Barack and Michelle Obama’s Love Story Exceeds Expectations
Sheila remembered the moment when her boyfriend proposed to her, saying, “Months later, in the winter of ’86, when we visited my parents, he asked me to marry him.”
Although her parents had reservations about their relationship—her mom liked Barack but thought Sheila was too young, while her dad didn’t approve of him—she chose to say “‘not yet.'” Despite this, they remained together for almost two more years.
Sheila shared with Garrow that in early 1987, she noticed a transformation in her boyfriend from being “quite ordinary” to “someone quite extraordinary.” It was during this time that he expressed his ambition to become president and their conversations about politics and race became significant in their relationship.
Barack invited Sheila to spend Christmas with his family in Hawaii, but by early 1988, she realized that marriage was not a viable option for them due to their differing aspirations. Barack headed to Harvard that fall, while Sheila had already moved out of their Chicago apartment after discovering his journal under the bed.
Despite the distance, they managed to stay in touch during that first year.