--- title: Barack and Michelle Obama Open Up About Their Experiences With Racism description: The First Couple opens up about racism canonical: https://time.com/3637491/barack-obama-michelle-racism/ author: Denver Nicks article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-12-17T14:40:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:06:37.756Z article:section: Politics og:title: Barack and Michelle Obama Open Up About Their Experiences With Racism og:description: The First Couple opens up about racism og:url: https://time.com/3637491/barack-obama-michelle-racism/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt82e4fffc6e2fd521/69876f4d5f570fc8bcb1443a/president-barack-obama.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Obama og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Barack and Michelle Obama Open Up About Their Experiences With Racism twitter:description: The First Couple opens up about racism twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt82e4fffc6e2fd521/69876f4d5f570fc8bcb1443a/president-barack-obama.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama Recalls Trouble Getting a Cab Before He Was President > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters.  by [Denver Nicks](https://time.com/author/denver-nicks/)  ## Denver Nicks Dec 17, 2014 2:40 PM UTC  Presiden Obama at the White House Dec. 12, 2014 in Washington, DC. Presiden Obama at the White House Dec. 12, 2014 in Washington, DC. Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images  by [Denver Nicks](https://time.com/author/denver-nicks/)  ## Denver Nicks Dec 17, 2014 2:40 PM UTC Before they lived behind the White House gates, Barack and Michelle Obama [dealt](http://www.people.com/article/barack-obama-michelle-obama-ferguson-racism-racial-profiling-interview) with the day-to-day racism experienced by black families across America, the First Couple told People in [an exclusive new interview](http://www.people.com/article/barack-obama-michelle-obama-ferguson-racism-racial-profiling-interview). “I think people forget that we’ve lived in the White House for six years,” Michelle Obama said. “Before that, Barack Obama was a black man that lived on the South Side of Chicago, who had his share of troubles catching cabs.” “The small irritations or indignities that we experience are nothing compared to what a previous generation experienced,” President Obama said. “It’s one thing for me to be mistaken for a waiter at a gala. It’s another thing for my son to be mistaken for a robber and to be handcuffed, or worse, if he happens to be walking down the street and is dressed the way teenagers dress.” [Read more at People](http://www.people.com/article/barack-obama-michelle-obama-ferguson-racism-racial-profiling-interview) ### See Michelle Obama's Best Outfits of 2014  After being criticized for wearing a sparkly sleeveless dress to the 2013 State of the Union, Obama went with a more conservative ensemble by Azzedine Alaia for the 2014 State of the Union Address. Drew Angerer—EPA  Never one to shy away from color, Obama donned a bold red coat for a visit from French President Francois Hollande in February. Pete Marovich—Bloomberg/Getty Images  Obama won plaudits for this powder blue and black lace gown by Carolina Herrera, which she wore to a state dinner with Hollande in February. Evan Vucci—AP  During a visit to Beijing in March to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Obama wore a custom dress by Naeem Khan which updated the traditional Chinese red dress — and her daughters didn't look too bad either. Andy Wong—Pool/AFP/Getty Images  The first lady doesn't just own formal wear. For this visit to a Beijing school that prepares children to study abroad, she dressed casually, but with flair. Andy Wong—Pool/Getty Images  For this February appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon, Obama went with a sleeveless jumpsuit, showing off her toned arms. NBC/Getty Images  The White House Correspondents' Dinner is often jokingly called Nerd Prom, but Obama's choice of a grey tulle embroidered dress from Marchesa was neither nerdy nor prom-like. Olivier Douliery—Pool/Getty Images  The devil may wear Prada, but Obama went for another Naeem Khan when she met fashionista Anna Wintour at a ribbon-cutting in May. Paul Zimmerman—WireImage/Getty Images  Returning from the dedication of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, Obama aimed for a subdued but still classy look. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images  The president may have gone for jeans, but Michelle Obama was ready for summer, wearing a crisp white summer dress to the White House Fourth of July celebration. Brendan Smialowski—AFP/Getty Images  For a luncheon at The Grammy Museum in July, Obama once again went sleeveless in a white dress from Phillip Lim. Jason LaVeris—FilmMagic/Getty Images  During a visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Obama wore a colorful wrap from Diane von Furstenberg. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images  At an awards dinner held by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Obama chose a dress from Bibhu Mohapatra's fall collection. Nicholas Kamm—AFP/Getty Images  No ugly Christmas sweaters in sight as Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha and the family dogs greet the White House Christmas tree. Joshua Roberts—Bloomberg/Getty Images  Ending the year in style, and mirroring the White House Christmas decorations, Obama wore this dress by Monique Lhuiller to the Kennedy Center honors in December. 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