Former First Lady Michelle Obama has revealed she did not initially believe that her husband, Barack Obama, could have won the presidency in 2008.

Although she already gave him his blessing, Ms Obama writes in her new memoir Becoming she was also “harbouring a painful thought: Barack was a black man in America, after all. I didn’t really think he could win.”

Her fears were not alleviated when she saw Time magazine feature her husband on the cover of their October 2006 issue with the “Why Barack Obama could be the next president” — she looked away. The former first lady could not stomach the idea of Mr Obama becoming the nation’s elected leader.

Ms Obama said doubts about her husband’s electability were rooted in the country’s very real and dark history of racial segregation and slavery. It made her nervous to dream about the small possibility that a black man could one day lead the US.

“I think I did what a lot of black folks were doing,” Ms Obama said in an interview with Good Morning America, when pressed about her scepticism of her husband’s electability. “We were afraid to hope, because it’s hard to think that the country oppressed you could one day be led by you.”

Ms Obama, who is a descendent of a slave, said her disbelief is a reflection of the apprehension a lot of black Americans in older generations felt.

Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Show all 11 1 /11 Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama's best moments in the White House May 19, 2009 “The President was leaving the State Floor after an event and found Sasha in the elevator ready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office,” Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Oct. 26, 2012 President Barack Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the son of a White House staffer in the Outer Oval Office Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House “A National Security staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama. Carlton’s son, Jacob, softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the President’s head to see if it felt the same as his.” Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House March 21, 2010 The President, Vice President and senior staff applaud after watching on television the House vote on H.R. 4872 for health care reform, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Dec. 3, 2009 President Barack Obama fist-bumps custodian Lawrence Lipscomb in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building following the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Sept. 22, 2015 "The Obama family and Biden family greet Pope Francis as he arrives in the United States for the first time at Joint Base Andrews," Sept. 22, 2015. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 21, 2014 President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participate in a "Let's Move!" video taping on the Colonnade of the White House, Feb. 21, 2014 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 18, 2016 President Barack Obama watches First Lady Michelle Obama dance with 106-Year-Old Virginia McLaurin in the Blue Room of the White House prior to a reception celebrating African American History Month, Feb. 18, 2016 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Jan. 21, 2013 "The President and First Lady wave to supporters as they ride in the inaugural parade. I had asked the President if I could ride in the presidential limousine and the President joked, 'But Michelle and I were planning to make out," Jan. 21, 2013. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama share a private moment in a freight elevator at an Inaugural Ball, January 2009 all pics: Pete Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama rests his hand on the bible that President Lincoln used for his swear-in, being held by his wife Michelle Obama as he is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America Rex

“My grandparents lived through segregation,” Ms Obama added. “My grandfather, his grandfather was a slave. These memories were real. They didn’t think the country was ready. My attitude was a reflection of that scepticism.”

Throughout his campaigns and presidential terms, the Obamas were often faced with racist messages and threats. The most notable example of the xenophobic narrative is the birther conspiracy around Mr Obama, something that President Donald Trump has been credited with amplifying.

The conspiracy theory alleged that former Mr Obama was born outside the US and therefore ineligible to serve as president, first surfaced in 2008. In 2011, Mr Trump started pushing the theory in television interviews as he floated the possibility of a presidential run.

The former first lady said she could “never forgive” Mr Trump for pushing the debunked theory further and endangering her family’s safety.

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Furthermore, Ms Obama mentioned the anti-black rhetoric, as well as, the scepticism around her patriotism were incredibly hurtful to her.