Go, Tell Michelle Contributors

Shortly after the 2008 Presidential election, the Uncrowned Queens co-founders had the idea to write letters to Michelle Obama, the first African American woman to become this nation’s First Lady.  Nevergold and Bertram reasoned that after a grueling year-long campaign and several instances in which Michelle Obama was unjustly attacked, the First Lady could use some words of encouragement, love, and support.   They wrote a call for letters, which was e-mailed to members of their list-serv on November 11, 2008.  Women were invited to submit letters, poems, or recipes by the deadline date of December 1, 2008.

They approached SUNY Press’ Executive Director about publishing the volume.   In a venture that is very likely to become an “urban legend”, the volume of one hundred letters and poems, preface, foreword and introduction was compiled, edited and ready for printing in 34 days.  Entitled, “Go, Tell Michelle:  African American Women Write to the New First Lady”, the book is comprised of messages from women representing a diverse cross-section of the African Diaspora. 

They are women who range in age from 25 to 80. They are homemakers, retirees, educators, health care professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, poets, to name a few of their professions. Through the power of the Internet, women who live in regions from the East coast to the West and from the Southern States to New England, New York, Illinois and Indiana as well as on the African continent and the Caribbean responded to the call.  We received messages from women, who assured us that their letters were on the way, as they were feverishly writing, some between their Thanksgiving turkey dinner and dessert.

In the end, we have a book that can be viewed as a microcosm of the reactions that African and African American women have to Michelle Obama and her role as the first African American First Lady.  The themes of their messages, whether in prose or verse, share common reframes that reflect both individual and universal responses to the outcome of this historic election.  The writers’ messages are as much about their own hopes and dreams and belief that President and First Lady Obama will usher in change that will positively affect their and their families’ lives as they are about sending congratulatory, laudatory and supportive greetings to Michelle.  The women rarely express just one sentiment often making their letters alternately poignant and humorous.

Each letter or poem is accompanied by a brief biography of the writer.  However, we wanted the world to know more about these women and in keeping with our mission, “to collect, preserve and share the biographic histories of African American community builders” we asked them to send their biographies to the Uncrowned Queens Institute for inclusion in our Uncrowned Queens techno-pedia.