Table of contents for First Ladies in First Ladies

MARTHA WASHINGTON POTUS: GEORGE WASHINGTON As the very first First Lady, Martha didn’t actually have an official title at all. Nor did she particularly want the role, thought she set her doubts aside to become an able and respected ally of George Washington. Martha hosted many social events at their homes in the temporary capitals of New York and Philadelphia. 1789-1797 ABIGAIL ADAMS POTUS: JOHN ADAMS Unlike her predecessor, Abigail Adams was so deeply involved in the political world that she was known as Mrs President. She was the first FLOTUS to live at the White House and proved to be an able spin doctor, planting favourable stories whenever her husband’s popularity waned. 1797-1801 MARTHA JEFFERSON POTUS: THOMAS JEFFERSON Martha Jefferson died 19 years before her husband became President. The…

1789 Martha Washington becomes the first FLOTUS, though without the title. 1797 Abigail Adams becomes the first FLOTUS to live in the White House. 1801 Martha Jefferson becomes the first non-spousal First Lady. 1810 Dolley Madison suggests the now traditional Easter Egg Roll! 1877 ‘First Lady’ becomes a widely used term for the President’s wife. 1909 Helen Taft begins the FLOTUS tradition of donating her inauguration ball gown to the Smithsonian. 1929 Lou Hoover becomes the first FLOTUS to broadcast to America. 1956 Mamie Eisenhower begins the tradition of a Halloween White House. 1961 Jackie Kennedy chooses the White House’s first Christmas theme. 2017 Melania Trump breaks tradition by not moving into the White House until 5 months after inauguration.…

Martha Washington might not have sought political influence or fame, but one thing she couldn’t get enough of was shoes. When it came time to marry George Washington, Martha sent an order to London for a pair of one-of-a-kind purple silk wedding shoes, decorated with silver braid and detailing. Throughout their married life, Washington often wrote to a London agent to purchase designer shoes for his wife in which he specified minute details of both fit and design. Eventually, Martha abandoned her British shoemakers in favour of Pennsylvanian manufacturers. Of course, no matter where she purchased them, they were always the height of fashion.…

22 November 1744 Elizabeth Quincy Smith gives birth to her second child, Abigail, in Weymouth, Mass. Her father was a Congregational minister and her grandfather a longtime political figure. 25 October 1764 The wedding of Abigail Smith and John Adams takes place at her family home, and the couple rides in a carriage to their cabin near John’s birthplace in Braintree. 14 July 1765 Nine months after their marriage, Abigail and John Adams welcome their first child, Abigail, known as ‘Nabby’. She dies in 1813 of breast cancer at the age of 48. 11 July 1767 John Quincy Adams, future sixth President of the United States, is born in Braintree. He also serves as a diplomat to several European countries, including Russia, and Great Britain. 24 October 1770 The trials…

1861-1865 When budding politician Abraham Lincoln first laid eyes on Mary Todd, he was determined to marry her. After misunderstandings, separation and reconciliation, the couple finally made it to the altar, beginning a marriage that might be termed troubled. Mary was convinced that Lincoln preferred pursuing his flourishing legal career to spending time with her and she grew increasingly anxious. In a desperate effort to win her husband’s attention Mary flirted with his friends, but all Lincoln did was bury his head in his work. When it came to politics, however, the two were perfectly in sync. An accomplished cook, Mary’s specialty was her white almond cake No wife was more attuned to the realities of the political world than Mary Lincoln, and as her husband set his sights on…

When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Rutherford and Lucy had been married for almost a decade. The President-to-be enlisted as a major and was injured at the Battle of South Mountain in Maryland. Upon hearing the news, Lucy was wrongly told that he was recuperating in Washington and she rushed there, before finally finding him in Maryland. Following Rutherford’s recovery, she was a frequent visitor to his camps, helping to boost morale and tend to the wounded, and earned the affectionate nicknames of ‘Mother Lucy’ and ‘Mother of the Regiment’ from the men of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry.…

