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Fraser Robinson III ~ Michelle Obama's Father
Fraser Robinson III was not really famous in life. But he was the First Lady, Michelle Obama's dad. He was able to live with multiple sclerosis, maintain a relationship and work while raising a family. To Cir and I, this is such an admirable and inspirational thing. We loved learning about his resilience and how he was an inspiration to his children while navigating the symptoms of MS.
Listen to this page here
(This page has been updated since this audio was last produced. Read the full article to know what has been added.)
Fraser Robinson's Life
Fraser was born on August 1, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up there and married Marianne Shields who was also born in Chicago. They had two children, Craig and Michelle LaVaughn, who they raised on the southside of Chicago.
Fraser was a pump worker for the City of Chicago. He tended the boilers at a water-filtration plant. On the 2008 campaign trail, we learned from both Barack and Michelle, that Mr. Robinson developed multiple sclerosis as a young man. In spite of having this disease, he continued working and according to Michelle, he hardly ever missed a day of work.
Michelle told how she would see her father walk to work using two canes or crutches. Even though he had to sometimes struggle to get ready for work, he knew this was what he needed to do. The fact that certain things took a little longer for him was no reason not to do them.
Believe it or not, he was also active on the political front. Mr. Robinson was a Democratic Precinct Captain*. Michelle and her brother, Craig looked up to their dad as their hero. They worked very hard not to disappoint him because of the example he showed them.
Both Fraser and Marianne valued hard work, independence, and honesty. They worked together to instill these values in their children.
Craig tells the story of how both he and Michelle ended up attending Princeton after they finished high school:
"Coming out of high school, Robinson was heavily recruited by both the University of Washington and Princeton. The former was offering a full ride, Princeton a financial-aid package that would leave his parents with a bill of $3,500 per year.
"It might as well have been a million dollars," Robinson says.
He told his father, Fraser Robinson, that he wanted to go to Washington. His father asked why, and Craig said he didn't want his parents to have to pay anything. The response prompted his father to drop his head, and shake it.
"If you pick a school based on what I have to pay, I'll be very disappointed," Fraser Robinson told his son.
Fraser Robinson suffered from multiple sclerosis, an affliction that did not stop him from going to work every day in Chicago's water department. He was a man that you desperately did not want to disappoint.
Fraser Robinson's son wound up at Princeton, his parents funding it with cash from an insurance policy and a credit card.
Says Craig now, "My father's decision changed my whole life. It changed all of our lives. If I hadn't gone to Princeton, my sister probably wouldn't have gone to Princeton, and she never would've met Barack and none of this would've happened. All because of my father."
New York Daily News ~ 11-08-2008 (Link opens in a new window).
If you're like me, you're probably wondering what a precinct captain is and does. Here's a quick little sidebar about what that actually means.
*What's a Democratic Precinct Captain?
A precinct captain is an elected position in our political system. Depending on where a captain is elected, they may be known as one of the following:
- precinct chairman
- precinct committeeman
- precinct committee officer
- precinct delegate
What is the role of a Precinct Captain?
The captain's role is to build a relationship between the voters in their precinct and the officials who hold a public office. They are a link between the party they represent and the voters.
Depending on the state, county, and precinct, the requirements may vary. Voters are eligible to file a declaration of candidacy in their district during the primary election. If they receive enough votes and are elected, they will serve until the next election cycle or for as long as they remain eligible.
What are Precinct Captains Responsibilities?
- Address voter concerns
- Distribute campaign and in this case, Democratic party literature
- Lead outreach efforts like get out the vote
- Oversee access to absentee ballots
- Oversee voter registration
- Promote the Democratic party
- Depending on the state, may are eligible to establish fundraising committees
The position of Precinct Captain is usually a volunteer position at the grassroots level. In some states the captain may receive a stipend. County captains are usually limited to specific election campaigns, while precinct captains also work on party organizing.
When Mr. Robinson served as the precinct captain, Michelle would often go with her father when he made his rounds throughout their precinct. This was Michelle’s first introduction to politics. As she grew older, she went on to participate at the grassroots level, which is where she met and influenced Barack Obama.
And the rest, as they say, is history…
Another quote Michelle shared about her father was one near Father's Day-
"It's almost Father's Day, so I'm thinking a lot about my dad: his baritone voice, his laugh that filled up the room, the way he always knew how to set the right mood by spinning up the perfect record. My father gave great advice, taught me the value of hard work, encouraged me to ask questions, and always gave me the space to do so. I always thought he was so cool—just look at this photo."
To see the photo she's referring too, follow the link: https://www.thelist.com/475681/the-truth-about-michelle-obamas-father-fraser-robinson-iii/ (Link opens in a new window).
The chronic condition, multiple sclerosis is sure to get a lot of exposure as a result of the Obama connection. It would be nice if Michelle would make it one of her causes as the First Lady. However, even if she doesn't, the fact that her dad had MS will probably make many more people aware of the condition.
I'm sure Mr. Robinson would be proud to know all that his daughter and son have accomplished. Here's a short video biography of Michelle and her brother with snippets by her mom. You'll see a picture of her father, Fraser in there, too.
To learn more about Michelle, from her childhood to her college years, and her eventual journey to The Whitehouse, check out this biography -
Michelle Obama: A Photographic Journey by Antonia Felix
April 4, 2017 (Opens in a new window and includes an affiliate link)
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