First Ladies

Eleanor Roosevelt talks to a child at the ceremonies inaugurating the slum clearance in Detroit, Michigan.

Why Eleanor Roosevelt's Example Matters More Than Ever

A new biography shows how decency, determination and generosity of heart can change the world

Woodrow Wilson, seen here at the start of the Paris Peace Conference in January 1919, never publicly acknowledged the pandemic's toll on his country.

What Happened When Woodrow Wilson Came Down With the 1918 Flu?

The president contracted influenza while attending peace talks in Paris, but the nation was never told the full, true story

When curators gather, the topics are lively. Did Dolley Madison save the day? Do astronauts eat freeze-dried ice cream? And where exactly did the Pilgrims land?

Smithsonian Curators Help Rescue the Truth From These Popular Myths

From astronaut ice-cream to Plymouth Rock, a group of scholars gathered at the 114th Smithsonian Material Culture Forum to address tall tales and myths

Rose Cleveland (left) and Evangeline Simpson Whipple (right) exchanged passionate love letters throughout the course of their nearly 30-year relationship

New Book Chronicles First Lady Rose Cleveland’s Love Affair With Evangeline Simpson Whipple

Rose and her longtime partner are buried side by side in the Italian town where they once shared a home

How First Lady Sarah Polk Set a Model for Conservative Female Power

The popular and pious wife to President James Polk had little use for the nascent suffrage movement

“First ladies still tend to be more mysterious than the presidents,” says Smithsonian curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy. “We’re always hoping once the First Lady is out of office (above: Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama, January 20, 2009) she’s going to let us in a little more.”

The History of First Ladies’ Memoirs

Freed from the political constraints of living in the White House, these famous women have over the decades shared their personal opinions with the public

Roosevelt and LeHand.

Rare Home Movies Show the Private Lives of the Roosevelts

The 16mm film depicts the first couple picnicking, boating, and socializing with their friends, family and advisors

Years after she captured this tender, reflective image of the First Lady, photographer Diana Walker sent a print of the photograph to George H. W. Bush. “It does seem like so long ago, but seeing this image brings everything back into focus,” President Bush wrote in response: “The photo now hangs in my office in Maine, and I enjoy it every day.”

Smithsonian Curators Reflect on How Barbara Bush Will Be Remembered

As both the First Lady and the mother of a President, Mrs. Bush leaves a legacy of a national grandmother with an iron backbone

Who Was the First First Lady to Adopt a Cause and More Questions From Our Readers

You asked, we answered

The Bond Between Mary Todd Lincoln and Her Seamstress

The connection between first lady Mary Todd Lincoln and her African-American seamstress Elizabeth Keckley was a remarkably strong one

How Edith Roosevelt Completely Transformed the White House

Edith Roosevelt was a reluctant First Lady. Despite this, she had the presence and determination to bring about a major innovation to the White House

How Eleanor Roosevelt Redefined the Role of First Lady

Eleanor dedicated her life to fighting for the rights of the oppressed, including pushing FDR to set up the National Youth Administration

Why Nancy Reagan's Sense of Style Wasn't Appreciated

Like Jackie and Dolley before her, Nancy Reagan brought her own unique style to the White House. But economic times were tough

Google's latest app seems to think National Portrait Gallery director Kim Sajet has a lot in common with former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Here's My Problem With the Google Arts & Culture Face-Matching App

Kim Sajet, the director of the National Portrait Gallery, offers ideas to make it better

The Magnolia tree, left, was planted on the south grounds of the White House by President Andrew Jackson in 1835.

White House Magnolia Tree Planted by Andrew Jackson Will Be Cut Down

Despite multiple attempts to save it, the tree is in bad shape

NMAH director John Gray, designer Hervé Pierre, First Lady Melania Trump and Smithsonian secretary David Skorton pose with the silk crepe gown.

Melania Trump Donates Her Inaugural Ball Gown to the Smithsonian

Mrs. Trump, who confesses a passion for design, had a precise idea of what she wanted to wear on that historic evening

The White House kitchen in the 1890s.

How Eleanor Roosevelt and Henrietta Nesbitt Transformed the White House Kitchen

The kitchen was new, but by all accounts it didn't help the cooking

U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt attends a meeting of the women's CWA officials at Warrenton, Virginia. January 26, 1934.

Collection of Eleanor Roosevelt’s Writing Captures the First Lady’s Lasting Relevance

On the 133rd anniversary of her birth, "ER"'s influence lives on

Eleanor Roosevelt's Surprising Connection to a Dire Town

When first lady Eleanor Roosevelt first visited the mining town of Scotts Run, she was stunned by the poverty she encountered

How 9/11 Altered Laura Bush's Role as First Lady

Six days after 9/11, first lady Laura Bush spoke at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at the memorial for the victims of Flight 93

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