Misplaced Pages

#327672

98-602: The Barney Circle neighborhood or also known as Hill East covers the area bounded by L street SE, Southeast Boulevard SE, 14th Street SE,East Capitol Street SE, 22nd Street SE and Independence Avenue SE. However, many of the residents of the surrounding areas (such as the Lincoln Park and Capitol Hill East neighborhoods) consider themselves to live in Barney Circle. The neighborhood's imprecise boundaries may stretch as far north as East Capitol Street , as far south as

196-520: A traffic light allowed only a few cars onto the bridge's southbound lanes during rush hour . Four lanes of traffic (two northbound, two southbound) passed beneath the bridge's terminus, dead-ending at a non-existent Inner Loop and connected haphazardly to the northeastern side of the circle. An off-ramp delivered most northbound bridge traffic around the incomplete Barney Circle and under the bridge onto Interstate 695 westbound. A dangerous right-hand turn with no deceleration ramp left local traffic coming to

294-517: A Bachelor of Arts in 1985 after completing a 99-page senior thesis titled Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community under the supervision of Walter Wallace. Robinson recalls that some of her teachers in high school tried to dissuade her from applying, and that she had been warned against "setting my sights too high". She believed her brother's status as a student in good standing (he graduated in 1983) might have helped her during

392-756: A White House reception for women's rights advocates in celebration of the enactment of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Pay equity law. She supported the economic stimulus bill in visits to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and United States Department of Education . Some observers looked favorably upon her legislative activities, while others said she should be less involved in politics. According to her representatives, she intended to visit all United States Cabinet -level agencies in order to get acquainted with Washington. On June 5, 2009,

490-504: A business lunch and then a community organization meeting where he first impressed her. Before meeting Obama, Michelle had told her mother she intended to focus solely on her career. The couple's first date was to Spike Lee 's movie Do the Right Thing (1989). Barack Obama has said the couple had an "opposites attract" scenario in their initial interest in each other since Michelle had stability from her two-parent home while he

588-794: A clientele who avidly support the Washington Nationals and D.C. United . Wisdom, a gin parlor, opened in 2008 is known for its luxe cocktails and large selection of absinthe . The completion of the pedestrian bridge northwest of the Sousa bridge connected the neighborhood to The Wharf via the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail in the second decade of the 21st century. Barney Circle has three additional common green spaces where residents walk their dogs, practice guerilla gardening, and other beautification efforts: Dennis Dolinger Memorial Park, Commodore Barney Circle itself, and

686-892: A flattened oval about a mile in radius centered on the White House . The middle beltway would have formed an arc along the northern portion of the city, running from the proposed Barney Circle Freeway (whose terminus would have been near Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium ) through Anacostia Park , cutting northwest through the Trinidad neighborhood along Mt. Olivet Road NE, following the Amtrak rail line north to Missouri Avenue NW , along Missouri Avenue NW to Military Road NW , along Military Road NW across Rock Creek Park to Nebraska Avenue NW , down Nebraska Avenue NW to New Mexico Avenue NW , and down New Mexico Avenue NW and across Glover-Archbold Park until it terminated near 37th Street NW at

784-651: A given subject, people commonly tended to ask what her older brother thought. She was on the honor roll for four years, took advanced placement classes, was a member of the National Honor Society , and served as student council treasurer. She graduated in 1981 as the salutatorian of her class. Robinson was inspired to follow her brother to Princeton University , which she entered in 1981. She majored in sociology and minored in African-American studies , graduating cum laude with

882-463: A memorial to the former president; it was the first public site to bear his name. The park features two important sculptures: Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama ( née Robinson ; born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama , the 44th president of

980-610: A mere mortal – a comic routine that rests on the presumption that we see him as a god   ... But it may not be smart politics to mock him in a way that turns him from the glam JFK into the mundane Gerald Ford , toasting his own English muffin. If all Senator Obama is peddling is the Camelot mystique, why debunk this mystique? On the first night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention , Craig Robinson introduced his younger sister. She delivered her speech, during which she sought to portray herself and her family as

1078-594: A narrow and dangerous ramp that led to northbound D.C. Route 295 (the Anacostia Freeway). The combination of traffic lights, left turn, and mixing of both through-traffic and local traffic created extensive traffic congestion on the Sousa Bridge during evening rush hour . In 2009, the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) began the replacement of the 11th Street Bridges. It closed

