Happy 98th birthday, President Carter! Your dedication to public service and the work you and the @CarterCenter have done to lift up others is an example we should all follow.

I’m so humbled by your response to my upcoming book tour for #TheLightWeCarry! We’ve added a couple of new dates, and tickets are on sale now at michelleobamabooks.com. I hope you’ll join me in one of these cities!

I got my start on the South Side of Chicago, right down the street from where we’re building the Center, and the lessons I learned in these neighborhoods ended up shaping my life. The Obama Presidential Center is our way of paying it forward.

It’s been one year since we officially broke ground on the Obama Presidential Center, and I couldn’t be prouder of the progress we’ve made so far.

This summer, @MBK_Alliance awarded grants to 51 organizations working hard to make a difference for young boys and men of color across the country. You can learn more about them here: obama.org/mbka/freedomsu… twitter.com/MBK_Alliance/s…

To all our Jewish friends, family, and neighbors celebrating the start of #RoshHashanah tonight, Shanah Tovah!

This Banned Books Week, I hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate the stories that need to be told. And I hope you’ll join me in reminding anyone who will listen—and even those who won’t—that the free, robust exchange of ideas has always been at the heart of American democracy.

We also owe a debt of gratitude to the team at the Brooklyn Library, and everyone who is helping make sure that readers across the country have access to great books. nytimes.com/2022/09/12/nyr…

I’m grateful for people like Cameron who fought censorship in Texas by organizing a student-led movement that eventually distributed more than 700 challenged or banned books. nbcnews.com/nbc-out/nbc-ou…

I'm thankful for leaders like Rebecca, one of our @ObamaFoundation Scholars, and Iesha who are making sure Chicagoans of all ages have access to powerful literature. obama.org/helping-kids-a…

This year, I’m celebrating Banned Books Week and the freedom to read with people across the country. I wrote out a few of my thoughts, and wanted to share the stories of some folks who are working on this issue. barackobama.medium.com/heres-why-i-m-…

Today, books that shaped my life—and many others—are being challenged in schools, bookstores, and libraries by people who disagree with certain ideas or perspectives. Often, these “banned books” are written by or feature people of color and members of LGBTQ communities.

These are just a few of the questions that will be answered at the ballot box—which is why it’s so important to make sure you're registered to vote. After you've checked, make sure to ask your family, friends, and neighbors to do the same.

In a few weeks, we'll get to decide who we want to be. Do we want to be a nation that protects women's rights? A nation that allows every citizen to make their voice heard? A nation that takes action on climate change before it’s too late?

Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy—and, as the late Congressman John Lewis reminded us, our most precious right. On National Voter Registration Day, take a few minutes to make sure you're registered at iwillvote.com. Then make a plan to vote.

Michelle and I were lucky enough to know Her Majesty The Queen. Back when we were just beginning to navigate life as President and First Lady, she welcomed us to the world stage with extraordinary generosity. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family and those mourning her passing.

Congratulations to the @LVAces on their first WNBA title! It’s been fun to watch Coach @BeckyHammon and this team play this season. twitter.com/LVAces/status/…

This article is a reminder of how focused government action can make a real difference in our kids’ lives. We can do more to make sure every child has a fair shot. nytimes.com/2022/09/12/us/…

The Inflation Reduction Act will lower the cost of healthcare and prescription drugs, while also taking important steps to protect our planet.   @POTUS and @VP continue to deliver for the American people—and that’s worth celebrating.

Michelle and I are proud to join @bchesky in announcing the first recipients of The Voyager Scholarship, which supports 100 rising college juniors as they pursue a career in public service. I can’t wait to see what these young people accomplish!

I heard about the work that Coach Amaker and the young people at Harvard are doing to build community, so I decided to drop by one of their meetings. Thanks for letting me be an honorary member of The Breakfast Club! twitter.com/HarvardMBB/sta…

Last week, Michelle and I unveiled our official White House portraits by Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung. Take a look as we reflect on what that moment meant to us:

Today, we remember the nearly 3,000 lives we lost on September 11, 2001. We honor their memory, the courage of our first responders, and the men and women in uniform who continue to keep us safe.

Like so many of you, Michelle and I are grateful to have witnessed Her Majesty’s dedicated leadership, and we are awed by her legacy of tireless, dignified public service. Our thoughts are with her family and the people of the United Kingdom at this difficult time.

When future generations see these portraits by Robert McCurdy and Sharon Sprung in the White House, I hope they get a better, honest sense of who Michelle and I were. And I hope they leave with a deeper understanding that if we could make it, they can do remarkable things, too.

I want to thank Robert McCurdy for his extraordinary work on my portrait. Robert is known for his paintings of public figures, and I love how he paints people exactly the way they are. Take a look at the process behind creating the official White House portraits:

Happening Now: President Biden and the First Lady host former President Obama and former First Lady Obama for the unveiling of their official White House portraits. twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

Labor Day is about celebrating the working class men and women whose grit and resilience built our country and made our economic progress possible. They’ve raised their voices, advocated for better working conditions, and kept our country going.

Congratulations, Serena, for your heart, skill, intelligence, dedication, and grace. Few athletes have inspired more people both in and beyond their sport!

Young leaders like our @ObamaFoundation Scholars give me hope for a brighter future. Our newest Scholars are working on issues like climate change, mass incarceration, and gender-based violence. I can't wait to see the difference they make together. twitter.com/ObamaFoundatio…