Description
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction 1
About This Book 2
Conventions Used in This Book 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Understanding First Ladies 5
Chapter 1: The Changing Role of First Ladies in the United States 7
First Ladies in U.S History 8
Defining a First Lady 8
Powers of the First Lady 10
The Evolution of the Position of First Lady 12
Phase I (1789–1829) 12
Phase II (1829–1869) 13
Phase III (1869–1933) 13
Phase IV (1933–Present) 14
Chapter 2: First Lady Rankings and Evaluations 17
Evaluating the First Ladies 18
Ranking U.S First Ladies 19
The Siena Research Institute Survey 20
Discussing ten evaluation criteria 22
Part 2: Setting the Precedent 25
Chapter 3: Becoming the First First Lady 27
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (1731–1802) 28
Joining Forces with George, the Love of Her Life 29
Taking an active role 29
Becoming a war hero 29
Going First: From Lady Washington to First Lady 30
Learning her way 32
Starting traditions 32
Taking sides 33
Hosting the World in Retirement 33
Chapter 4: Setting Precedents 37
Abigail Smith Adams (1744–1818) 37
Becoming a revolutionary 39
Living life abroad 39
Becoming First Lady 40
Turning into Mrs President 40
Moving to and hating Washington, D.C 42
Living out her life 42
Becoming famous after her death 43
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson (1748–1782) 43
Dying too soon 45
Becoming First Lady after her death 45
Dolley Payne Todd Madison (1768–1849) 46
Moving forward with charm and popularity 47
Blazing the trail for future First Ladies 49
Saving a painting 49
Becoming the first lady named First Lady 51
Chapter 5: Continuing to Set an Example 53
Elizabeth Kortright Monroe (1768–1830) 54
Going abroad and saving an American hero’s wife 55
Embracing European life 56
Going home and being miserable 57
Louisa Johnson Adams (1775–1852) 58
Living an adventure 60
Becoming First Lady 61
Seeking the election of 1824 62
Going back to Washington, D.C 63
Rachel Donelson Jackson (1767–1828) 63
Meeting Jackson 65
Almost becoming First Lady 66
Part 3: Leading Up to a Civil War 69
Chapter 6: Calling in a First Lady Substitute 71
Hannah Hoes Van Buren (1783–1819) 72
Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison (1775–1864) 74
Letitia Christian Tyler (1790–1842) 76
Being the wife of an absent politician 77
Allowing Priscilla Tyler to step in 78
Julia Gardiner Tyler (1820–1889) 79
Becoming the youngest First Lady, briefly 80
Going home to Virginia 81
Dying a Confederate 81
Chapter 7: Acting Like a President 83
Sarah Childress Polk (1803–1891) 83
Becoming a Politician-Er, Wife of One 84
Getting into politics 85
Becoming a “working” First Lady 86
Helping make policy 88
Going into Retirement Alone 90
Chapter 8: To Be or Not to Be First Lady 93
Margaret Smith Taylor (1788–1852) 93
Having a family and traveling America 94
Preferring to remain private 95
Abigail Powers Fillmore (1798–1853) 96
Tutoring the (future) president 97
Becoming First Lady by default 97
Jane Means Appleton Pierce (1806–1863) 98
Living not so happily ever after 99
Retiring, or not 100
Refusing to be a First Lady 101
Harriet Lane (1830–1903) 102
Growing up in politics 103
Becoming a single First Lady 103
Living her own life 105
Chapter 9: Living a Life of Tragedy 107
Mary Todd Lincoln (1818–1882) 107
Moving away from home 108
Meeting Lincoln 109
Making a president 110
Failing as First Lady 110
Spending like crazy 111
Changing moods 112
Enduring tragedy 113
Going On After Abraham’s Assassination 114
Part 4: The Civil War, Reconstruction, and Becoming A World Power 117
Chapter 10: Reconstructing a Country 119
Eliza McCardle Johnson (1810–1876) 120
Meeting and helping her husband 120
Staying in Tennessee as Johnson’s career grows 121
Becoming a recluse in the White House 122
Being revered for being frugal 123
Avoiding impeachment 123
Remaining together to the end 124
Julia Dent Grant (1826–1902) 125
Being at odds with family on slavery 125
Finding their way back to the battlefield 126
Loving the White House 127
Redirecting retirement through writing 128
Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (1831–1889) 129
Getting involved in civic causes 130
Riding the bumpy road to the White House 131
Improving lives as First Lady 131
Abstaining from alcohol 133
Enjoying new technology 133
Showing compassion 133
Lucretia Rudolph Garfield (1832–1918) 134
Staking independence 134
Making changes for each other 135
Serving less than a year as First Lady 136
Chapter 11: Getting Close to the 20th Century 139
Ellen Herndon Arthur (1837–1880) 140
Pushing her husband’s political career 140
Missing out on being First Lady 141
Frances Folsom Cleveland (1864–1947) 142
Growing up with Uncle Clev 143
Turning the tides to husband 143
Being the youngest First Lady ever 144
Staging a comeback 146
Getting remarried and caring about education 147
Caroline Scott Harrison (1832–1892) 148
Living life in Indiana 149
Making improvements as First Lady 149
Dying in the White House 151
Ida Saxton McKinley (1847–1907) 151
Excelling in a man’s world 152
Living with tragedy 153
Having a devoted husband 153
Remaining a strong First Lady 154
Chapter 12: Becoming a World Power 157
Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt (1861–1948) 158
Building a life with Teddy 159
Taking control as First Lady 159
Updating the White House 161
