NEO•GRIOT

Deborah Willis Lecture and Book Signing
Author of the New York Times bestseller,
OBAMA: The Historic Campaign in Photographs

Saturday, February 27, 2010
3:30pm - 5:00pm
The McKenna Museum
2003 Carondelet St.
New Orleans, LA

Deborah Willis is a contemporary African American artist, 
photographer, curator of photography, photographic historian, and 
educator. Among other awards and honors she has received, she was a 
MacArthur, Guggenheim, and Fletcher Fellow. She is currently Professor 
and Chair of the Department of Photography and Imaging at Tisch School 
of the Arts of New York University.

She is also an author and editor of numerous books on the 
African-American image including; Reflections in Black, Posing Beauty, 
and the New York Times bestseller Obama: The Historic Campaign. We are 
very excited to host her lecture and book signing!

The McKenna Museum, New Orleans Photo Alliance, and Community Book 
Store present:

DEBORAH WILLIS LECTURE & BOOK SIGNING
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27th at 3:30pm
FREE and OPEN to the public

Lecture featuring,

"MICHELLE OBAMA: The First Lady in Photographs"

George and Leah McKenna Museum of African American Art
2003 Carondelet St. | New Orleans, 70130

Book signing immediately following! PURCHASE ONSITE!

Books will be available at the McKenna Museum for purchase by the 
Community Book Store. Other available titles for purchase are "Posing 
Beauty: African American Images from the 1890's to the present" and 
new book "Black Venus 2010: They call her Hottentot".

In conjuction with the photo exhibt, THE AMERICAN DREAM juried by 
Deborah Willis currently on display at the NOPA Gallery.

New Orleans Photo Alliance Gallery
1111. St. Mary St. | New Orleans| 70130
Exhibition Dates: February 5-March 21, 2010
Juror's Reception: February 27, 6-9pm
Juror's Gallery Talk: February 28, 6pm
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:Winfrida Mbewe
212.790.4325
wmbewe@wwnorton.com

MICHELLE OBAMA
The First Lady in Photographs

By Deborah Willis and Emily Bernard

No First Lady has quite captured the American imagination like 
Michelle Obama. On the heels of her New York Times bestseller Obama: 
The Historic Presidency, renowned scholar Deborah Willis teams up with 
Emily Bernard to present the first tribute to Michelle Obama that 
explores the significance of the First Lady?s image in American 
culture. Scheduled for release on the first anniversary of Barack 
Obama?s historic victory, MICHELLE OBAMA: The First Lady in 
Photographs [W. W. Norton & Company]is a stunning visual portrait of 
who Michelle Obama is today, a First Lady who has already created a 
new iconic stamp on American consciousness.

Willis has selected over 200 color photographs of the First Lady, 
images which together reveal the breadth of our cultural fascination 
with Michelle Obama. Each image is a stirring tribute to Michelle 
Obama?s ability to enchant, through her down-to-earth dealings, all 
Americans ? schoolchildren, military families, and home gardeners 
alike. Here is a woman who has achieved celebrity status, whose 
fashion choices from the familiar (J. Crew) to the unexpected (Jason 
Wu) are as scrutinized as the statements she makes about cooking for 
her family. As a First Lady, she occupies a space somewhere between 
Hillary Clinton, whose intellect and professionalism made her a strong 
influence in her husband?s career and politics, and Laura Bush, who 
adopted the supportive stance of loyal wife and caring mother. 
Willis?s photos beautifully convey an intimate look into the life of a 
First Lady unlike any before, portraying her life in the public eye.