The Obamas cover Ebony

I love that! They are a hell of a couple and I really want them to be in the White House. I think the two of them will turn the U.S. all the way around. Go Obamas! Show them how the hell to do it!

I salute Ebony for the coverage, however, it is time for this magazine to become more relevant in mainstream media. They have had the same focus for years and I believe they are losing much of their target audience. There is a need for a makeoever and a renaissance of reporting in terms of their content and story headlines. I would like to see Ebony become a newstalk show for the African American community or something along that line... Nonetheless, good story and coverage of Michele by promoting her in a different light....

Ebony has clearly photoshop'ed Michelle Obama making her a shade or two "lighter". What's the motivation behind this? Time magazine did this to OK but made him darker which equated to more sinister in the mind of the White culture and editors. Why has Ebony "Lightened Up" Michelle Obama? Trying to get her to pass the "paper bag test" perhaps? Lovely example of Black on Black hate (prejudice), a colorstruck culture. This merits an investigation, however I doubt Black culture has the courage to "go there", illustrate Black on Black hate and colorstruck editors in 2008.

good point anonymous. they will never go there cause its not profitable. im sure there are bean counters telling the execs that dark doesnt sell. james your statement is the reason why i have not read many black magazines for years. they are stale and mimic their white counterparts to often. once black enterprise had jayz on the cover i threw it in the trash and cancelled my subscription.

There are studies that show the public finds you more likable if you are light(er), even with Blacks. I suspect Ebony edited her true color and made her lighter to make her more likable in appearance. She is darker in real life than this image.

Fabulous Pictures. Thanks Ebony! Make us proud. I wouldn't have cared if the pictures were in black and white because this is truly history in the making and I wish my grandparents were here to see it. I grew up during the fifties with a copy of Ebony on the coffee table and of course Jet and the Afro American Newspaper were in the house somewhere along with the NAACP sticker on the window. Unfortunately, someone isn't going to be pleased for all types of reasons, but I am because at the end of the day I can say look what my people are doing. It may not be perfect, but we're getting there. We left negative people behind once before and we will continue to move forward with the positive. So, go on Ebony continue to make us proud.

Anonymous: look at your own pictures. You are not the same tone in all of them. I think the permanently engrained discrimination is actually in your own head.

I think Michelle Obama is the essence of class,grace and elegance. She is truly a strong and confident black woman who has it together and isn't ashamed to let the world know. I don't even think Ebony tried at all to lighthen her skin color and make her look lighter. I think it was the lighting they used period. We all know this woman is a dark-skinned sister and even if she was a light-skinned sister she still would be a black woman. We should be surprised with Barack's background that he didn't marry a white woman or a woman of another race. Since his background is so diverse he had every reason not to marry a black woman. But like he said "look at her she a fine black woman. I thank God everyday to see someone that looks like me so that our young black children can say " I want to be President one day. Not just a lawyer,doctor or teacher. This is something that I can achieve. That's what I want to hear from our young black brothers and sisters. Barack not only represents change but he represents hope. This thing is bigger than we all can imagine. If we can elect a African-American president then we can elect a Latin,Asian,or any other American to this post! God bless you Obamas!!

Thank you so much Donnell Allen! We've got to move past these petty discussions of skin color and whatever else is holding us back. We've come too far as a people to be even discussing something as trivial. Thanks again!

That Ebony cover has not been lightened, its been given the same treatment EVERY magazine cover gets. I've seen Michelle up close and the picture I took of her has her much DARKER....by contrast, the one my sister took under a bright light has her much lighter....GO FIGURE. DUH.