Who Wore the Pants? American First Ladies & Their Roles
From the time of George Washington, every president of the United States has been accompanied by a first lady—a role that has changed significantly over time. However, one factor has remained the same: the fact that First Ladies are often the unsung heroes of the White House and the country. During their time in office, they have the opportunity to take on roles that not only support their husbands but focus on causes and issues important to them and to Americans.
In this article, we’ll explore the role of the American First Lady and learn how the role has evolved over time. We’ll focus on how the women supported their husbands’ work in the White House as well as the roles they created for themselves, from both historic and modern first ladies.
Understanding the Role of The American First Lady
Although the American First Lady is traditionally known for her support of her husband’s presidency, the role has become more diverse over the years. It has expanded to include a range of public and private duties, ranging from promoting charitable projects, advocacy and diplomatic missions to the administration of the White House. Despite the evolution of the role, the idea that the first lady should remain in the shadows has endured. While they are often celebrated in public, many of their greatest achievements are largely unrecognized.
The wives of presidents have also had to navigate public opinion, especially in the age of modern media. From Abigail Adams, who famously told her husband that, “we have sent you to the Senate, not to your bedchamber,” to Michelle Obama, whose fashion and style set trends in the Obama White House, the public has watched their every move and judged their successes and failures.
First Ladies Through History
The roles of the first ladies who married presidents in the early years of the United States were often defined by their husband’s promotions and by society’s expectations for women. Martha Washington set the example for first ladies, taking on many of the same duties of a modern chief of staff. She was often seen presiding over White House functions, writing letters of congratulations or condolences, and even dealing with personnel issues.
First Lady Dolley Madison is regarded as the first woman to exercise power on the political stage, conducting secret diplomatic negotiations with foreign representatives. During her husband’s term and her own time in the White House, she worked to restore government ties with England, France and other countries.
Louisa Adams, wife of John Quincy Adams, was the first foreign-born first lady and the first to date back to before the American Revolution. She made important contributions to diplomatic protocols as well as other White House matters. Rachel Jackson, wife of Andrew Jackson, was one of the first first ladies to be formally received by the public. She frequently accompanied her husband to public events, including his first inauguration and, after his death, to see him off at the funeral. She was especially known for her strong support, sacrificing her own health for the cause.
Modern First Ladies
Since Eleanor Roosevelt’s tenure as First Lady in the 1930s, women in the role have begun to take on more public duties and causes. Eleanor Roosevelt, who declared her marriage to Franklin a “partnership,” empowered millions of women by engaging in national and international issues. She worked as a labor mediator and advocated openly for civil rights on a number of issues.
Jacqueline Kennedy was the first First Lady to be featured on the cover of a major magazine, when she was featured in the February 1961 edition of LIFE Magazine. During her husband’s tenure, she worked to improve public education and increase access to the arts, lectures and concerts.
Betty Ford also made significant contributions to the larger field of feminism while her husband was president. While in the White House, she made a controversial decision to publicly discuss her own struggle with addiction, which drew attention to the issue and ultimately contributed to the passage of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act in 1976.
During the Reagan and Clinton years, Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton worked to create a platform for their respective presidential husbands. Barbara Bush was known for her commitment to literacy, while Hillary Clinton focused on healthcare reform, a priority that she dedicated multiple decades of her life to.
Under the Obama administration, Michelle Obama became the first African American First Lady. She pursued an ambitious legislative agenda that included promoting healthy eating among Americans, an effort that earned her the title of “chief vegetable gardener” for the White House. She also worked to address the issue of access to higher education, particularly for minority students and those from low-income families.
Melania Trump is the current first lady and during her time in the White House has remained mostly focused on the well-being of children. She launched the “Be Best” initiative, which focuses on the social, emotional and physical health of children, as well as the promotion of general health and well-being.
The American First Lady has come a long way since Martha Washington first took up the mantle. As society has changed and presidents have come and gone, the role of the First Lady has evolved, but one thing has remained the same: the importance and impact that these women have had on the history of the United States. From civil rights to healthcare reform, the First Lady has been a quiet but powerful force in American politics. Through the years, they have fought for the causes they believe in, while standing arm and arm with their husbands as they held the highest office in the country. Despite the traditional expectation that they stay in the shadows, they have made their mark and showed that they knew who really wore the pants in the White House.
