FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES

'First Lady of the United States' is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, the title is sometimes taken to apply only to the wife of a sitting President. However, several women other than wives of Presidents have served as First Lady, as when the President was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the President was unable to fulfill the duties of the First Lady herself. In these cases, the position has been filled by a female relative or friend of the President.
To date, no woman has yet served as President. While a female President could serve as her own official hostess, it is not known what title would be applied to a President's husband, who might also serve as the host of the White House. There have been many female governors of U.S. states over the years; their spouses are typically referred to as the 'First Gentleman'.
The current First Lady is Laura Bush. In addition, there are currently five former First Ladies still living: Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Hillary Clinton.

Contents

Origins of the title

Role of the First Lady

First Ladies of the United States

Non-spouse "First Lady" or "White House hostess"

See also

External links

References

Origins of the title

The use of the title ''first lady'' to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive began in the United States.
In the early days of the republic, there was no generally accepted title for the wife of the President. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including the use of such titles as "Lady", "Mrs. President", and "Mrs. Presidentress", or even "Queen".^[1] Martha Washington was often referred to as "Lady Washington."
According to legend, Dolley Madison was referred to as "first lady" in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President Zachary Taylor. However, no written record of this eulogy exists.^[2]
Sometime after 1849, the title began being used in Washington, D.C. social circles. The earliest known written evidence of the title is from the November 3, 1863 diary entry of William Howard Russell, in which he referred to ''gossip about 'the First Lady in the Land.'"
The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when newspaper journalist Mary C. Ames referred to Lucy Webb Hayes as "the First Lady of the land" while reporting on the inauguration of Rutherford B. Hayes. Mrs. Hayes was a tremendously popular First Lady, and the frequent reporting on her activities helped spread use of the title outside Washington.
A popular 1911 comedic play by playwright Charles Nirdlinger titled ''The First Lady in the Land'' popularized the title further. By the 1930s it was in wide use. Use of the title later spread from the United States to other nations.
The acronym 'FLOTUS' is sometimes used for "First Lady of the United States," by analogy to the more well-known acronym "POTUS" for "President of the United States."
The wife of the Vice President of the United States is sometimes referred to as the Second Lady of the United States, but this title is much less common. The term "first lady" is also used to describe the wife of other government chief executives or a woman who has acted as a leading symbol for some activity, for example, Mary J. Blige has been called "the First Lady of Soul."

Role of the First Lady

The first lady is not an elected position, carries no official duties, and brings no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the President. There is a strict taboo against the First Lady holding outside employment while occupying the office ^[3]. The first lady frequently participates in humanitarian and charitable work; over the course of the 20th century it became increasingly common for first ladies to select specific causes to promote, usually ones that are not politically divisive. It is common for the first lady to hire a staff to support these activities. Additionally, many have taken an active role in campaigning for the President with whom they are associated. Hillary Rodham Clinton took the role one step further when she was, for a time, given a formal job in the Clinton administration to develop reforms to the health care system; at the end of her husband's administration she was elected in her own right to represent New York in the U.S. Senate, yet another "first" for a first lady.
If the United States were to have a female President, it is commonly presumed that the husband of a female President would act as an analogous "First Gentleman". This was the situation portrayed in the fictitious television series ''Commander In Chief'', in which President Mackenzie Allen's husband Rod Calloway was titled as "First Gentleman", but President Allen's mother ultimately joined the First Family and acted as the official hostess at the White House.

First Ladies of the United States

The following women have been recognized by ''The National First Ladies' Library'' as "First Lady".
Also listed is the First Spouse Program coin designs.
Only spouses are honored with coins and those Presidents without a spouse (indicated below with "None") are honored with a "liberty coin" instead.
The one exception is for President Arthur who will have Alice Paul honored instead of with a "liberty coin".