Enjoying a long, active life after retirement 161
Helen Herron Taft (1861–1943) 162
Being a free thinker 163
Becoming the First Lady of the Philippines 164
Moving to Washington 164
Finally becoming First Lady 166
Ellen Louise Axson Wilson (1860–1914) 168
Becoming an artist and practicing for First Lady 169
Being adept at First Lady 170
Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (1872–1961) 171
Meeting the President 172
Running the country 173
Thriving as Mrs Wilson 174
Chapter 13: Changing the Roles of Women 175
Florence Kling Harding (1860–1924) 176
Dealing with affairs 177
Getting into politics 178
Succeeding as First Lady 179
Dying during their first term 180
Grace Goodhue Coolidge (1879–1957) 181
Being a politician’s wife 183
Experiencing tragedy 183
Working as a hostess and an advocate 184
Retiring and living a long life 185
Louise Henry Hoover (1874–1944) 186
Carrying a pistol 187
Traveling the world and becoming wealthy 188
Getting into politics 188
Being charitable 189
Dealing with staff 190
Retiring in style 191
Part 5: Modern First Ladies 193
Chapter 14: First Lady of the World 195
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) 196
Marrying a Roosevelt and Living with a Dominant Mother-in-Law 197
Moving in Social Circles 198
Getting Active in Politics in the 1920s 198
Becoming First Lady of New York 200
Being an Activist First Lady 201
Advocating for women’s rights 202
Advocating for civil rights 202
Working the media 203
Supporting the troops 204
The Story Isn’t Over: Moving on After the White House 205
Chapter 15: Three Cold War First Ladies 207
Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman (1885–1982) 208
Finding early romance 209
Getting into politics 209
Being a strong First Lady behind the scenes 210
Retiring to Independence 211
Mamie Doud Eisenhower (1896–1979) 212
Being a military wife 213
Appealing to the average American 214
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy (1929–1994) 215
Joining forces with JFK 217
Becoming a First Lady everyone admired 218
Living through an assassination 220
Marrying a billionaire 221
Chapter 16: Becoming Politically Active 223
Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson (1912–2007) 224
Marrying Johnson and moving to D.C. 225
Getting familiar with politics 226
Helping a presidential campaign 227
Advocating for her husband and her causes 227
Going back to Texas 229
Thelma Catherine Ryan Nixon (1912–1993) 230
Building a life with Nixon 232
Becoming Second Lady 233
Being active and popular 234
Being left out 235
Retiring disgraced 235
Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Ford (1918–2011) 236
Perfecting her stage presence 236
Marrying a man like her father 237
Talking to the American people 238
Retiring early and doing more good 240
Chapter 17: Ending a Cold War 241
Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter (1927–) 242
Relishing travel but returning home 243
Changing gears to politics 243
Running for president 244
Loving it as First Lady 244
Being active in retirement 246
Nancy Davis Reagan (1921–2016) 246
Catching the acting bug 247
Meeting Ronald Reagan 248
Taking on the governorship 248
Becoming First Lady 249
Facing health issues 252
Barbara Pierce Bush (1925–2018) 253
Making family priority #1 254
Becoming Second and then First Lady 255
Creating a legacy 257
Chapter 18: Almost Becoming President 259
Hillary Rodham Clinton (1947–) 260
Meeting Bill Clinton 261
Starting a career and getting into politics 262
Moving up to First Lady 263
Becoming co-president 264
Owning her own political career 266
Running for president — Part I 267
Serving as secretary of state 267
Running for president — Part II 268
Losing in 2016 and moving on 269
Chapter 19: Using the Power of the Position 271
Laura Welch Bush (1946–) 272
Meeting and marrying George 273
Moving to Washington, D.C. 274
Championing the First Lady role 274
Retiring but staying active 276
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (1964–) 277
Meeting of the minds 278
Balancing politics and family life 279
Serving as mom-in-chief 281
Enjoying retirement 283
Chapter 20: The Model and the Educator 285
Melania Knauss Trump (1970–) 286
Choosing modeling and Donald Trump 287
Becoming an American citizen 288
Taking a backseat to politics 288
Being a quiet and private First Lady 289
Retiring with controversy 290
Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (1951–) 290
Marrying a politician and continuing her education 292
Working double-duty 293
Serving the community (colleges) and the military 293
Leaving D.C and returning as First Lady 294
Part 6: The Part of Tens 295
Chapter 21: The Ten Most Influential First Ladies 297
Eleanor Roosevelt 298
Abigail Adams 298
Dolley Madison 299
Hillary Clinton 299
Betty Ford 300
Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson 300
Sarah Polk 301
Rosalynn Carter 301
Harriet Lane 302
Michelle Obama 303
Chapter 22: The Ten Least-Known Facts about U.S First Ladies 305
Dolley Madison: Dining and Dashing 305
Julia Grant: Using Foresight 306
Caroline Harrison: Leaving the Light On 306
Edith Roosevelt: Playing I Spy 307
Edith Wilson: Wielding a Famous Relative 307
Lou Hoover: Dodging Bullets 307
Mamie Eisenhower: Working from Bed 308
Jacqueline Kennedy: Upsetting the Public 308
Lady Bird Johnson: Not Letting Anything Stop Her 309
Barbara Bush: Taking Chances 309
Index 311
