ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ WIVES
History shows that a first lady’s influence can be a powerful thing. By Mark K. Updegrove
“The Constitution of the United States does not mention the First Lady,” Lady Bird Johnson, the wife of Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president, once wrote. “She is elected by one man only. The statute books assign her no duties; and yet, when she gets the job, a podium is there if she cares to use it. I did.” Here are 15 first ladies who used the podium to advance the role, pursue special causes and contribute in their own way to the progress of our nation. Known as Lady Washington, Martha Washington
was keenly aware of the precedent she set as the nation’s first first lady (1789–1797). “I think I am more like a state prisoner than anything else,” she wrote. “There [are] certain bounds set for me which I must not depart from.” Ambivalent about her duties, she bore them stoically, seeing to her husband’s comfort while
being a gracious hostess. Abigail
Adams, who followed Martha Washington into the role, became the first first lady to reside in the White House (1797–1801). An intellectual peer to her brooding husband, the two exchanged myriad letters during their long separations, in which she often appealed to his conscience and took care to remind him of the importance of recognizing the contributions of women to the nation’s cause.
James Madison, the fourth president, was described as a “withered little applejohn.” His wife, the charming Dolley Madison (1809–1817), compensated for her husband’s shortcomings, making their home the center of Washington social activity not only during her husband’s time in the White House but during the administration of widower Thomas Jefferson, for whom her husband served as secretary of state.
Mary Todd Lincoln (1861– 1865), in many ways a tragic figure, embodied the country’s divisions during the Civil War. She actively supported Union troops, some of which were quartered in the White House East Room for a time. But the Kentucky native was considered a traitor by members of her family who fought on the side of the Confederates.
After the death of her son
Willie in 1862, likely from typhoid fever, Mrs. Lincoln’s activity in the White House as first lady diminished significantly.
Widowed in 1914, shortly into his first term in office, Woodrow Wilson married
Edith Wilson the following year. In
1919, after her husband suffered a stroke that rendered
him partially paralyzed for the balance of his term, Mrs. Wilson (1915–1921) embarked on a “stewardship” of his presidency, taking over routine duties but stopping short of making policy decisions.
The longestserving first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt (1933–1945), expanded the role seminally. Traveling extensively for her husband, Franklin Roosevelt, who had been crippled by polio, she reported to him on the plight of Americans during the depths of the Depression. She made her views known not only to the president but also to the American people through a daily syndicated newspaper column called “My Day,” radio addresses and by becoming the first first lady to hold regular press conferences. Within a year of leaving the White House, she was appointed by Harry Truman as a delegate to the U.N., where she served as chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights. She was later reappointed by John F. Kennedy as a delegate to the U.N.
At age 31, Jackie Kennedy (1961–1963) became one of our youngest first ladies. A paragon of beauty and style, she made the White House the center of cultural activity and the subject of fascination. Her grace and courage after her husband’s assassination made her an object of pride and helped the country move forward with dignity in the wake of tragedy.
Lady Bird Johnson (1963–1969) contributed to her husband’s Great Society by championing environmental causes, including wilderness protection and highway and urban beautification. She became the first first lady to campaign for her husband, traveling unflinchingly through newly desegregated Southern states by rail after her husband signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Outspoken and courageous,
Betty Ford (1974–1977) talked candidly about her mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer, generating awareness about the condition and lifting the shame for many women who got breast exams for the first time. Her influence continued after leaving the White House, when she dealt openly with her treatment for alcoholism, leading to the creation of the Betty Ford Center.
Rosalynn Carter (1977–1981) left little doubt about her own influence when she became the first first lady to routinely sit in on her husband’s cabinet meetings. She was a strong advocate of issues relating to mental health, which she sought to destigmatize. President Carter appointed her honorary chair of the President’s Commission on Mental Health.
Nancy Reagan (1981–1989) pursued causes including the Foster Grandparent Program and her “Just Say No” campaign to curb drug and alcohol use among the nation’s youth. But her primary role, albeit informally, was as her husband’s chief protector. After President Reagan sustained gunshot wounds in an unsuccessful assassination attempt, she carefully monitored his schedule, ensuring that he wasn’t overtaxed, and made sure his staff pursued his agenda, not their own. Popular and grandmotherly,
Barbara Bush (1989–1993) championed literacy, launching the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy while promoting volunteerism as one of what her husband called “a thousand points of light.” Eight years to the day after leaving the White House, the former first lady became the first mother when her son George W. Bush was inaugurated as our 43rd president.
Bill Clinton made no bones about his faith in his wife’s ability when he said during his presidential campaign in 1992, “Buy one, get one free.” After becoming president, he ap-
pointed Hillary Rodham Clinton
(1993–2001) as chair of his Task Force on National Health Care Reform, and she continued to be active in raising awareness about health-related issues. After leaving the White House, she pursued public life in her own right, as a U.S. senator from New York, making her the first first lady to gain elected office, and as secretary of state under President Obama. She further made history by becoming the first woman to secure the presidential nomination of a major party, winning the popular vote as the Democratic nominee in the 2016 election, but losing the Electoral College—and the presidency—to her Republican challenger, Donald Trump.
Former schoolteacher and librarian Laura Bush
(2001–2009), like her mother-inlaw, made reading her cause, launching the National
Book Festival in Washington, D.C., and promoting global literacy. After the attacks on 9/11, she took a stand against the oppression of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime and championed women’s rights throughout the world. Michelle Obama (2009– 2017) made history of her own as the first AfricanAmerican to hold the role of first lady. She took on childhood obesity as her cause, including launching the “Let’s Move!” initiative. Her emphasis on healthy eating led to the planting of a garden on the South Lawn. Additionally, she led efforts to support military families and promote the arts.
Mark K. Updegrove is an author and presidential historian.