Oral history interview with Eleanor Kaye Wilson, 2020
Abstract
Eleanor Kaye Wilson, godmother to Malia and Sasha Obama, shares memories of her relationship with the Obama family, including stories from the years of the Obama presidency. Wilson first met Barack Obama in Chicago in the early-1990s through her work in nonprofit organizations, and she describes Obama's early interests in community organizing, minority-led nonprofits, and welfare-to-work policy; an d she recounts his entry into local and statewide politics. She also reflects on the first family's life in the White House; their connection with Secret Service and White House residence staff; and her experience accompanying the first family on foreign trips, including their visit to Buckingham Palace. Also discussed are Wilson's efforts to increase the diversity of the White House fellows through her service on the President's Commission on White House Fellowships, the evolution of Obama's relationship with the Black community in Chicago, and Obama's reception by foreign publics
Presidents--Family--United States; Welfare recipients--Employment--United States; Public welfare--United States; Community organization--United States; Community development--United States; Secret service--United States; Presidents' spouses--Protection--United States; Children of presidents--Protection--United States; Wilson, Eleanor; Obama, Barack; Obama, Michelle, 1964-; Obama, Malia, 1998-; Obama, Sasha, 2001-; President's Commission on White House Fellowships (U.S.)
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2020
Physical Description
22 pages
Note (Biographical)
Eleanor Kaye Wilson is an American nonprofit administrator and civic leader. She is also a close personal friend of Barack and Michelle Obama, and godmother to Malia and Sasha Obama. Over the course of her career, Wilson worked in educational institut ions, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and government agencies, including as director and assistant dean of the DePaul University School for New Learning, executive director of Urban Programs at Chicago City-Wide College, and founder of Wells Prep School. During the years of the Obama presidency, Wilson served on the President's Commission on White House Fellowships and accompanied the Obama family on several foreign trips
Note
Interviewed by Jacqueline Stewart on November 30, 2020. This interview is part of the University of Chicago: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Eleanor Kaye Wilson, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2023