#	Portrait	First Spouse Program coin Obverse/reverse	Name and Relation	From	To
1	Martha Washington portrait	Martha Washington First Spouse Program coin (obverse) Martha Washington First Spouse Program coin (reverse)	'Martha Dandridge Custis Washington', Wife of George Washington	April 30, 1789	March 4, 1797
2	Abigail Adams portrait	Abigail Adams First Spouse coin (obverse) Abigail Adams First Spouse coin (reverse)	'Abigail Smith Adams', Wife of John Adams	March 4, 1797	March 4, 1801
3.1	Martha Jefferson Randolph portrait	None	'Martha Jefferson Randolph', ★ Daughter of widower Thomas Jefferson	March 4, 1801	March 4, 1809
3.2	Dolley Madison portrait	'Dolley Madison', ★ Friend of widower Thomas Jefferson	None	March 4, 1801	March 4, 1809
4		Dolley Madison First Spouse coin (obverse) Dolley Madison First Spouse coin (reverse)	'Dolley Madison', Wife of James Madison	March 4, 1809	March 4, 1817
5		Available 2008	'Elizabeth Kortright Monroe', Wife of James Monroe	March 4, 1817	March 4, 1825
6	Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams portrait	Available 2008	'Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams' Wife of John Quincy Adams	March 4, 1825	March 4, 1829
7.1	Emily Donelson portrait	None	'Emily Donelson' ★ Niece of widower Andrew Jackson	March 4, 1829	December 19, 1836
7.2	Missing portrait of Sarah Yorke Jackson	None	'Sarah Yorke Jackson' ★ Daughter-in-law of widower Andrew Jackson	November 26, 1834	March 4, 1837
8	Angelica Van Buren portrait	None	'Angelica Van Buren' ★ Daughter-in-law of widower Martin Van Buren	March 4, 1837	March 4, 1841
9.1	Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison portrait	Available 2009	'Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison' Absent wife of William Henry Harrison	March 4, 1841	April 4, 1841
9.2	Jane Irwin Harrison portrait	None	'Jane Irwin Harrison' ★ Daughter-in-law of William Henry Harrison	March 4, 1841	April 4, 1841
10.1	Letitia Christian Tyler portrait	Available 2009	'Letitia Christian Tyler' First wife of John Tyler	April 4, 1841	September 10, 1842
10.2	Missing portrait of Priscilla Cooper Tyler	None	'Priscilla Cooper Tyler' ★ Daughter-in-law of widower John Tyler	September 10, 1842	June 26, 1844
10.3	Julia Gardiner Tyler portrait	Available 2009	'Julia Gardiner Tyler' Second wife of John Tyler	June 26, 1844	March 4, 1845
11	Sarah Childress Polk portrait	Available 2009	'Sarah Childress Polk' Wife of James K. Polk	March 4, 1845	March 4, 1849
12	Margaret Machll Smith Taylor portrait	Available 2009	'Margaret Mackall Smith Taylor' Wife of Zachary Taylor	March 4, 1849	July 9, 1850
13	Abigail Powers Fillmore portrait	Available 2010	'Abigail Powers Fillmore' Wife of Millard Fillmore	July 9, 1850	March 4, 1853
14	Jane Means Appleton Pierce portrait	Available 2010	'Jane Means Appleton Pierce' Wife of Franklin Pierce	March 4, 1853	March 4, 1857
15	Harriet Lane portrait	None	'Harriet Lane' ★ Niece of bachelor James Buchanan	March 4, 1857	March 4, 1861
16	Mary Todd Lincoln portrait	Available 2010	'Mary Todd Lincoln' Wife of Abraham Lincoln	March 4, 1861	April 15, 1865
17	Eliza McCardle Johnson portrait	Available 2011	'Eliza McCardle Johnson' Wife of Andrew Johnson	April 15, 1865	March 4, 1869
18	Julia Dent Grant portrait	Available 2011	'Julia Dent Grant' Wife of Ulysses S. Grant	March 4, 1869	March 4, 1877
19	Lucy Ware Webb Hayes portrait	Available 2011	'Lucy Ware Webb Hayes' Wife of Rutherford B. Hayes	March 4, 1877	March 4, 1881
20	Lucretia Rudolph Garfield portrait	Available 2011	'Lucretia Rudolph Garfield' Wife of James A. Garfield	March 4, 1881	September 19, 1881
21	Mary McElroy portrait	None	'Mary McElroy' ★ Sister of widower Chester A. Arthur	September 19, 1881	March 4, 1885
22.1	Rose Cleveland portrait	None	'Rose Cleveland' ★ Sister of bachelor Grover Cleveland	March 4, 1885	June 2, 1886
22.2	Frances Folsom Cleveland portrait	Available 2012	'Frances Folsom Cleveland' Wife of Grover Cleveland	June 2, 1886	March 4, 1889
23.1	Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison portrait	Available 2012	'Caroline Lavinia Scott Harrison' Wife of Benjamin Harrison	March 4, 1889	October 25, 1892
23.2	Mary Harrison McKee portrait	None	'Mary Harrison McKee' ★ Daughter of widower Benjamin Harrison	October 25, 1892	March 4, 1893
24	Frances Folsom Cleveland	Available 2012	'Frances Folsom Cleveland' Wife of Grover Cleveland	March 4, 1893	March 4, 1897
25	Ida Saxton McKinley portrait	Available 2013	'Ida Saxton McKinley' Wife of William McKinley	March 4, 1897	September 14, 1901
26	Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt portrait	Available 2013	'Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt' Wife of Theodore Roosevelt	September 14, 1901	March 4, 1909
27	Helen Herron Taft portrait	Available 2013	'Helen Herron Taft' Wife of William Howard Taft	March 4, 1909	March 4, 1913
28.1	Ellen Louise Axson Wilson portrait	Available 2013	'Ellen Louise Axson Wilson' First wife of Woodrow Wilson	March 4, 1913	August 6, 1914
28.2	Edith Bolling Galt Wilson portrait	Available 2013	'Edith Bolling Galt Wilson' Second wife of Woodrow Wilson	December 18, 1915	March 4, 1921
29	Florence Kling Harding portrait	Available 2014	'Florence Kling Harding' Wife of Warren G. Harding	March 4, 1921	August 3, 1923
30	Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge portrait	Available 2014	'Grace Anna Goodhue Coolidge' Wife of Calvin Coolidge	August 3, 1923	March 4, 1929
31	Lou Henry Hoover portrait	Available 2014	'Lou Henry Hoover' Wife of Herbert Hoover	March 4, 1929	March 4, 1933
32	Anna Eleanor Roosevelt portrait	Available 2014	'Anna Eleanor Roosevelt' Wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt	March 4, 1933	April 12, 1945
33	Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman portrait	Available 2015	'Elizabeth Virginia Wallace Truman' Wife of Harry S. Truman	April 12, 1945	January 20, 1953
34	Mamie Doud Eisenhower portrait	Available 2015	'Mamie Doud Eisenhower' Wife of Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 20, 1953	January 20, 1961
35	Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy portrait	Available 2015	'Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy' Wife of John F. Kennedy	January 20, 1961	November 22, 1963
36	Claudia Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson portrait	Available 2015	'Claudia Taylor "Lady Bird" Johnson' Wife of Lyndon B. Johnson	November 22, 1963	January 20, 1969
37	Thelma Catherine Ryan "Pat" Nixon portrait	Available 2016	'Thelma Catherine Ryan "Pat" Nixon' Wife of Richard Nixon	January 20, 1969	August 9, 1974
38	Betty Bloomer Ford portrait	Available 2016	'Betty Bloomer Ford' Wife of Gerald R. Ford	August 9, 1974	January 20, 1977
39	Rosalynn Smith Carter portrait	†	'Rosalynn Smith Carter' Wife of Jimmy Carter	January 20, 1977	January 20, 1981
40	Nancy Davis Reagan portrait	Available 2016	'Nancy Davis Reagan' Second wife of Ronald Reagan	January 20, 1981	January 20, 1989
41	Barbara Pierce Bush portrait	†	'Barbara Pierce Bush' Wife of George H. W. Bush	January 20, 1989	January 20, 1993
42	Hillary Rodham Clinton portrait	†	'Hillary Rodham Clinton' Wife of Bill Clinton	January 20, 1993	January 20, 2001
43	Laura Welch Bush portrait	†	'Laura Welch Bush' Wife of George W. Bush	January 20, 2001	Present

