Michelle Obama Says She Chose To Straighten Her Hair During Obama Administration Because Americans Were “Just Getting Adjusted” to Having a Black President

Michelle Obama revealed she changed her natural hairstyle during her husband’s presidency to not intimidate Americans.

On Tuesday, the former First Lady spoke about her upcoming book “The Light We Carry” with Ellen DeGeneres. During their conversation, Michelle shared why she chose to straighten her natural hair.

Michelle believes Americans were “just getting adjusted” to having a black family in the White House.

“Let’s get health care passed [first]. They tripped out when Barack wore a tan suit,” she said, referencing the 2014 controversy he faced after wearing the outfit. “The great indignity, the scandal of the Obama administration. The code of ethics at a workplace, as black women, we deal with it, the whole thing about, ‘Do you show up with your natural hair?’”

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Michelle added that she joked with her staff about switching up her look.

“I would get my staff all worried, too. I was like, ‘I was thinking about getting braids,’” she said. “That’s the African American experience… but women in offices that are worried, ‘Should I wear skirts? Should I wear pantyhose?’ I hate pantyhose.”

She continued, “But when you’re carrying all this other stuff, this mask, these differences and you’re trying to do your job, it’s just an extra burden on overcoming.”

The former First Lady also appeared on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” to talk about her new book. Michelle says the book was her “little Covid project,” and it’s filled with things she used to combat the 2020 pandemic.