Michelle Obama Shares Heartwarming Photo from Her Childhood Apartment

published May 22, 2018

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(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Though Michelle Obama spent eight years in one of the biggest houses in the country, she didn’t always live such a spacious lifestyle. In promoting her new book, Becoming (out November 13), Michelle shared a sweet photo of her with her parents on Instagram, reminiscing about her “cramped apartment on the South Side of Chicago.” Celebrating both her parents and her roots, she teases a glimpse at what this tiny space looked like:

Over the next few days, I’ll be sharing some photos and memories from my book, BECOMING. My father, Fraser, taught me to work hard, laugh often, and keep my word. My mother, Marian, showed me how to think for myself and to use my voice. Together, in our cramped apartment on the South Side of Chicago, my family helped me see the value in our story, in my story, and in the larger story of our country.

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on May 22, 2018 at 6:46am PDT

Peter Slevin’s 2015 biography, Michelle Obama: A Life, describes the former First Lady’s childhood home as a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment on the top floor of a bungalow owned by her great aunt. According to Zillow, the home at 7436 South Euclid Avenue is 1,345 square feet and built in 1916.

All we can see of their modest home in this photo is a plain white wall behind a very comfy brown couch, where we guess Michelle and her family spent a lot of quality time together. In fact, the couch in the photo looks like the same one from a photo she shared on Mother’s Day, posing with her mom and older brother Craig:

It’s impossible for any picture to truly capture what my mother, Marian, has meant to me. Happy #MothersDay to all of the moms out there, and especially to my own.

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on May 13, 2018 at 8:01am PDT

From this angle, we can see a glimpse of a foldable butterfly chair in the corner, which is a must for any crowded space. (Michelle’s looks blue, but we love this modern update from Urban Outfitters). It also looks like her family mastered small-space holiday decorating, with their red tinsel tree on the counter by the doorway.

In 2016, Michelle and her brother Craig Robinson sat for a discussion with the Aspen Institute, and reminisced about their childhood home. Craig joked that their home was an originator for the “tiny house” trend, given space was so tight the siblings shared a bedroom—they used a divider to separate the living room into semi-private spaces.

Michelle says that she’ll be teasing childhood photos over the next few ways to promote her upcoming memoir, so we’re hoping to get an even clearer picture of where she grew up!

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