SECTION 10

#1732800923328

1176-560: A rustic cabin in White Cloud, Michigan . She and her 21-month-older brother, Craig , skipped the second grade. Robinson's father suffered from multiple sclerosis , which had a profound effect on her. Subsequently, she was determined to stay out of trouble and perform well in school. By sixth grade, Michelle joined a gifted class at Bryn Mawr Elementary School (later renamed Bouchet Academy). She attended Whitney Young High School , Chicago's first magnet high school , established as

1274-629: A selective enrollment school, where she was a classmate of Jesse Jackson 's daughter Santita . The round-trip commute from the Robinsons' South Side home to the Near West Side , where the school was located, took three hours. Michelle recalled being fearful of how others would perceive her, but disregarded any negativity around her and used it "to fuel me, to keep me going". She recalled facing gender discrimination growing up, saying, for example, that rather than asking her for her opinion on

1372-460: A significant portion of the traffic using Sousa Bridge, from 50,000 vehicles per day (each way) in 2004 to an estimated 35,000 vehicles per day (each way) in 2030. DDOT also redesigned and rebuilt the ramp from Pennsylvania Avenue SE to northbound D.C. Route 295 to improve its safety. Decommissioned Interstate 695 began to be transformed into a boulevard named "Southeast Boulevard". The reconstruction project, estimated to take 18 to 24 months, raised

1470-419: A swift halt to access 17th Street SE — but not Kentucky Avenue SE, which now had to be accessed from local streets. K Street SE now curved north and east around the west side of Barney Circle, and traffic lights on the street caused even more backups both on K Street and on the Sousa Bridge. In 1975, federal, regional, and city transportation planners proposed an extension to I-695/Southeast Freeway to be called

1568-463: A wall'd and military city regularly laid out, and guarded by squads of sentries. Again, off east, Lincoln hospital, a still larger one; and half a mile further Emory hospital. 2,012 beds were occupied as of December 17, 1864. As with most hospitals in the area, with the end of the Civil War in 1865, it was taken down that year. In 1867, Congress authorized the grounds to be called Lincoln Square as

1666-539: A week and rarely traveling overnight; by early February 2008, her participation had increased significantly. She attended thirty-three events in eight days. She made several campaign appearances with Oprah Winfrey . She wrote her own stump speeches for her husband's presidential campaign and generally spoke without notes. During the campaign, columnist Cal Thomas on Fox News described Michelle Obama as an " Angry Black Woman " and some websites attempted to promote this image. Obama said: "Barack and I have been in

1764-544: Is Rabbi Capers Funnye , her first cousin once removed born in Georgetown, South Carolina. Funnye is the son of her paternal grandfather's sister and her husband, and he is about 12 years older than Michelle. He converted to Judaism after college. Robinson's childhood home was on the upper floor of 7436 South Euclid Avenue in Chicago's South Shore community area , which her parents rented from her great-aunt, who had

1862-399: Is not a senior adviser". During the campaign, she discussed race and education by using motherhood as a framework. In May 2007, three months after her husband declared his presidential candidacy, Obama reduced her professional responsibilities by 80 percent to support his presidential campaign. Early in the campaign, she had limited involvement, traveling to political events only two days

1960-678: Is the largest urban park located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It was known historically as Lincoln Square . From 1862 to 1865, it was the site of the largest hospital in Washington, DC: Lincoln Hospital . Situated one mile directly east of the United States Capitol , Lincoln Park is maintained by the National Park Service . The park is bounded by 11th Street NE and SE on

2058-704: The American South . On her father's side, she is descended from the Gullah people of South Carolina's Lowcountry region. Her paternal great-great-grandfather, Jim Robinson, was born into slavery in 1850 on Friendfield Plantation , near Georgetown, South Carolina . He became a freedman at age 15 after the war. Some of Obama's paternal family still reside in the Georgetown area. Her grandfather, Fraser Robinson Jr., built his own house in South Carolina. He and his wife LaVaughn (née Johnson) returned to

SECTION 20

#1732800923328

2156-849: The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools , a private school. As a member of the school's board, Michelle fought to maintain diversity in the school when other board members connected with the University of Chicago tried to reserve more slots for children of the university faculty. This resulted in a plan to expand the school to increase enrollment. In Washington, DC, Malia and Sasha attended Sidwell Friends School , after also considering Georgetown Day School . In 2008, Michelle said in an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that they did not intend to have any more children. The Obamas received advice from past first ladies Laura Bush , Rosalynn Carter , and Hillary Clinton about raising children in

2254-545: The University of Chicago Medical Center . Michelle married Barack in 1992, and they have two daughters. Obama campaigned for her husband's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. She was the first African-American woman to serve as first lady. As first lady, Obama worked as an advocate for poverty awareness, education, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating. She has written three books including her The New York Times best selling memoir Becoming (2018) and The Light We Carry (2022). Michelle LaVaughn Robinson

