This Is Why It Matters That Black Kids Grew Up Seeing The Obamas In The White House

Almost eight years ago, President Obama broke a major barrier when he became the first Black man to be elected to the highest office in the land. Now that he's nearing the end of his presidency, he and his wife look back at their legacy in an interview with Essence magazine. According to Michelle Obama, one of their biggest accomplishments was the impact of having a Black family in the White House on Black children around the country. “I think when it comes to Black kids, it means something for them to have spent most of their life seeing the family in the White House look like them,” she said. “It matters.” The first lady said that it’s crucial to inspire the next generation of young Black people who've grown up alongside her own daughters, Malia and Sasha. “All the future work that Barack talked about, I think over these last few years, we’ve kind of knocked the ceiling of limitation off the roofs of many young kids, imaginations of what’s possible for them," she said. “And, as a mother, I wouldn’t underestimate how important that is, having that vision that you can really do anything — not because somebody told you, but because you’ve seen and experienced it. I think that will be a lasting impact on our kids.” Read the rest of the story in the next issue, which goes on stands this Friday, September 9.