It took fiery speeches from First Lady Michelle Obama and Senators Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders to somewhat stifle the dissension in the ranks as the Democratic convention got underway Monday in Philadelphia.

Large contingents of Sanders’ supporters, already steamed up from witnessing the defeat of their candidate, took their anger to the floor of the convention, still feeling “the Bern,” booing even when Sanders had asked them to refrain from such action. The disclosure that the DNC had favored Hillary Clinton during the campaign only fueled their disgust.

Sanders, who was moved to the keynote spot to cool the rancor, avoided any mention of the email controversy or the resignation of DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz during his speech. Instead, he calmed his surrogates by praising their commitment to the “political revolution” and their efforts to make the Democratic platform one of the boldest, most progressive in the party’s history.

“Among many other strong provisions,” Sanders said, “the Democratic Party now calls for breaking up the major financial institutions on Wall Street and the passage of a 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act. It also calls for strong opposition to job-killing free trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”

These were two of the concessions made during the committee meetings to bring him aboard and appease his disgruntled army.

Beyond the lengthy, patriotically-driven address by Booker, as well as Warren’s flailing of Trump and the Republicans, the evening belonged to Michelle Obama. With a focus on family and her trust in Clinton forefront in her remarks, it was her recounting of history that was most rewarding.

She cited Clinton’s resilience, and the unprecedented moment that awaited her when she accepted the party’s nomination. “Leaders like Hillary Clinton, who has the guts and the grace to keep coming back, putting those cracks in the highest and hardest glass ceiling until she finally breaks through, lifting all of us along with her,” Obama said.

“That is the story of this country,” she added, “the story that has brought me to this stage tonight, the story of generations of people who felt the lash of bondage, the shame of servitude, the sting of segregation, but who kept on striving and hoping and doing what needed to be done so that today I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves.”

This was a poignant moment and it resonated strongly, particularly with Black people among the approximately 5,000 delegates. The television cameras caught the tears falling from several onlookers.

Obama’s narrative hewed closely to a mission, explaining why Clinton was her choice and what needed to be done to make sure she was the next occupant of the White House.

“I want a president who will teach our children that everyone in this country matters, a president who truly believes in the vision that our founders put forth all those years ago that we are all created equal, each a beloved part of the great American story,” Obama related, before tacking toward her denunciation of Trump.

Obama continued, “So, look, don’t let anyone ever tell you that this country isn’t great, that somehow we need to make it great again. Because this right now is the greatest country on earth!” When the cheering quieted down, she said, “And as my daughters prepare to set out into the world, I want a leader who is worthy of that truth, a leader who is worthy of my girls’ promise and all our kids’ promise, a leader who will be guided every day by the love and hope and impossibly big dreams that we all have for our children.”

Obama reminded those listening, “We cannot sit back and hope that everything works out for the best. We cannot afford to be tired or frustrated or cynical. No, hear me. Between now and November, we need to do what we did eight years ago and four years ago.

“We need to knock on every door,” she concluded. “We need to get out every vote, we need to pour every last ounce of our passion and our strength and our love for this country into electing Hillary Clinton as president of the United States of America!”

She had done what she was asking others to do, pouring every last ounce of her passion and strength into Clinton’s election.