Why Michelle Obama’s Portraitist Will Only Paint African Americans
The portraits of everyday people Amy Sherald painted after her official Michelle Obama portrait, and the unlikely making—and legacy—of “96 Tears,” by ? and the Mysterians.
Listen longer
Slate Plus members get ad-free versions of all Slate podcasts, plus extra segments, bonus episodes, and more. Try it free today.
Listen & Subscribe
Choose your preferred player:
Apple Podcasts
Get Your Slate Plus Feed
Copy your ad-free feed link below to load into your player:
Episode Notes
Kurt Andersen talks with Amy Sherald, who painted the official Michelle Obama portrait, about her strict religious upbringing, the surreal experience of interviewing with the Obamas, and why she’ll only ever paint African Americans. Our latest American Icons feature: “96 Tears,” by ? and the Mysterians, and how the band of Mexican-American teens managed to top the charts and help fuel the growing Latin influence on pop music in the 1960s.