2352-876: The White House . Marian Robinson , Michelle's mother, moved in to the White House to assist with child care. Obama was raised United Methodist and joined the Trinity United Church of Christ , a mostly black congregation of the Reformed denomination known as the United Church of Christ . She and Barack Obama were married there by Rev. Jeremiah Wright . On May 31, 2008, Barack and Michelle Obama announced that they had withdrawn their membership in Trinity United Church of Christ saying: "Our relations with Trinity have been strained by

2450-536: The mayor and as the assistant commissioner of planning and development. In 1993, she became executive director for the Chicago office of Public Allies , a non-profit organization encouraging young people to work on social issues in nonprofit groups and government agencies. She worked there nearly four years and set fundraising records for the organization that stood twelve years after she had left. Obama later said she had never been happier in her life prior to working "to build Public Allies". In 1996, Obama served as

2548-556: The "Barney Circle Freeway" to help alleviate the problems created by the failure to complete the Inner Loop. The freeway would extend I-695 past its existing terminus at Barney Circle and travel along the western bank of the Anacostia River (through Anacostia Park ) to East Capitol Street and Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium . A new bridge over the Anacostia River at Burnham Barrier would provide vehicles easy access to

2646-498: The Anacostia Freeway. The Barney Circle Freeway would have delinked Barney Circle from I-695, and reconstructed the on- and off-ramps to Sousa Bridge so that the bridge returned to its traditional function as a local bridge rather than a route for commuters to access the Anacostia Freeway and points east in the state of Maryland. The combined bridge and freeway project was ready for construction to begin in 1981, and its cost

2744-434: The Anacostia River waterfront. DDOT also began exploring whether to connect Southeast Boulevard to 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th Streets SE. By 2014, DDOT's plan involved possible reconstructing of Barney Circle into an intermodal transportation hub as well. DDOT planners said that construction on this project might begin as early as 2016, but as of 2017 no work is planned. Lincoln Park (Washington, D.C.) Lincoln Park

2842-405: The Black Community . She researched her thesis by sending a questionnaire to African-American graduates, asking that they specify when and how comfortable they were with their race prior to their enrollment at Princeton and how they felt about it when they were a student and since then. Of the 400 alumni to whom she sent the survey, fewer than 90 responded. Her findings did not support her hope that

2940-409: The Chicago office of the law firm Sidley & Austin , where she met her future husband Barack. At the firm, she worked on marketing and intellectual property law. She continues to hold her law license , but as she no longer needs it for her work, she has kept it on a voluntary inactive status since 1993. In 1991, she held public sector positions in the Chicago city government as an assistant to

3038-527: The Civil War. They were great-great-grandparents of Robinson, whose grandparents had moved to Chicago. Other of their children's lines migrated to Cleveland , Ohio, in the 20th century. All four of Robinson's grandparents had multiracial ancestors, reflecting the complex history of the United States. Her extended family has said that people did not talk about the era of slavery when they were growing up. Her distant ancestry includes Irish, English, and Native American roots. Among her contemporary extended family

Barney Circle - Misplaced Pages Continue

3136-586: The Congress to lay streetcar tracks across the bridge. The first houses in the core of the neighborhood were built in 1905. The East Washington Heights Traction Railroad was incorporated on June 18, 1898. By 1903 it ran from the Capitol along Pennsylvania Avenue SE to Barney Circle, and by 1908, it went across the bridge to Randle Highlands (now known as Twining ) as far as 27th St SE. By 1917 it had been extended out Pennsylvania Avenue past 33rd Street SE., but

3234-572: The Crypt" chamber music concerts. The cemetery also hosts film screenings and weddings. The announcement to build Nationals Park in September 2014 in Navy Yard - a thirty-five minute walk from the core of Barney Circle - catalyzed further development in the neighborhood like Trusty's Full-Serve bar. Trusty's has functioned as neighborhood tavern that has operated in Barney Circle since 2005 with

3332-666: The Earth , Kingman Park Civic Association, the Barney Circle Neighborhood Watch, Urban Protectors, and American Rivers sued to force the city to scale back the freeway even further, add exit ramps at the junction of Pennsylvania Avenue SE and I-695, and alter traffic patterns (e.g., creating more one-way streets) on Capitol Hill. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) officials agreed in August 1994 to conduct an additional environmental impact assessment regarding

3430-447: The Inner Loop left the Sousa Bridge's approaches incomplete and confusing. The bus and streetcar terminal were removed, and Pennsylvania Avenue SE now ran directly through the center of the circle. M Street was disconnected from the circle, and now dead-ended in a roundabout a block east of 12th Street SE. Unmarked Interstate 695 delivered three lanes of traffic to a one-lane on-ramp to the bridge, and traffic backed up for miles every day as

