In the summer of 1989, Michelle LaVaughn Robinson heard stories of a sharp intern named Barack Obama who’d just finished his first year at Harvard law. “I thought, this is probably just a Black man who can talk straight. That’s why they’re excited about him,” Michelle said to supporters in a speech. Then he took her to church basements and she saw him in action. “He was able to articulate a vision that resonated with people, that was real. And right then and there, I decided this guy was special. The authenticity you see is real, and that’s why I fell in love with him.” Their romance continued to blossom as they supported each other through the good and bad, including the death of Michelle’s father in 1990. They became husband and wife on October 3, 1992.
Long before they became the First Family, the Obamas put family first and found total joy in parenting. Here they pose for the cameras on Election Day 2004 just moments before Barack won a seat on the U.S. Senate.
The Obamas bump fists at an election night rally in 2008 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Barack had just clinched the Democratic presidential nomination and Michelle’s pride radiated across the world.
In August 2008, when Obama celebrated becoming the first African-American to be officially nominated as a candidate for U.S. president by a major party, his wife was right by his side, holding him close.
Just three days before Election Day 2008, his wife Michelle and daughters Malia, then 10, and Sasha, then 7, welcome Obama after he lands in Pueblo, Colorado. It’s a picture perfect reunion.
U.S. President elect Barack Obama plants a celebratory kiss on his wife right after giving his victory speech during a historic election night gathering in Grant Park on November 4, 2008 in Chicago.
Barack Obama kisses his proud wife Michelle after being sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. It was a proud day for Americans, and the warmth and joy of this kiss was felt around the world.
It’s official! President Barack Obama and his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, dance to a live rendition of “At Last,” sung by Beyonce at the Neighborhood Ball January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C., the first of ten inauguration balls.
The President and First Lady are all smiles after returning from a Fourth of July family getaway in 2009.
It’s rare not to see the First Lady and President walking hand in hand. Here, they were spotted arriving in Hawaii for a much-needed family vacation.
The President can’t help but stare at the dazzling First Lady by his side as they make their way to an evening of entertainment at the White House.
Never afraid to show their love, the Obamas kiss each other on stage during an awards gala in Washington D.C in 2010.
The way the Obamas look at each other, no matter what they’re doing or where they are, just makes us all melt. They make eye contact a love language all its own.
President Barack Obama kisses First Lady Michelle before signing into law the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
The Obamas are all smiles at home in The White House.
The Obamas are a picture of bliss during a romantic stroll on the White House lawn.
The Obamas hold hands on their way to Easter Service at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.
Obama lovingly holds his wife Michelle as they support each other during some rather fierce campaigning at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. It’s clear they will always have each other’s backs.
Even during a meal, the Obamas can’t keep their eyes off each other. We just love the way the FLOTUS looks so adoringly at the POTUS. #blackloveisbeautiful
The Obamas share a special kind of love that shows in each and every photo taken of the presidential pair. Their love truly is fierce, fun and fabulous.
