American First Ladies

C-SPAN's year-long history series, "First Ladies: Influence and Image," aired in 2013 and 2014 and was devoted to revealing the private lives and public actions of 43 iconic American women. First Ladies captures the spirit of this special series by assembling its impressive collection of contemporary first ladies historians into book form. Their original interviews, condensed into an essay about each first lady, create intimate portraits of these women, their lives, ambitions, and their unique partnerships with their presidential spouses. Susan Swain and the C-SPAN team elicit the details that made these women who they were. You'll read how Martha Washington intentionally set the standards followed by first ladies for the next century; how Lucretia Garfield calmed the nation in the wake of her husband's shooting just four months into his presidency; and how Mamie Eisenhower harnessed the advent of television to reinforce her and her husband's positive public images. First Ladies informs its readers in interesting ways about America's most well-known first ladies, such as Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Mary Todd Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, and Michelle Obama. Yet, some of its very best gems are contained in the lives of first ladies whose stories had been lost to the pages of history or overshadowed by their powerful presidential partners—Louisa Catherine Adams, Jane Pierce, Sarah Polk, Frances Cleveland, and Edith Wilson. What is ultimately unraveled in the book is the untold half of the story: how American women lived, worked, and thrived over 200+ years of history. The role of first ladies in our political culture has long been a subject of lively debate. This book provides an intimate historical look at the interesting women who persevered in the glare that is the White House, supporting their families and famous husbands and sometimes changing history. You'll find it illuminating, entertaining, and ultimately inspiring. Illustrated, and including both the basic biographical information and a rich look at the public and inner lives of the first ladies, this book is a resource, a fascinating read, and a beautiful gift.

Designed as a companion to Salem's American Presidents this volume contains 46 comprehensive essays on every First Lady through Laura Bush. Articles are between 5 and 12 pages in length and arranged in chronological order by administration.

Introduction: first ladies of the republic: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, and the forging of an American role -- Martha Washington: the road to the first ladyship -- Abigail and John Adams: the long apprenticeship to the White House -- Abigail Adams: the second first lady -- Dolley Madison: the first lady as "queen of America"--Conclusion: the first ladyship launched

This volume presents thirty-nine interpretive biographical essays on all first ladies, from Martha Washington to America's newest First Lady, Laura Bush. This new edition contains updated material on all the living First Ladies and updated bibliographies for each entry, as well as a portrait of the newest First Lady.

This volume presents thirty-nine interpretive biographical essays on all first ladies, from Martha Washington to America's newest First Lady, Laura Bush. This new edition contains updated material on all the living First Ladies and updated bibliographies for each entry, as well as a portrait of the newest First Lady.

“[A] gossipy, but surprisingly deep, look at the women who help and sometimes overshadow their powerful husbands.” — USA Today From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the groundbreaking backstairs look at the White House, The Residence, comes an intimate, news-making look at the true modern power brokers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue: the First Ladies, from Jackie Kennedy to Michelle Obama. One of the most underestimated—and challenging—positions in the world, the First Lady of the United States must be many things: an inspiring leader with a forward-thinking agenda of her own; a savvy politician, skilled at navigating the treacherous rapids of Washington; a wife and mother operating under constant scrutiny; and an able CEO responsible for the smooth operation of countless services and special events at the White House. Now, as she did in her smash #1 bestseller The Residence, former White House correspondent Kate Andersen Brower draws on a wide array of untapped, candid sources—from residence staff and social secretaries to friends and political advisers—to tell the stories of the ten remarkable women who have defined that role since 1960. Brower offers new insights into this privileged group of remarkable women, including Jacqueline Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, Patricia Nixon, Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama. The stories she shares range from the heartwarming to the shocking and tragic, exploring everything from the first ladies’ political crusades to their rivalries with Washington figures; from their friendships with other first ladies to their public and private relationships with their husbands. She also offers insight as to what Melania Trump might hope to accomplish as First Lady. Candid and illuminating, this first group biography of the modern first ladies provides a revealing look at life upstairs and downstairs at the world’s most powerful address.

Meet the First Ladies of the United States—sometimes inspiring, sometimes tragic, always fascinating—women who, though often unsung, helped hold the nation together in its infancy and advance it as a world power. More than simply serving as America's "hostesses," many of the nation's First Ladies played vital roles in shaping their husband's presidency and serving as political activists in their own right. From Martha Washington to Michelle Obama, their inspiring stories come alive in this handsomely illustrated encyclopedia. Within its pages, the First Ladies are revealed as human beings who, one day, awoke to find the eyes of the world upon them. The book differs from others by showcasing America's First Ladies in their own words, as flesh-and-blood individuals. Readers will discover which First Lady held off Napoleon's army with a toy sword, why women had to be "pale, frail, and ailing," and which First Lady was called "Sunshine" and which was "Hellcat." Each entry includes a biographical essay that details the life of the woman and places her within the political, social, and cultural context of her time. Each also offers a related primary document that helps define the First Lady's legacy as well as a short bibliography for further information. Written in a lively, compelling style, this highly readable volume is perfect for junior high, high school, and college students as well as the general public.

At home or at the podium, the First Lady is uniquely poised to serve as advisor, confidant, and campaigner, with the power to shape American political and social conversation. At first blush, First Ladies Michelle Obama and Melania Trump appear categorically different from each other; however, as women rising from humble origins to pursue their ambitions and support their husbands, the two have more in common than one might think. In Melania & Michelle: First Ladies in a New Era, author Tammy R. Vigil provides a compelling account of our modern first ladies, exploring how each woman has crafted her public image and used her platform to influence the country, while also serving as a paragon of fashion and American womanhood. Both women face constant scrutiny and comparison—from their degrees of political activism to their cookie recipes—and have garnered support as well as criticism. From their full lives pre-nomination to their attitudes while occupying the White House, Vigil builds careful and thoughtful portraits of Melania Trump and Michelle Obama that provide a new appreciation for how these women, and the first ladies that came before them, have shaped our country.