3528-561: The Lowcountry from Chicago after retirement. Among her maternal ancestors was her great-great-great-grandmother, Melvinia Dosey Shields, born into slavery in South Carolina but sold to Henry Walls Shields, who had a 200-acre farm in Clayton County, Georgia , near Atlanta. Melvinia's first son, Adolphus T. Shields, was biracial and born into slavery around 1860. Based on DNA and other evidence, in 2012, researchers said his father

3626-512: The Navy Yard . The rowhouses built to serve those blue-collar workers were modest, but comfortable. Most of the single-family brick rowhouses homes have at least two stories, two-three bedrooms, a couple of bathrooms, small yards, and low porches. Earlier developments on Capitol Hill featured homes which were narrow and deep, while the homes in the Barney Circle neighborhood are relatively wide and shallow. These type of homes, an innovation in

3724-532: The Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge. On August 19, 1911, President William Howard Taft signed S. 306 into law (Public Law No. 33), formally changing the name of the circle to "Commodore Barney Circle" in honor of Commodore Joshua Barney, though it was sometimes referred to as "Admiral Barney Circle". In 1939, the construction of the downstream span of the new John Philip Sousa Bridge reconfigured Barney Circle. A streetcar turnaround and bus lane

3822-616: The Pennsylvania Avenue SE median. Neighborhood Restaurant Group is planning to open a "culinary clubhouse", branded as "The Roost" in 2020 that will accommodate over 400 seats. The Roost will include a sundae and frozen shop, "retro German health food", a taco stand, a beer bar, and a cocktail bar that will specialize in cocktails with a low alcohol percentage. Hill Rag , a monthly community newspaper "of record", has reported on developments in and around Barney Circle since 1976. The Seafarers Yacht Club of Washington, DC,

3920-691: The Southeast Boulevard, and as far east as D.C. Jail at 19th and D Streets SE. The Congressional Cemetery was established in 1807 and the Eastern Methodist Cemetery operated from 1824 to 1892. Even though the neighborhood now known as Barney Circle was located near the District's Eastern Market and the Navy Yard , the construction of ammunition depots and the Washington Asylum Hospital in

4018-557: The Third World Center (now known as the Carl A. Fields Center), an academic and cultural group who supported minority students. She ran their daycare center, which also offered after-school tutoring for older children. She challenged the teaching methodology for French because she felt it should be more conversational. As part of her requirements for graduation, she wrote a sociology thesis, entitled Princeton-Educated Blacks and

Barney Circle - Misplaced Pages Continue

4116-484: The United States . Raised on the South Side of Chicago , Obama is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School . In her early legal career, she worked at the law firm Sidley Austin where she met her future husband. She subsequently worked in nonprofits and as the associate dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago . Later, she served as vice president for community and external affairs of

4214-554: The White House. An Obama senior campaign official said she was "the most popular political figure in America". The positive assessment was reasoned to have contributed to her active role in the re-election campaign, but it was noted that the challenge for the Obama campaign was to use her without tarnishing her popularity. Obama was considered a polarizing figure, having aroused both "sharp enmity and deep loyalty" from Americans, but she

4312-450: The activity at first. When she campaigned during her husband's 2000 run for United States House of Representatives , her boss at the University of Chicago asked if there was any single thing about campaigning that she enjoyed; after some thought, she replied that visiting so many living rooms had given her some new decorating ideas. Obama opposed her husband's run for the congressional seat, and, after his defeat, she preferred he tend to

4410-416: The admission process, but she was resolved to demonstrate her own worth. She has said she was overwhelmed during her first year, attributing this to the fact that neither of her parents had graduated from college, and that she had never spent time on a college campus. The mother of a white roommate reportedly tried to get her daughter reassigned because of Michelle's race. Robinson said being at Princeton

4508-461: The amount of work to spend more time with her husband. During an interview in 1996, Michelle Obama acknowledged there was a "strong possibility" her husband would begin a political career, but said she was "wary" of the process. She knew it meant their lives would be subject to scrutiny and she was intensely private. Although she campaigned on her husband's behalf since early in his political career by handshaking and fund-raising, she did not relish

4606-790: The architecture in the area is outstanding, the neighborhood has retained its historic appearance. Few homeowners have installed modern siding or altered their structure in an ahistoric manner. DCPS operates four schools that serve the neighborhood, including Eastern High School , Eliot-Hine Middle School, Payne Elementary School and the Capitol Hill Cluster School. The cluster school has three campuses: Stuart-Hobson Middle School, Watkins Elementary School, and Peabody Elementary School. President Barack Obama visited Stuart-Hobson in 2011 to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and First Lady Michelle Obama surprised