Edith wasn’t always an independent, wealthy Washington woman. She was born on 15 October 1872, in Wytheville, Virginia, raised in a family which had grown prosperous on the back of the slave trade but experienced a change in circumstances following the American Civil War and the outlawing of slavery. One of nine surviving children, Edith, the daughter of circuit court judge William Holcombe Bolling, was the favourite grandchild of her paternal grandmother Anne Wigginton Bolling, who she spent most of her hours with, attending to chores including washing and ironing her grandmother’s clothes and looking after her 26 canaries. The future First Lady’s education was patchy. She learnt French, English, poetry, music, and dressmaking at home – and attended a finishing school and a school for girls for a short…

Eleanor was the niece of one President, Theodore Roosevelt, and the wife of another, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. After his death in 1945, she was rumoured to be planning a run for office. In July 1946, however, she published a disclaimer in Look magazine listing several reasons for not running. She hoped that her work at the new United Nations might prevent future wars. She was elderly, and felt that young people deserved an opportunity. She enjoyed her newly recovered privacy, and “the freedom in being responsible only to yourself.” As an “onlooker” and a “help” in FDR’s career, she had seen “the worst and best of politics and statesmanship,” and had “absolutely no desire” to participate further. But “the plain truth,” she admitted, was simpler. “I am influenced by the…

1961-1963 She was, indeed, the First Lady. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy personified glamour, elegance, grace and quiet dignity during her three years as the spouse of the President of the United States. Hers was a life of magnificent spectacle, tremendous sadness and incomparable composure that captivated the American public and transformed a young woman into a citizen of the world. After her year in France, Jackie said “Ilearnednot to be ashamed of a real hunger for knowledge” She was a child of privilege, born to John Vernou Bouvier III and Janet Lee Bouvier in Southampton, Long Island, New York, on 28 July 1929. Her father, a wealthy Wall Street stockbroker, was nicknamed ‘Black Jack’ in reference to his perpetual tan and ostentatious lifestyle. Her maternal grandfather, James Thomas Aloysius Lee, was…

After the death of Aristotle Onassis, Jackie Kennedy accepted a position with Viking Press as a consulting editor. She was a woman of substantial financial means, leaving at her death an estate in excess of $43 million. Altogether, she spent 20 years in publishing, and it became the personal vocation that defined her as a self-sufficient individual. In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, she once said: “What has been sad for many women of my generation is that they weren’t supposed to work if they had families,” she explained. “There they were, with the highest education, and what were they to do when the children were grown – watch the raindrops coming down the window pane? Leave their fine minds unexercised?” She held the Viking position for two years,…

22 Dec 1912 Claudia Alta Taylor is born in a mansion in Karnack, Texas. She is soon nicknamed Lady Bird. 17 Nov 1934 Lady Bird and Lyndon Baines Johnson marry in San Antonio, Texas. 1937 Johnson becomes Congressman in a campaign funded by Lady Bird. 1943 Lady Bird purchases TV and radio stations that will recoup a fortune. 1961-1963 As wife of the Vice President, Lady Bird becomes Second Lady of the US. 22 Nov 1963 Following JFK’s assassination, the Johnsons become President and First Lady. 1963-1964 Lady Bird shapes the role of FLOTUS, establishing the blueprint that exists to this day. 1963-1969 Lady Bird leads conservation initiatives that change the face of US law. 20 Jan 1969 After leaving the White House, Lady Bird continues to champion education and…

1977-1981 When Rosalynn Carter entered the White House, she wasn’t content to settle for a life as America’s premier hostess. Intelligent, astute and dedicated to her duty, she was to become the very model of a modern First Lady. From the very beginning of her husband Jimmy Carter’s presidency, Rosalynn envisioned a more political bent to her own position. This, she believed, was the best way to support her husband as well as bringing some extra value to the role of First Lady. If she were to be a supportive presence in the White House, Rosalynn wanted to be fully informed on all matters and to this end, she became a regular attendee at Cabinet meetings, joining other officials as observers. As the First lady of Georgia, Rosalynn had always…

