The First Lady is a title normally used for the wife of the President of the United States though nowadays it is fashionable to refer to the spouses of the other heads of state too by this title. The term “First Lady” is so popular that recently it has led to the creation of the term “First Gentleman” as the title for the husband of state governors or state heads. If being the head of the state of is a responsible job, then being the wife of the head of the state is not a simple task either. As the spouse of the head of the state, there are various roles she has to play in the social and political scenario. Over the past several decades First Ladies have played the part of White House managers and hostesses. Jacqueline Kennedy, wife of President John F. Kennedy, was not just a great hostess who renovated the White House, but was also a fashion icon to America’s young women. The more recent First Ladies like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama have taken up the roles of campaigners and social activists. Read on to learn about the life and works of various famous First Ladies.
A former model as well as timepiece and jewellery designer, Melania Trump is the wife of 45th US President Donald Trump and the current First Lady of the United States of America. The Slovenian-American is only the second foreign born and the first naturalized citizen to hold the title.
Married to former US president, Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton served as the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Thereafter, she became the first First Lady to hold US senator office. The former Secretary of State in the administration of Barrack Obama also fought and lost, as a Democratic nominee, the 2016 presidential election against Donald Trump.
Jackie Kennedy was a literature editor, photographer, and socialite who was once married to the former American President John F. Kennedy. She became the First Lady of the United States when her husband became the president. She was known for her iconic fashion style. She is considered one of the most popular and recognizable First Ladies in American history.
Wife of the former U.S President, Barack Obama, and one of the most popular First Ladies of the United States, Michelle Obama is a celebrity in her own right. She is still very popular and is a sought-after speaker around the globe and often lends her voice to issues like poverty awareness, education, nutrition, women’s rights, immigration and racism.
Wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, Brigitte Macron was, interestingly, her husband’s literature and theater teacher at Lycée la Providence. She was the chief strategist during Macron’s 2016-2017 election. Twenty-four years Macron’s senior, Brigitte, was to be the official “First Lady” of France, until a signature campaign thwarted such plans.
Feminist and civil rights icon Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was the longest-serving U.S First Lady. She was a prominent human rights activist, wrote columns, and hosted a radio show. She was named to Gallup's List of Most Widely Admired People of the 20th Century in 1999.
Nancy Reagan was an American actress who also served as the first lady of the US between 1981 and 1989. One of her major initiatives as the first lady was her role in founding a drug awareness campaign called Just Say No. She had a strong influence on President Ronald Reagan, having an impact on many of his diplomatic decisions.
The first lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, Barbara Bush was the wife of the 41st US President George H. W. Bush. She was also the mother of George W. Bush, the 43rd president of US. As the first lady, she focused on family literacy and was the founder of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Laura Bush is an American educator. She served as the First Lady of the US from 2001 to 2009, during which she encouraged education and helped advance women's causes through non-profit organizations. Regarded as one of the most famous American First Ladies, Laura Bush focused on raising awareness about malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Lady Bird Johnson was an American socialite who served as the First Lady of the US from 1963 to 1969. As First Lady, Johnson was responsible for the passage of the Highway Beautification Act, which was nicknamed Lady Bird's Bill. She was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1977 and 1988, respectively.
Rosalynn Carter, served as the U.S. First Lady from 1977 to 1981, as the wife of former U.S. president Jimmy Carter. She promoted human rights, peace, and mental health awareness. She was also an envoy to Latin America and launched Every Child By Two, a childhood immunization awareness program.
Mary Todd Lincoln was the wife of Abraham Lincoln. She played an important role during the American Civil War as she worked hard to keep the morale of the country high throughout the war. Mary invariably finds a place in stories and biographies written about Abraham Lincoln as she was seated next to him when he was killed.