4704-410: The associate dean of student services at the University of Chicago , where she developed the university's Community Service Center. In 2002, she began working for the University of Chicago Hospitals, first as executive director for community affairs and, beginning May 2005, as vice president for community and external affairs. She continued to hold the University of Chicago Hospitals position during

4802-480: The attendees to advocate for political awareness, saying, "To anyone who says that church is no place to talk about these issues, you tell them there is no place better – no place better, because ultimately, these are not just political issues – they are moral issues, they're issues that have to do with human dignity and human potential, and the future we want for our kids and our grandkids." Following law school, Obama became an associate at

4900-480: The black alumni would still identify with the African-American community, even though they had attended an elite university and had the advantages that accrue to its graduates. Robinson pursued professional study, earning her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Harvard Law School in 1988. By the time she applied for Harvard Law, biographer Bond wrote, her confidence had increased: "This time around, there

4998-541: The combination of an evolving family life and beginning political career led to many arguments about balancing work and family. Barack Obama wrote in his second book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream , that "Tired and stressed, we had little time for conversation, much less romance." Despite their family obligations and careers, they continued to try to schedule "date nights" while they lived in Chicago. The Obamas' daughters attended

SECTION 50

#1732800923328

5096-618: The community is located within Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6B. The core of Barney Circle is zoned in ANC 6B09, and may extend into 6B06, 6B07, 6B08, 6B10, and 7F07. The Congressional Cemetery was created in 1807 holds the remains of Elbridge Gerry , a signer of the Declaration of Independence and former Vice President , Civil War photographer Mathew Brady , the "March King" John Philip Sousa ,

5194-569: The company ceased operations by 1923. In 1911 the Congress passed an act "to confirm the name of Commodore Barney Circle", after a local builder presented a paper on Barney to the Columbia Historical Society in 1910. The neighborhood experienced a building boom between 1919 and 1924, when over 70% of its buildings were constructed. At one point, up to 25 percent of the neighborhood was populated by individuals who worked at

5292-473: The divisive statements of Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict with our own views." The Obama family attended several different Protestant churches after moving to Washington D.C. in 2009, including Shiloh Baptist Church and St. John's Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square, known as the Presidents' Church. At the 49th African Methodist Episcopal Church 's general conference, Michelle Obama encouraged

5390-507: The embodiment of the American Dream . Obama said she and her husband believe "that you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, and you do what you say you're going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them." She also emphasized loving her country, likely responding to criticism for having said that she felt "proud of her country for

5488-433: The financial needs of the family in what she deemed a more practical way. At first, Obama had reservations about her husband's presidential campaign, due to fears about a possible negative effect on their daughters. She says that she negotiated an agreement in which her husband was to quit smoking in exchange for her support of his decision to run. About her role in her husband's presidential campaign, she has said: "My job

5586-476: The first decade of the 20th century, are known as "daylight rowhouses" because each room was lit as much as possible by sunlight coming through windows. The homes in the Barney Circle neighborhood generally are set back from the street at a uniform distance, and have a small front yard and an open-air porch . As with most rowhouses, the homes typically have mansard roofs with dormers which provide third-floor sleeping, working, or storage space. Although little of

5684-507: The first floor. She was raised in what she describes as a "conventional" home, with "the mother at home, the father works, you have dinner around the table". Her elementary school was down the street. She and her family enjoyed playing games such as Monopoly , reading, and frequently saw extended family on both sides. She played piano, learning from her great-aunt, who was a piano teacher. The Robinsons attended services at nearby South Shore United Methodist Church. They used to vacation in

5782-523: The first time". The first statement was seen as a gaffe. Her keynote address was largely well-received and drew mostly positive reviews. A Rasmussen Reports poll found that her favorability among Americans reached 55%, the highest for her. On an October 6, 2008, broadcast, Larry King asked Obama if the American electorate was past the Bradley effect . She said her husband's winning the nomination

5880-588: The former FBI Director , among other famous notables. The revival of the Congressional Cemetery in the early 2000s helped rejuvenate the neighborhood. The Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery manages the cemetery's K9 program, a program that allows 770 dogs the privilege to roam freely over the 35-acre property, as well as the "Rest in Bees" honey and "Notes from

