American Tapestry: The Story of the Black, White, and Multiracial Ancestors of Michelle Obama

A remarkable history of First Lady Michelle Obama's mixed ancestry, American Tapestry by Rachel L. Swarns is nothing less than a breathtaking and expansive portrait of America itself.

In this extraordinary feat of genealogical research--in the tradition of The Hemmingses of Monticello and Slaves in the Family--author Swarns, a respected Washington-based reporter for the New York Times, tells the fascinating and hitherto untold story of Ms. Obama's black, white, and multiracial ancestors; a history that the First Lady herself did not know.

At once epic, provocative, and inspiring, American Tapestry is more than a true family saga; it is an illuminating mirror in which we may all see ourselves.

Author: Rachel L. Swarns
Publisher: Amistad Press
Published: 04/09/2013
Pages: 432
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 7.80h x 5.20w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780061999871

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 05/19/2013 pg. 28

About the Author
Swarns, Rachel L.: -

Rachel L. Swarns has been a reporter for the New York Times since 1995, reporting on domestic policy, the presidential campaigns of 2004 and 2008, the First Lady, and the modern American family. She has also worked for the New York Times in Russia, Cuba, and South Africa, where she served as the Johannesburg bureau chief. She lives in Washington, D.C.