Former First Lady Michelle Obama will be inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame later this year. The National Women's Hall of Fame shared the news through a press release this week.
"Advocate, author, lawyer, and 44th First Lady of the United States—the first Black person to serve in the role—Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most influential and iconic women of the 21st century. During her time in the White House, from 2009-2017, she established herself as a strong advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world," the National Women's Hall of Fame stated.
"Both in and out of the White House, Michelle Obama has accomplished her initiatives and so much more—becoming an advocate for healthy families, service members and their families, higher education, international adolescent girls’ education, and serving as a role model for women and young girls everywhere."
Michelle Obama joins a star-studded list of inductees that includes World Cup Champion Mia Hamm, critically-acclaimed author Octavia Butler and former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi. This year's class of inductees also includes the late Katherine Johnson who was portrayed by Taraji P. Henson in the film, Hidden Figures.
"NASA mathematician, pioneer in racial and gender equality, and contributor to one of our nation’s first triumphs in human spaceflight, Katherine Johnson is remembered as one of America’s most inspirational figures," the National Women's Hall of Fame wrote.
“Katherine’s legacy is a big part of the reason that my fellow astronauts and I were able to get to space… it’s a big part of the reason that today there is space for women and African Americans in the leadership of our nation, including the White House," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden added.
Obama will be inducted alongside Hamm, Butler, Nooyi, Johnson and several others during a formal ceremony on October 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets for the event will become available later this spring.
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