Call for Letters from Europe and Rest of World for New Book to Michelle

On January 20, 2009, Michelle Obama became the 44th First Lady of the United States.  Unlike previous First Lady’s she is distinguished not only as the most educated First Lady but also as the first African American First Lady.  Her rise to this position was extraordinary.  Throughout the nearly two year presidential campaign, Michelle Obama demonstrated intelligence, grace under fire, tenacity, perseverance, and indefatigable spirit.

She was an exemplary stalwart at her husband’s side throughout the longest and arguably the most difficult presidential campaign in recent history.  In his own words, she is his “best friend, love of my life and rock of our family.”  She is also a mother and she made it clear that her first priority would continue to be the well-being of her two young daughters.  As a daughter, she shared stories of her close knit family, giving us a glimpse into the environment that nurtured her own development.  Although her father is not alive to share in the historic and transformative events leading to the new role she will undertake in the true tradition of the extended African American family, her mother has moved with her to the White House.  What an extraordinary tribute to the legacy communicated by an old Ethiopian proverb, “When spider webs unite, they can tie up the lion.”

From its inception, many of us followed and participated in some way in that historic election process. With emotions ranging from distrust and disbelief to belief, from despair to hope, from anger to elation and pride, we remained hopeful in the outcome.  In President-elect Barack Obama and First Lady-elect, Michelle Obama, we experienced revival of our hope, renewal of our faith, strengthened resolve and rejuvenated spirits.  

Millions of Americans and millions more around the world have shared their well-wishes and congratulations with President-elect and Mrs. Obama.  We captured some of these well-wishes and congratulations from African American women throughout the United States and Africa in Go, Tell Michelle, African American Women Write to the New First Lady, which is a compilation of 100 letters to Michelle.  In their words, these contributors walked Michelle Obama back through her history, our history.  Eloquently they situated her in their history and placed her grandfather in the darkest place in the history of the United States. They told stunning stories of the experiences of their mothers, their grandmothers, and their great grandmothers and they reminded us of “how we got over.”   Those letters culminated in Go, Tell Michelle, African American Women Write to the New First Lady.

The response to the Go, Tell Michelle book has been incredible.  The interest continues and has sparked an even broader interest.  Thus, we are requesting letters from African American women in Europe and indeed the global diaspora as a continued documentation of African American women’s support for this First Lady. Many of you traveled to the United States to cast a historic vote for Barack Obama, others sent absentee ballots, but each swelled with pride for the First Lady.  As African American women we want to send her a special message, grounded in our common ancestry and in the belief that we as women, our daughters, our mothers have not only been inspired by her accomplishments but empowered by her example.

Letters to Michelle will include messages that will encourage and support, and can take the form of a letter or a poem.  The editors will compile submissions into a publication, which will be ready by January 15, 2010, the anniversary of the publication of the first book, Go, Tell Michelle, African American Women Write to the New First Lady.

We invite African American women across Europe and the rest of the world to join us in this exciting endeavor, as we continue to celebrate and document this historic moment in time. We are especially interested in your reactions to this historic event in African American history, the public response to Michelle in your community, your perception of how Michelle has changed the image of Black Women around the world, public reaction when she visited your part of the world, your hopes and dreams for the First Lady, treatment of Michelle by the American and foreign press and your fears, cautions and hopes.

We ask that you will share this request with your friends and colleagues across Europe, Africa and Asia.  Submissions can be poems, letters, and other prose and should be between 350-800 words. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions. Please send copy to uqi@buffalo.edu  (Uncrowned Queens Institute) by October 1, 2009.   No letters will be published without a Consent Form.  We welcome your participation in this exciting work.

Send questions to pbertram@gmail.com  and bnevergo@buffalo.edu