Michelle Obama's Choice

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It was Michelle Obama’s choice to seldom wear her natural hair when Barack Obama her husband, was U.S. President for two terms.

She talked about it in November 2022 and claimed she felt America was not ready for black natural hair. That is hard to believe because American voters did something extraordinary. Extraordinary, because it was unthinkable. How could a black man become president of the United States of America?

America was ready. Michelle Obama was not. It was her choice not to wear her hair in an afro, in braids and other hairstyles prompted by the texture of black hair and she did it for eight years. These are just examples. We don’t have to wear braids to be black. We are black on arrival.

Hair is a problem period. Ask women from all corners of the globe. They know exactly what to wear to the office, picnic or wedding then comes the crunch: what to do with the hair? Granted, Michelle Obama was an extremely busy woman. She was the U.S. First Lady.

But she was more than that to millions of black voters who voted for her husband. She was their first role model, pride and joy. American women copied Jackie Kennedy because she was First Lady. Black women hoped Michelle Obama would also give them something to copy, a hairstyle perhaps.

What is a black hairstyle? Sanaa Lathan the actress, has some examples. One day she’s at the airport, hair in braids. The next time you see her, she has teased out her lush forest. Months later, she has shaved her head. Ms. Lathan is game with her hair.

American voters were ready for the total package, an intelligent, educated, fitness conscious and black First Lady. Michelle Obama only wanted to be remembered as the First Lady, without the black. It was her choice and she emphasized it through Malia and Sasha’s hair.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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