Michelle Obama: Exploring the Narrative

ABSTRACT

When Michelle Obama was first introduced to the American public in 2008, she was depicted in the media as an unpatriotic, stereotypical, angry Black woman. Today, she is more popular than the president. This study examines the narrative about Michelle Obama created by the first lady and the White House through YouTube videos uploaded in an attempt to redefine her in ways that are more acceptable to the public. The authors examine that narrative in videos posted by the White House, mainstream news and entertainment outlets, and allied organizations, with a focus on the intersectionality of gender, race and class in her story. The findings indicate that Obama's story reflects a neoliberal narrative framed by two themes: (a) the American Dream is achievable through education, hard work, and perseverance; and (b) motherhood and family are primary. Within this neoliberal narrative, racism and poverty are obstacles to be overcome through making the right choices, and gender is viewed through the narrow lens of motherhood rather than gendered inequalities. This narrative is both shaped and constrained by Obama's race, class background, and gender, as well as the goal of creating a more acceptable public persona.

KEYTERMS:

• Michelle Obama
• narrative analysis
• neoliberalism
• YouTube

Notes

1. In this and later references, Obama refers to the first lady, not her husband.

2. Although references to the White House normally refer to the president and his administrative staff, in the context of this study, it refers to both the president's West Wing staff as well as that of the first lady's staff in the East Wing of the White House.

3. See, for example, Gillborn (2015) and Moore (2012).

4. The Reach Higher initiative supports the president's “North Star” goal of re-achieving the U.S.'s former status as having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

5. For example, 85% of Columbia Height's Educational Campus' students qualify for free and reduced lunch; the Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School in Nashville has one of the city's most diverse student bodies, with almost 20% considered economically disadvantaged.