar for the Obama family but a relatable symbol of the vital role grandmothers play in many families.

The whole world is full of little Craigs and little Michelles, shed often remind us, underlining the beauty and potential within every child.

Marian Shields Robinson remains a figure of grace and strength, demonstrating that behind every great family is often a matriarch whose influence is immeasurable.

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Marian Shields Robinson: The Matriarch Behind the Obama Family Has Passed at 86 Marian Shields Robinson: The ... - EBONY