1993-2001 The year was 1992 and Hillary Clinton was making a television appearance that would save her husband Bill’s presidential campaign after the race had been derailed by accusations of his extramarital affairs. “I’m not sitting here, some little woman standing by my man,” she declared to the nation. “I’m sitting here because I love him and I respect him, and I honour what he’s been through and what we’ve been through together. And you know, if that’s not enough for people, then heck – don’t vote for him.” It wouldn’t be the last time she would save her husband’s political career. In 1997, Hillary’s spoken-word edition of her book It Takes a Village won a Grammy award In 1998, a stoic Hillary appeared on NBC’s Today show to present…

2001-2009 As First Lady, second grade teacher and school librarian, Laura Bush, was the antithesis of her husband, 43rd President, George W Bush. Whilst he waged War on Terror, she taught America’s children to read. She set up the National Book Festival, became a UNESCO ambassador, and organised a Conference on Global Literacy. She worked with The Heart Truth to raise awareness of heart disease in women, and with the Komen Foundation to gain support for breast cancer research. But, despite a career of public good works, Laura’s autobiography describes a lonely and difficult life. Laura became the first First Lady to record a full presidential address in 2001 Born Laura Lane Welch in 1946, she grew up as an only child in Texas. She spent summer afternoons in the…

An unlikely friendship George W Bush and Michelle are often seated together, and have developed a close friendship. He sometimes slips her sweets during formal events! Nicknames Michelle’s nickname is ‘Miche’ (Meesh) but Barack has a special one only he uses: ‘My Rock’. An appetite for success Michelle was a talented sportswoman in her youth, but had to quit because she had such a loathing for losing. No smoking When Barack decided to stand for President, Michelle made him promise to stop smoking. Humble origins Michelle’s great great grandfather, Jim Robinson, was a slave in South Carolina before the Civil War.…

2017 - Present Slovenian-born Melanija Knavs went to the US in 1996 to pursue a career as a fashion model, but today she’s better known for being the wife of one of the most controversial Presidents of all time. Melania married Donald Trump in 2005, seven years after the couple met at a party, and their star-studded wedding was attended by a raft of A-listers including Trump’s future adversary, Hillary Clinton, and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Just over a decade later, Donald Trump announced his candidacy in the race for the White House, and for Melania, life would never be the same again. Melania is the first First Lady to be a naturalised US citizen Unlike the spouses of previous candidates, Melania was a far-from-common sight on the…

Though no stranger to controversy, Melania sashayed into a firestorm when she visited the New Hope Children’s Shelter in Texas while wearing a jacket emblazoned with the slogan ‘I Really Don’t Care, Do U?’ Faced with an outcry over her choice of clothing, Trump told the world that Melania had intended to send a message to the “fake news media.” Although she initially denied there being any message, Melania later recanted that claim and admitted that she had worn the jacket to take aim at her critics, in an effort to keep them focused not on her fashion, but on her philanthropy.…

The job of First Lady comes with no salary and no power. As wife of the President of the United States the FLOTUS, as she is known, hasn’t been elected and wields no official political influence. Of course, that’s how it’s always been, but despite those potential obstacles, First Ladies through the ages have certainly been able to make their presence felt in a variety of ways. There are a number of qualities that a successful First Lady needs to possess. A thick skin is one of them, along with the ability to make light work of her duties as a social hostess to everyone from visiting monarchs to members of the public of all ages. She should choose a few uncontroversial causes to champion and be ready to bite…

From what she wears to the inauguration to her choice of clothes for visits overseas or to schools, disaster-hit areas or simply social calls, the First Lady’s wardrobe is always the subject of fevered media scrutiny. In fact, it can make or break her popularity. This focus on fashion goes right back to Martha Washington who loved English textiles, and had a passion for English shoes. Yet this love had to be sacrificed for the political sake of her husband and she was encouraged to transfer her allegiances to American manufacturers, and make sure that everyone knew it. This focus on American fashion didn’t end there and for Jackie Kennedy, arguably the most fashion-forward of all First Ladies, the European designers she had adored before she got to the White…

1797-1801 She was the second First Lady, the first Second Lady, and the first First Lady to become the mother of an American President. Abigail Adams played a defining role in the development of a new nation and voiced her opinions on issues of the day. Her advice and counsel were invaluable to her husband, John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers and second President of the United States. After John Adams was elected president, he wrote to Abigail: “I never wanted your advice and assistance more in my life” If the measure of her influence in American political life is fairly assessed, Abigail is justly considered among the founders of the country in her own right. She was the wife of John Adams for 54 years, caring for their…