5978-607: The freeway's cost had ballooned to $ 160 million and it remained unbuilt. By 1993, although costs for the project had increased to $ 200 million, D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly gave her approval for construction to begin. But construction was delayed yet again when the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Anacostia Watershed Society, Committee of 100 on the Federal City , Citizens Committee to Stop It Again, D.C. Federation of Civic Associations, Friends of

SECTION 60

#1732800923328

6076-494: The hiring of professors who were members of minority groups. She worked for the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau , assisting low-income tenants with housing cases. She is the third first lady with a postgraduate degree , after her two immediate predecessors, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush . She later said her education gave her opportunities beyond what she had ever imagined. Michelle's mother, Marian Robinson,

6174-485: The mid-19th century push development southward on Barrack's Row in lieu of eastward on Pennsylvania Avenue SE. The neighborhood known as Barney Circle remained relatively undeveloped and its streets remained unpaved throughout the 19th century. The Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge that connected the neighborhood known as Barney Circle to neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River built until 1890. The neighborhood began to develop in 1902 after Arthur E. Randle won approval from

6272-625: The north end of Georgetown . As part of this plan, Barney Circle was again rebuilt in 1971, now with freeway ramps leading to the Southeast/Southwest Freeway and the John Philip Sousa Bridge. Two decades of protest led to the cancellation of all but the Interstate 395 and Interstate 695 portions of the plan. The unbuilt portions of the project were finally cancelled in 1977. The failure to complete

6370-473: The park in his original 1791 plan for the District of Columbia, intending it for public use (see: L'Enfant Plan ). Though it was originally planned as the point from which all distances in North America would be measured (a zero milepost ), it was not ultimately utilized for this purpose. Instead, the park was used as a dumping ground. During the Civil War, it became the site where Lincoln Hospital

6468-519: The presidency; he criticized Wal-Mart labor policies at an AFL–CIO forum in Trenton, New Jersey , on May 14, 2007. She also served on the board of directors of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs . In 2021, the former first lady announced that she has been "moving toward retirement". Though she continues to be active in political campaigns, the former first lady has said she is reducing

6566-489: The primary campaign of 2008 but cut back to part-time in order to spend time with her daughters as well as work for her husband's election. She subsequently took a leave of absence from her job. According to the couple's 2006 income tax return , her salary was $ 273,618 from the University of Chicago Hospitals, while her husband had a salary of $ 157,082 from the United States Senate . The Obamas' total income

6664-487: The project, but later said the assessment's findings did not alter its earlier conclusion that construction of the roadway and bridge project was economically feasible, technologically appropriate, and environmentally sound. However, the D.C. City Council had the final say on whether to proceed with the project or not. In December 1994, the City Council bowed to neighborhood opposition and voted overwhelmingly to reject

6762-690: The project. Since the cancellation of the Inner Loop Expressway, motorists wanting to access the Baltimore–Washington Parkway or U.S. Route 50 in Maryland (the John Hanson Highway) would often travel Interstate 695 to Barney Circle, wait at the traffic light there, cross the Sousa Bridge, wait at a traffic light on the southwestern terminus of the bridge, and make a left turn against oncoming traffic to access

6860-410: The public eye for many years now, and we've developed a thick skin along the way. When you're out campaigning, there will always be criticism. I just take it in stride, and at the end of the day, I know that it comes with the territory." By the time of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in August, media outlets observed that her presence on the campaign trail had grown softer than at the start of

6958-537: The purpose of building a rail crossing over the Anacostia. This along with reports by the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds (OPB&G) in the 1880s and 1890s that much of the area was under water at high tide, prevented the construction of a circular park as had been planned. By 1903, was constructed as a traffic circle instead, with the name "Pennsylvania Avenue Circle", and Pennsylvania Avenue passing through it to

7056-474: The race, focusing on soliciting concerns and empathizing with the audience rather than throwing down challenges to them, and giving interviews to shows such as The View and publications like Ladies' Home Journal rather than appearing on news programs. The change was reflected in her fashion choices, as she wore clothes that were more informal clothes than her earlier designer pieces. Partly intended to help soften her public image, her appearance on The View

7154-525: The roadway 20 feet (6.1 m) to bring it level with the grade of the surrounding streets. The six-lane former highway began to be turned into a four-lane grand boulevard with a landscaped median and pedestrian nature trail. Southeast Boulevard was designed to link Barney Circle to 11th Street SE. In 2013, DDOT published plans to reconfigure Barney Circle. Priorities for the project included improving and restoring access to neighborhood streets, and adding pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to local streets and