† — The first spouse is not honored unless their associated President qualifies for a coin (meaning they have been dead for no less than two years at the time of their potential honoring). ''See Presidential $1 Coin Program for more information.''

Non-spouse "First Lady" or "White House hostess"

The following women are known to have acted as hostess on behalf of the First Lady when she was otherwise unable or unwilling:

First Lady	Relation to President
'Maria Jefferson Eppes'	daughter of widower Thomas Jefferson
'Eliza Monroe Hay'	daughter of James Monroe
'Letitia Tyler Semple'	daughter of widower John Tyler
'Mary Elizabeth Taylor Bliss'	daughter of Zachary Taylor
'Mary Abigail Fillmore'	daughter of Millard Fillmore
'Abby Kent Means'	aunt-in-law of Franklin Pierce
'Harriet Lane'	niece of James Buchanan
'Martha Johnson Patterson'	daughter of Andrew Johnson
'Jennie Hobart'	wife of William McKinley's Vice President, Garret Hobart
'Helen Taft Manning'	daughter of William Howard Taft
'Margaret Woodrow Wilson'	daughter of widower Woodrow Wilson
'Helen Woodrow Bones'	cousin of widower Woodrow Wilson
'Tricia Nixon'	daughter of Richard Nixon
'Susan Ford'	daughter of Gerald Ford
'Chelsea Clinton'	daughter of Bill Clinton

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See also

★ First Lady - Use of the title outside the United States.

★ Second Lady of the United States - Wife of the Vice President of the United States.

★ First Ladies National Historic Site - In Canton, Ohio.

★ List of United States First Ladies by Longevity

External links

★ http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/058_flal.html

★ Office of the First Lady

★ First Lady's Gallery

★ The National First Ladies' Library

★ Paper on the role of the first lady and the influence she holds over the President

★ First Lady for President | Hillary 2008

References

1. http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20010123
2. http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=4 ''Firstladies.org''
3. First Ladies from Martha Washington to Laura Bush, , Betty Boyd, Caroli, Oxford University Press, ,