First Ladies of the 20th and 21st Centuries

First Ladies of the 20th and 21st Centuries

When Martha Washington became our first First Lady, she stepped into a roll with no job description and no precedent. She handled the position with grace and polish. however, each of the extraordinary women who served as First Lady brought something unique and different to the role.

First Ladies of the 20th and 21st Centuries

This installment in our series on the history of the First Ladies looks at the changing roles taken on by the wives of the presidents from 1932 – 2012. We begin with Eleanor Roosevelt and conclude with Michelle Obama. This is certainly a distinctive mix of personalities and aspirations! We will look at the “traditional” First Ladies who took on the role of wife and mother and shunned the spotlight. This group includes Bess Truman,  Mamie Eisenhower, and Barbara Bush. Jacqueline Kennedy carved out a very different niche for herself, raising a young family while bringing glamour back to the White House. Several of the  First Ladies in this group were transformative figures. Lady Bird Johnson, Nancy Reagan and Rosalyn Carter were tremendously influential in their husband’s administrations. Betty Ford brought a new candor to the position. And our most recent First Ladies – Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama raised the bar in terms of education and professional accomplishment before serving as First Lady.

Using numerous film clips, intriguing insights,  thought provoking comparisons, and fascinating anecdotes, I will open your eyes to the very different personalities and accomplishments of the First Ladies of the 20th and 21st centuries.