7252-811: The same tactic was being used by Ann Romney , wife of 2012 Republican candidate Mitt Romney . Polls in October showed their husbands tied at 47% for the female vote. However, Michelle Obama's favorability ratings remained higher than Ann Romney's at 69% to 52%. Despite Obama's higher poll numbers, comparisons between Obama and Romney were repeatedly made by the media until the election. But, as Michelle Cottle of Newsweek wrote, "...   nobody votes for first lady." During her early months as First Lady, Obama visited homeless shelters and soup kitchens . She also sent representatives to schools and advocated public service. Obama advocated for her husband's policy priorities by promoting bills that support it. She hosted

7350-485: The show was canceled. Obama campaigned for her husband's re-election in 2012. Beginning in 2011, Obama became more politically active than she had been since the 2008 election, though avoided discussions about the re-election bid. By the time of the election cycle, she had developed a more open public image. Some commentators viewed her as the most popular member of the Obama administration, noting that her poll approval numbers had not dropped below 60% since she entered

7448-504: The students of Watkins in 2016 to promote gardening. The District of Columbia Public Charter School Board operates Friendship Public Charter School in Barney Circle that serves students from pre-K through the eighth grade. Barney Circle is located within Ward 6 . Charles Allen has represented the neighborhood on the Council of the District of Columbia since January 2015. The heart of

7546-451: The west, 13th Street NE and SE on the east, East Capitol Street NE on the North, and East Capitol Street SE on the south. It is four blocks northeast of Eastern Market . The eastern end of the park includes two separate, enclosed play areas for young children. The grassy perimeter and central turf area are popular with neighborhood dogs and their owners. Pierre Charles L'Enfant included

7644-482: The westbound segment of Interstate 695 from the 11th Street Bridges to Barney Circle in late November 2012, and the eastbound lanes in early 2013. This portion of was Interstate 695 was subsequently decommissioned, turning roughly five blocks of six-lane highway into city streets from the National Highway System . The unfinished "mixing bowl" exchange on the southern terminus of the 11th Street Bridges

7742-532: Was "adventurous". They married on October 3, 1992. After suffering a miscarriage, Michelle underwent in vitro fertilisation to conceive their daughters Malia Ann (born 1998) and Natasha (known as Sasha, born 2001). The Obama family lived on Chicago's South Side, where Barack taught at the University of Chicago Law School. He was elected to the state senate in 1996 and to the U.S. Senate in 2004. They chose to keep their residence in Chicago after Barack's election rather than to move to Washington, DC, as they felt it

7840-460: Was $ 991,296, which included $ 51,200 that she earned as a member of the board of directors of TreeHouse Foods and investments and royalties from his books. Obama served as a salaried board member of TreeHouse Foods , Inc. ( NYSE :  THS ), a major Wal-Mart supplier from shortly after her husband was seated in the Senate until she cut ties shortly after her husband announced his candidacy for

7938-522: Was a fairly strong indicator that it was. The same night she was interviewed by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show , where she deflected criticism of her husband and his campaign. On Fox News' America's Pulse , E. D. Hill referred to the fist bump shared by the Obamas the night he clinched the Democratic presidential nomination , describing it as a "terrorist fist jab". Hill was taken off air, and

8036-552: Was a stay-at-home mother. Her father was Fraser C. Robinson III, who worked at the city's water purification plant. Robinson's father, Fraser , died from complications from his illness in March 1991. She would later say that although he was the "hole in my heart" and "loss in my scar", the memory of her father has motivated her each day since. Her friend Suzanne Alele died from cancer around this time as well. These losses made her think of her contributions toward society and how well she

8134-550: Was also altered. Local traffic was separated from through-traffic by the construction of a bridge dedicated for local traffic only, and ramps connecting the bridge to D.C. Route 295 were created. Construction of the new ramps began in May 2012, with the ramp from southbound D.C. Route 295 onto the 11th Street Bridge completed in July 2012. The ramp from the bridges to northbound D.C. Route 295 opened on December 19, 2012. These changes removed

8232-483: Was also seen as having improved her image since 2008 when her husband first ran for the presidency. Isabel Wilkinson of The Daily Beast said Obama's fashion style changed over the course of the campaign to be sensitive and economical. Prior to the first debate of the election cycle, Obama expressed confidence in her husband's debating skills. He was later criticized for appearing detached and for looking down when addressing Romney. Consensus among uncommitted voters

8330-511: Was better for their daughters. Throughout her husband's 2008 campaign for U.S. president , Obama made a "commitment to be away overnight only once a week – to campaign only two days a week and be home by the end of the second day" for their two daughters. She once requested that her then-fiancé meet her prospective boss, Valerie Jarrett , when considering her first career move; Jarrett became one of her husband's closest advisors. The marital relationship has had its ebbs and flows;