1809-1817 In 1794, 26-year-old widow Dolley Todd caught the eye of 43-year-old James Madison, who represented Virginia in the House of Representatives. She was glamorous and accomplished, he was ambitious and successful, and soon the stage was set for marriage. Together the couple retreated to Montpelier, the Madison family plantation in Virginia, but the lure of politics soon proved too strong to resist. In 1800, Thomas Jefferson appointed Madison as his Secretary of State and Madison headed for Washington. With him was Dolley, accompanied by her son from her first marriage and a retinue of slaves. When she plunged into poverty, Dolley took small handouts from Paul Jennings, her former slave Jefferson was a widower and he decided that the recently completed White House needed a woman’s touch. The obvious…

1915-1921 On 2 October 1919, Edith Bolling Wilson’s life took a traumatic turn. Her husband Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, had suffered a stroke, which partially paralysed his body and severely weakened his constitution, leaving him “a shadow of his former self”, according to his butler Ike Hoover. Edith was a dutiful First Lady, devoted to her husband and his public service, and proud of her role as his most treasured confidante. But her husband’s ill health led Edith to assume what has been described as her ‘secret presidency’, an unprecedented development that prompted gossip and controversy at the time, and has been hotly debated ever since. In 1904, Edith became the first woman licensed to drive an electric car in Washington DC Until Woodrow’s term concluded…

1953-1961 Pretty in pink, surrounded by pearls and with a tight grip on the White House purse strings, Mamie Eisenhower was every inch the 1950s housewife. Her signature style saw her top ‘best dressed’ lists, the White House was always spotless, and every event was spectacular. Mamie Eisenhower presented perfection, but she was also a woman America could relate to. Her husband and son had both been called away to war. She clipped coupons to save money on the White House grocery bill. And she even allowed the press to photograph her in her dressing gown. Married to the 34th President, Dwight ‘Ike’ Eisenhower, Mamie charmed the American public. The daughter of a meatpacker, Mamie Geneva Doud was the second of four girls, born in 1896 in Iowa. At the…

1963-1969 When Claudia Alta Taylor was a baby in her cradle, the family’s nursemaid looked at the little girl and declared her pretty as a ladybird. From that day forward, the nickname stuck, and when Claudia married congressional aid Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1934, the couple’s brand-new marriage license bore the name ‘Bird’. Lady Bird admitted that her rather lonely childhood cultivated her love of reading and nature The socialite daughter of a self-made man, Lady Bird brought with her a modest inheritance, and as soon as she was married, she put her money to work. Lady Bird financed the campaign that saw her husband successfully elected to Congress, and was his constant and loyal supporter. As Johnson’s career flourished, the ambitious Lady Bird was just as busy building and…

1974-1977 Following the secrets and scandal of Nixon’s presidency, First Lady Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Ford made it her mission to be as open and honest as possible with the American people. This pledge was put to the test during and after her time in the White House, but her extraordinary bravery and candour led to positive change and a lasting legacy all across the country. Betty was a keen dancer, and particularly favoured the popular dance move ‘the bump’ Betty’s short but significant time as First Lady began when her husband, Gerald Ford, became the first unelected President of the United States in 1974. During their 26 years of marriage, Gerald had served 13 terms as a member of the House of Representatives, and was just about ready to retire from…

1989-1993 With a shock of white hair and a no-nonsense attitude, Barbara Bush was America’s grandmother. Her fairy-tale relationship with the 41st President charmed the public, and she famously wore fake pearls and cheap shoes to her husband’s inauguration. When asked why she favoured the knock-off jewels, she replied that they helped her to hide her neck wrinkles. Self-deprecating and relatable, she was a real woman, living the American dream. Barbara had a national radio show called Mrs Bush’s Story Time to help promote reading to children Born Barbara Pierce, she grew up in New York in the 1920s. Her parents were wealthy and sent her away to boarding school in South Carolina, but she chose not to finish her education. At a Christmas dance, a then 16-year-old Barbara met…

