Washington - Michelle Obama, was born on January 17, 1964 and grew up in a one-bedroom apartment on Chicago's South Side where her mother, a former secretary, still lives. Her late father was an employee at the city's water plant.

Sometimes compared to Jacqueline Kennedy, Michelle, 44, will bring her own style of charm and sophistication to the White House as the country's first African American first lady.

On Tuesday, at president-elect Barack Obama's massive victory rally in Chicago's Grant park, Michelle appeared on stage dressed in a red and black dress - a colour theme echoed by daughters Malia, 10, who was dressed in red, and Sasha, 7, dressed in black.

Obama turned to them with large words of thanks to the "love of my life, our nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama."

Then, he acknowledged a promise he had apparently made to the children as an enticement to life in the White House, giving a small glimpse into some of the pressures that fall on a family involved in a presidential campaign, especially one with such young children.

"Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy thats coming with us to the White House," Obama said.

Michelle, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, met her husband when they worked at a Chicago law firm. They married in 1992 and she also moved into public service - first at Chicago City Hall and then as the head of a non-profit organization that encouraged youngsters to work on social issues.

Through the long election season she retained her part-time job as a community relations executive at a Chicago hospital.

Michelle campaigned effectively - despite a slip of the tongue that allowed opponents to question her patriotism. She was subsequently targeted on the right-leaning Fox News, where a commentator once called her "Obama's baby mama," a derogatory term for an unmarried black mother, and where an affectionate fist bump with Barack was described as a "terrorist fist jab."

She has functioned as Obama's primary sounding board throughout his career. "You want to know how Barack prepares for a debate? He hangs out with me, and he's ready," she said. (dpa)