8428-407: Was born on January 17, 1964, in Chicago, Illinois, to Fraser Robinson III (1935–1991), a city water plant employee and Democratic precinct captain , and Marian Shields Robinson (1937–2024), a secretary at Spiegel's catalog store . Her mother was a full-time homemaker until Michelle entered high school. The Robinson and Shields families trace their roots to pre- Civil War African Americans in

8526-465: Was built to take care of the wounded Union Army soldiers. While there were many others around the city, it was the largest in the area built by the Army. It included 20 pavilions arranged in a V formation. 25 tent wards provided beds for 2,575 wounded. Covered pathways connected the kitchen and dining rooms. The other buildings on site were: Like many of the other hospitals in the area, Lincoln Hospital

8624-400: Was carved from the center of the circle, and a $ 7,000 bus and streetcar terminal occupied the western portion of the site. The terminal opened on January 26, 1941 and ceased operation in 1960. In 1956, federal and regional transportation planners proposed an Inner Loop Expressway composed of three circumferential beltways for the District of Columbia. The innermost beltway would have formed

8722-465: Was completed in 1942 and is named after the famed composer and DC native, who had died in 1933. Barney Circle was part of the original L'Enfant Plan for the District of Columbia. However, it was designated a square, not a traffic circle, on the city's original plats. In 1867, the Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad obtained the rights to the land where Barney Circle would be built for

8820-537: Was established in 1945 south of the Congressional Cemetery. It is, by some assessments, the oldest African American boat club on the East Coast. Barney circle is accessible via metro, express bus lines, highways, and Capital Bikeshare dock. The neighborhood is served by Potomac Avenue station and Stadium–Armory station and the 36 Pennsylvania Avenue busline. The John Philip Sousa Bridge

8918-493: Was estimated to be $ 93.5 million. But after protests from residents of Capitol Hill (who feared the Barney Circle Freeway would cause more traffic to flow into the area) as well as environmentalists , the District of Columbia agreed to reduce the number of lanes on the Barney Circle Freeway to two from four. The protests and legal and regulatory challenges to the proposed freeway did not end, however, and by 1992

9016-493: Was influencing the world from her law firm in her first job after law school. She considered this a turning point. Robinson met Barack Obama when they were among the few African Americans at their law firm, Sidley Austin LLP (she has sometimes said only two, although others have noted that there were others in different departments). She was assigned to mentor him while he was a summer associate . Their relationship started with

9114-414: Was likely 20-year-old Charles Marion Shields, son of Melvinia's master. They may have had a continuing relationship, as she had two more mixed-race children and lived near Shields after emancipation, taking his surname (she later changed her surname). As was often the case, Melvinia did not talk to relatives about Dolphus's father. Dolphus Shields, with his wife Alice, moved to Birmingham, Alabama , after

9212-469: Was no doubt in her mind that she had earned her place". Her faculty mentor at Harvard Law was Charles Ogletree , who has said she had answered the question that had plagued her throughout Princeton by the time she arrived at Harvard Law: whether she would remain the product of her parents or keep the identity she had acquired at Princeton; she had concluded she could be "both brilliant and black". At Harvard, Robinson participated in demonstrations advocating

9310-469: Was that the latter had won the debate. After Obama's speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention , the first lady was found through a CBS News/ New York Times poll conducted in September to have a 61% favorably rating with registered voters, the highest percentage she had polled since April 2009. Obama aimed to humanize her husband by relating stories about him, attempting to appeal to female voters in swing states. Paul Harris of The Guardian said

9408-399: Was the first time she became more aware of her ethnicity and, despite the willingness of her classmates and teachers to reach out to her, she still felt "like a visitor on campus". There were also issues of economic class. "I remember being shocked," she says, "by college students who drove BMWs . I didn't even know parents who drove BMWs." While at Princeton, Robinson became involved with

9506-469: Was visited by family members as well as well-wishers. One such visitor was Vinnie Ream , a talented mezzo-soprano (who later gained fame as Lincoln's sculptor). She performed at the hospital in April 1864. It was also visited by Walt Whitman , who was visiting injured soldiers in the local hospitals. He mentions it in his writings: Aug., Sep., and Oct., '63. ... Then there is Carver hospital, larger still,

9604-445: Was widely covered in the press. The presidential campaign was Obama's first exposure to the national political scene; she was considered the least famous of the candidates' spouses. Early in the campaign, she told anecdotes about Obama family life; however, as the press began to emphasize her sarcasm, she toned it down. New York Times op-ed columnist Maureen Dowd wrote: I wince a bit when Michelle Obama chides her husband as

#327672