26 Oct 1947 Hillary Diane Rodham is born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in a United Methodist family. 1973 She graduates from Yale Law School with a Juris Doctor degree. 1975 Hillary moves to Arkansas and marries Bill Clinton. They had met at Yale. 1979 She becomes the first female partner at Little Rock’s Rose Law Firm. 1980 Hillary and Bill welcome their first child, a daughter called Chelsea. 1983 As First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary leads a task force to reform the state’s public schools. 1993 The couple achieve their ambition as Bill is sworn in as the 42nd President of the United States. 2001 Hillary runs and wins a seat at Senate, serving as Senator for New York. 2009 After losing the Democratic Party’s nomination, Hillary becomes Secretary…

On the morning of 11 September 2001, Laura Bush was preparing to speak to the Senate Education Committee but, in the car on the way to the Capitol, everything changed. The day after the devastating attacks, the First Lady wrote letters to the children of America. To the youngest, “When sad or frightening things happen, all of us have an opportunity to become better people by thinking about others. We can show them we care about them by saying so and by doing nice things for them. Helping others will make you feel better, too.” To the older children she wrote, “But with each story of sorrow and pain comes one of hope and courage. As we move forward, all of us have an opportunity to become better people and…

1964 Michelle Obama is born on 17 January as Michelle LaVaughn Robinson in Chicago, Illinois, to parents Fraser and Marian Robinson. 1988 After graduating cum laude from Princeton University in 1985, Michelle attends Harvard Law School, and graduates this year with her Juris Doctor degree. 1989 Michelle meets her future husband while working at a law firm where a young Barack Obama is a summer associate. Three years later, they are married. 1998 Michelle and Barack have their first child, Malia Ann, on 4 July. The couple’s second daughter, Natasha, will follow three years later on 10 June. 2008 Michelle accompanies Barack on the campaign trail for US presidency. She faces much criticism, but remains strong and steadfast, with Barack ultimately victorious. 2010 Michelle launches her first initiative as First…

1789-1797 When Martha Custis married George Washington in 1759 she was a rich widow of 27, with a fortune to her name and a vast portfolio of land and slaves. The couple made their home at Mount Vernon, a plantation in Fairfax County, Virginia; yet when her husband settled into his winter encampments during the War of Independence, Martha was there at his side. Through the years of conflict Martha served as Washington’s hostess, enjoying the camaraderie of other wives and hosting gatherings and dinner parties that would please any society grande dame. All of this stood her in great stead for the moment when George Washington accepted the office of President of the United States, even though it was a role that she believed he was too old to…

The first instance of a First Lady holding a position in government occurred in 1775, with the 13 British colonies on the brink of rebellion against the Crown. Abigail Adams was appointed to the Massachusetts Colony General Court with the responsibility of judging whether accused women, through word or deed, had demonstrated loyalty to the King and therefore worked against the cause of the burgeoning revolution. Abigail was appointed along with Mercy Warren, a propagandist for the colonists before and during the war years, and Hannah Winthrop, the wife of John Winthrop, an intelligent professor of mathematics and natural sciences over at Harvard College. John Adams wrote to his wife, “You are now a politician and now elected into important office, that of judges of Tory ladies, which will give…

During her years acting as an unofficial hostess for widowed President Thomas Jefferson, Dolley’s receptions became a must-see attraction for visiting dignitaries from around the world. She understood the importance of putting on a show and created elegant, classy entertainments for visitors from across the globe. It was during this period that Dolley organised her friends to solicit donations of money and vital supplies for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s expedition to explore the territory acquired in the recent Louisiana Purchase. Thanks in part to Dolley’s efforts on their behalf, the expedition’s meagre $2,500 government grant was supplemented with essentials including lamps, oil and dried and canned foods. When he returned to Washington, Lewis was a regular caller at the Madison home, where he regaled Dolley with stories of his…

