In her latest public appearance since her husband left office, former first lady
told a gathering in Denver she was hurt by racist comments made about her during her time in the White House.
Obama alluded to insults including those that referred to her as an ape as well as derogatory remarks about her body parts, according to
.
When she was asked about breaking the glass ceiling as the first black first lady, Obama spoke about "the falling glass shards that cut the deepest."
"The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut," she said.
"Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won't see me for what I am because of my skin color."
Michelle spoke Tuesday before a crowd of 8,500 people at the Pepsi Center that had gathered to hear her thoughts on women's empowerment.
The event was staged by the Women's Foundation of Colorado.
Even though she has been largely out of the public eye for months now, Michelle remains a popular figure.
At the start of the event, attendees gave her a prolonged standing ovation, with some in the crowd chanting "We love you."
Michelle conveyed the message that the scars she endured as first lady are no different than those endured by women, who should use those experiences to educate younger girls.
"Women, we endure those cuts in so many ways that we don't even notice we're cut," she said.
"We are living with small tiny cuts, and we are bleeding every single day. And we're still getting up."
Michelle also called on the audience not to despair in light of the recent political developments.
"The people in this country are universally good and kind and honest and decent," she said.
"Don't be afraid of the country you live in. The folks here are good."
This is the second time the former first lady has spoken extensively since the inauguration.
After a leisurely three month vacation, Michelle returned to public life this past April in Florida, where she addressed an architecture conference.
She was the keynote speaker at the event, organised by the American Institute of Architects, where she spoke about her time as Chicago's assistant commissioner of planning and development.
The Obamas have mostly kept to themselves since leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on the heels of Trump's inauguration on January 20.
Michelle and Barack spent three months quietly recuperating on vacation.
Last month, the Obamas were spotted enjoying family time in Bali with some white water rafting.
Since leaving office, Barack, Michelle and Sasha have settled in a 8,200-square-foot mansion in Washington DC while their younger daughter finishes high school.
They also jetted off to Richard Branson's private Necker Island before vacationing in Italy.
They have both scored lucrative book deals, and unveiled plans to construct the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago's Jackson Park to train and encourage the next generation of leaders.