# Obama and Michelle talk to black graduates.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-michelle-talk-to-black-graduates/658834>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 20, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-michelle-talk-to-black-graduates/658834 "2013-05-20T16:28:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-and-michelle-talk-to-black-graduates/658834/1 "2013-05-20T16:28:07Z")

</div>

A very refreshing non-political moment for the President and his wife this weekend. Michelle was at Bowie State University. She really challenged the students to study and excel in life.

Obama was at Morehouse college and gave a very rare and personal speech. NPR printed excerpts and it’s worth a read. A very powerful wake up call on personal responsibility and hard work.

I have a close friend that teaches at a high school. Motivating kids these days is hard. Theres a mentality that being smart and doing well in school is for dorks. Kids making good grades often get singled out and bullied. All the role models these days are so negative.

Glad to see Obama and Michelle speaking openly about taking personal responsibility for an education and excelling in life.

Excepts from Obama’s Morehouse Speech. (NPR)

> **[Michelle Obama Stresses Importance Of Education At Bowie State Graduation](https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/michelle-obama-to-speak-at-bowie-state-university-graduation/)**
>
> The first lady delivers a commencement speech for 600 Bowie State University graduates. But for one Baltimore senior, the speech was personal.

[http://www.washingtonpost.com/michelle-obama-decries-slander-that-educated-blacks-are-trying-to-act-white/2013/05/17/6dc903fe-bf28-11e2-b537-ab47f0325f7c\_video.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/michelle-obama-decries-slander-that-educated-blacks-are-trying-to-act-white/2013/05/17/6dc903fe-bf28-11e2-b537-ab47f0325f7c_video.html)

> [@](#):
>
> The First Lady challenged students to live up to the university’s legacy by stressing the importance of education and the need to increase the number of high school and college grads, especially in the African-American community.  
> \<snip\>  
> “Instead of dreaming of being a teacher, a lawyer or a business leader, they’re fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper,” said Michelle Obama.  
> \<snip\>  
> "please stand up and reject the slander that says a black child with a book is trying to act white.”

> [@](#):
>
> President Obama, on Sunday, delivered a rare, very personal commencement address at Morehouse College, the historically black, all-male insitution that is the alma mater of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
> 
> It was a short speech, but Obama did not shy away the subject of race and responsibility. We’ve embedded video of the address above, but here are two excerpts you should read. They are taken from his prepared remarks: