Marian Robinson, the beloved mother of former First Lady Michelle Obama, passed away at 86. The Robinson family announced the news on Friday, May 31, expressing their profound loss and gratitude for her life.
Marian Lois Shields was the fourth of seven children born on Chicago’s South Side on July 30, 1937. Her father, Purnell Nathaniel Shields, was a carpenter and house painter, and her mother, Rebecca Jumper, was a licensed practical nurse. DNA research revealed that Marian’s lineage traces back to slavery, highlighting her great-grandfather Dolphus T. Shields, the son of an enslaved teenager and her white owner.
Marian married Fraser Robinson III in October 1960. Together, they raised two children, Michelle and Craig, in a small apartment on Chicago’s South Side. Marian worked various jobs, including positions at Spiegel and the University of Chicago, but she primarily focused on being a stay-at-home mom during her children’s formative years. Fraser Robinson passed away in 1991 from multiple sclerosis.
When Barack Obama was elected president in 2008, Marian moved to the White House in 2009 to help care for her granddaughters, Malia and Sasha. She became known as the “First Grandma,” providing stability and normalcy in a highly publicized environment. “We needed her. The girls needed her. And she ended up being our rock through it all,” the family stated.
Despite her proximity to power and fame, Marian Robinson preferred a simple life. She often spent her time in a cozy room with a view of the Washington Monument rather than mingling with celebrities. “She’s down to Earth, and she doesn’t understand all the fuss,” Barack Obama once said.
Marian’s humility and dedication were evident in her everyday actions. In a 2018 interview, she reflected on the challenges of adjusting to life in the White House, emphasizing her preference for self-sufficiency, such as insisting on doing her own laundry.
Michelle Obama frequently expressed her deep admiration for her mother. On Mother’s Day, she announced that an exhibit at the Obama Presidential Center Museum in Chicago would be named in honor of Marian Robinson. “In so many ways, she fostered in me a deep sense of confidence in who I was and who I could be by teaching me how to think for myself, how to use my voice, and how to understand my worth,” Michelle said in a video announcement.
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden paid tribute to Marian Robinson, recognizing her as a devoted mother and grandmother whose love extended beyond her immediate family. “With the blessing of friendship, we felt that love ourselves — with every quiet smile or warm embrace she shared with us,” they said in a statement.
Her unwavering support marked Marian Robinson’s life for her family and her quiet strength. As the Robinson family grieves, they are comforted by the extraordinary gift of her life and the enduring legacy she leaves behind. “There was and will be only one Marian Robinson,” the family stated. “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.”
