Former first lady Michelle Obama will be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame this year, the organization announced on International Women’s Day.
The National Women’s Hall of Fame on Monday named the members of its Class of 2021 that will be inducted on Oct. 2.
“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,” the National Women’s Hall of Fame said in a news release.
“During her eight years as First Lady, Michelle Obama helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, transforming the White House into the “People’s House.” Since leaving the White House, she has continued to have a profound public impact.”
The organization praised Obama for being a strong advocate for women and girls as she’s established multiple advocacy groups, including the Let’s Move! program focused on ending childhood obesity, the Reach Higher initiative to help students discover better job opportunities, the Joining Forces organization for veterans and Let Girls Learn, a program to support adolescent girls’ education.
The former first lady also released her best-selling personal memoir “Becoming” in 2018 and won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word album.
Others set to be inducted into the hall of fame include Rebecca Halstead, who has had a decorated military career, poet and author Joy Harjo, PepsiCo’s first female CEO Indra Nooyi, soccer legend Mia Hamm and artist Judy Chicago.
Best-selling author Octavia E. Butler, NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson and activist Emily Howland will be posthumously inducted.
This year’s induction ceremony will be held in-person on Oct. 2 with COVID-19 protocols at the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York.
Joseph Guzman • Thehill.com
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