1877-1881 Lucy Hayes served only one term as First Lady, but she leaves a legacy in the White House that extends far beyond four years; from her education to her views on race, women, and – infamously – alcohol. Lucy first met Rutherford in 1950, the same year she graduated from Wesleyan Female College in Cincinnati, Ohio. The couple married two years later, and over the next two decades Lucy supported her husband as he fought in the Civil War, ran for Congress and became Governer of Ohio. Lucy organised the very first White House Easter Egg Roll, held on 22 April 1878 After a controversial election, Rutherford Hayes was inaugurated as the 19th President of the United States in March 1877. He and Lucy moved straight into the White…

1933 – 1945 No other woman has held the position of First Lady of the United States longer than Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, who served from 1933 to 1945. As the wife of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, himself the only President to win four presidential elections, she was First Lady for 12 years, one month, one week and one day during a period of unprecedented turmoil, both at home and abroad. No other First Lady, before or since, has used her position to pursue policy goals with such ambition and success – or with quite so much controversy. Eleanor’s mother gave her the nickname ‘Granny’ as she was such a serious child In the age of the New Woman and the suffragette, women asserted their right to take part in public life,…

In 1982, Lady Bird Johnson and her friend, the actress Helen Hayes, worked together to fund and establish the National Wildlife Center on a 60-acre site east of Austin, Texas. Soon the centre had more than 13,000 supporters and was recognised as the national leader in wildflower research. So great was the interest that Lady Bird soon realised the National Wildlife Center needed to expand to meet the demand on its facilities. She personally found a second site in southwest Austin, and oversaw the development of the expanded centre. It eventually opened in 1995, and three years later was renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Today that site has expanded to nearly 300 acres, and provided school children and adults from across the country with a fully developed programme…

In 1978, shortly after leaving the White House, Betty’s family staged an intervention. Following a prescription of opioids to treat pain from a pinched nerve in the 1960s, Ford had become dependent on prescription drugs, and later alcohol. Since leaving Washington, the problem had escalated, and so she admitted herself to hospital for drug and alcohol rehabilitation. True to form, she spoke openly about her treatment, despite there being a great stigma around addiction, particularly for women, at the time. Realising the lack of facilities available, in 1982 she helped establish the Betty Ford Center, dedicated to helping all people – but especially women – with chemical dependency.…

1981-1989 By the time she moved into the White House in 1981, Nancy Reagan had already enjoyed Hollywood stardom and been the First Lady of California, so FLOTUS was her next big role. Unlike her predecessor, Nancy had little interest in Cabinet meetings and overseas missions. Instead, she set her sights on bringing some glitz and glamour to the White House. Nancy’s purchase of a $200,000 set of china earned her criticism in the recession-hit US As Ronald Reagan settled into his new job, his wife was overseeing an ambitious remodelling of the historic building, including the installation of a private gym and even a beauty salon. Assembling an eclectic mix of personal pieces and historic White House furniture, Nancy’s renovations were all paid for by private donations and were…

Making headlines from an early age After graduating from Wellesley College in 1969, Hillary appeared in Life magazine as being the first ever student to give a commencement speech in the college. Investigating a President As a young lawyer in 1974, she helped to investigate President Richard Nixon and the Watergate scandal. Supporting the family While in Arkansas, Hillary was the main breadwinner in the family. She worked as a trial lawyer to support Bill’s political ambitions. Life on the campaign trail On becoming Senator for New York, she remarked that it took “62 countries, 16 months, three debates, two opponents and six black pantsuits.” Roosevelt has her vote Eleanor Roosevelt, that is. The longest-serving First Lady was Hillary’s political heroine, having achieved much in the way of education and…

2009-2017 The first African-American First Lady, Michelle Obama, is an Ivy League graduate who embraced her South Side roots to exceed expectations and catapult herself to success. A dedicated mother, Michelle is a trailblazer, and when serving as First Lady she championed health, women and military families. Today she is a hugely popular figure, with frequent public appearances and a bestselling memoir, and remains an inspiration to thousands across not only the country, but worldwide. Michelle and Barack spent their first date at the cinema watching Do The Right Thing Michelle was born into the Robinson family. Her father, Fraser, worked as a pump operator for the Chicago Water Department, and her mother, Marian, as a housewife, looking after Michelle and her older brother, Craig. They lived in a small,…