First Lady of the United States | |
---|---|
Style | Mrs. Obama |
Residence | White House |
Inaugural holder | Martha Washington |
Formation | April 30, 1789 |
Website | First Ladies |
The First Lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the President of the United States, but, on occasion, the title has been applied to women who were not presidents’ wives, such 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. The First Lady is not an elected position; it carries no official duties and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. Traditionally, the First Lady does not hold outside employment while occupying the office. [1] She has her own staff, including the White House Social Secretary, the Chief of Staff, the Press Secretary, the Chief Floral Designer, and the Executive Chef. The Office of the First Lady is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House, and is a branch of the Executive Office of the President.
According to the White House and the National First Ladies' Library, there have been 45 First Ladies and 46 First Ladyships. This discrepancy exists because Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is counted chronologically as both the 22nd and the 24th president; his wife Frances Folsom Cleveland is also counted twice.
The first First Lady was Martha Washington, married to George Washington. Presidents John Tyler and Woodrow Wilson had two official First Ladies; both remarried during their presidential tenures. The wives of four Presidents died before their husbands were sworn into office but are still considered First Ladies by the White House and National First Ladies' Library: Martha Jefferson, wife of Thomas Jefferson; [2] [3] Rachel Jackson, wife of Andrew Jackson; [4] [5] Hannah Van Buren, wife of Martin Van Buren; [6] [7] and Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur, wife of Chester A. Arthur. [8] [9] One woman who was not married to a President but who is still considered an official First Lady: Harriet Lane, niece of bachelor James Buchanan. The other non-spousal relatives who served as White House hostesses are not recognized by the First Ladies' Library.
In 2007, the United States Mint began releasing a set of half-ounce $10 gold coins under the First Spouse Program with engravings of portraits of the First Ladies on the obverse. [10] When a President served without a spouse, a gold coin is issued that bears an obverse image emblematic of Liberty as depicted on a circulating coin of that era and a reverse image emblematic of themes of that President's life. This is true for the coins for Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan's First Ladies, but not the coin for Chester A. Arthur's First Lady, which will instead depict suffragette Alice Paul. [11]
This list included all persons who served as First Ladies, regardless of whether they were married to the incumbent President or not, as well as persons who are officially considered First Ladies by the First Ladies' Library but who died before being able to serve in that role. First Ladies who were not married to the incumbent appear in light gray boxes, while official First Ladies who did not serve in that role appear in dark gray boxes. The numbering follows the First Ladies' Library listing, which includes presidents' wives who predeceased their husband's entering office. First Ladies not recognized by First Ladies' Library listing are marked with a †, and First Ladies officially recognized by the First Ladies' Library listing who never served in that capacity are marked with a ‡.
No. |
Image |
First Lady |
Birth | Marriage |
President (Husband, unless noted) |
Tenure began |
Age at tenure start | Tenure ended | Length of retirement |
Death | Lifespan |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Martha Washington ( née Dandridge) [12] [13] |
June 2, 1731 | 6 January 1759 | George Washington | 1789 | 57 years, 332 days | 1797 | 1,904 days | May 22, 1802 | 25,921 days (70 years, 354 days) | |
2 | Abigail Adams (née Smith) [14] [15] |
November 11, 1744 | 25 October 1764 | John Adams | 1797 | 52 years, 113 days | 1801 | 6,447 days | October 28, 1818 | 27,013 days (73 years, 351 days) | |
3 | Martha Skelton Jefferson [2] [3] (née Wayles) |
October 30, 1748 | 1 January 1772 | Thomas Jefferson | ‡ | — | — | — | September 6, 1782 | 12,364 days (33 years, 311 days) | |
† | Martha Jefferson Randolph [2] [3] |
September 27, 1772 | — [n 1] |
Thomas Jefferson* (Father) |
1801 | 28 years, 158 days | 1809 | 10,082 days | October 10, 1836 | 23,388 days (64 years, 13 days) | |
4 | Dolley Madison (née Payne) [16] [17] |
May 20, 1768 | 14 September 1794 | James Madison | 1809 | 40 years, 288 days | 1817 | 11,818 days | July 12, 1849 | 29,637 days (81 years, 53 days) | |
5 | Elizabeth Monroe (née Kortright) [18] [19] |
June 30, 1768 | 16 February 1786 | James Monroe | 1817 | 48 years, 247 days | 1825 | 2,029 days | September 23, 1830 | 22,729 days (62 years, 85 days) | |
6 | Louisa Catherine Adams (née Johnson) [20] [21] |
February 12, 1775 | 26 July 1797 | John Quincy Adams | 1825 | 50 years, 20 days | 1829 | 9,934 days | May 15, 1852 | 28,216 days (77 years, 93 days) | |
7 | Rachel Robards Jackson [4] [5] (née Donelson) |
June 15, 1767 | 7 January 1794 | Andrew Jackson | ‡ | — | — | — | December 22, 1828 | 22,501 days (61 years, 221 days) | |
† | Emily Donelson [4] [5] |
June 1, 1807 | — [n 2] |
Andrew Jackson (Uncle) |
1829 | 21 years, 276 days | 1836 | — | December 19, 1836 | 10,794 days (29 years, 201 days) | |
† | Sarah Jackson (née Yorke) [4] [5] |
July 16, 1803 | — [n 3] |
Andrew Jackson (Father-in-law) |
1834 | 31 years, 133 days | 1837 | 18,434 days | August 23, 1887 | 30,719 days (84 years, 38 days) | |
8 | Hannah Van Buren [6] [7] (née Hoes) |
March 8, 1783 | 21 February 1807 | Martin Van Buren | ‡ | — | — | — | February 5, 1819 | 13,117 days (35 years, 334 days) | |
† | Angelica Van Buren (née Singleton) [6] [7] |
February 13, 1818 | — [n 4] |
Martin Van Buren (Father-in-law) |
1839 | 20 years, 322 days | 1841 | 13,449 days | December 29, 1877 | 21,869 days (59 years, 319 days) | |
9 | Anna Harrison (née Symmes) [22] [23] |
July 25, 1775 | 22 November 1795 | William Henry Harrison | 1841 [n 5] | 65 years, 222 days | 1841 | 8,362 days | February 25, 1864 | 32,356 days (88 years, 215 days) | |
10 | Letitia Tyler (née Christian) [24] [25] |
November 12, 1790 | 29 March 1813 | John Tyler | 1841 | 50 years, 143 days | 1842 | — | September 10, 1842 | 18,929 days (51 years, 302 days) | |
† | Priscilla Tyler (née Cooper) [24] [25] |
June 14, 1816 | — [n 6] |
John Tyler (Father-in-law) |
1842 | 26 years, 88 days | 1844 | 16,622 days | December 29, 1889 | 26,861 days (73 years, 198 days) | |
11 | Julia Tyler (née Gardiner) [26] [27] |
May 17, 1820 | 26 June 1844 | John Tyler | 1844 [n 7] | 24 years, 53 days | 1845 | 16,199 days | July 10, 1889 | 25,269 days (69 years, 54 days) | |
12 | Sarah Polk (née Childress) [28] [29] |
September 4, 1803 | 1 January 1824 | James K. Polk | 1845 | 41 years, 181 days | 1849 | 15,503 days | August 14, 1891 | 32,121 days (87 years, 344 days) | |
13 | Margaret Taylor (née Smith) [30] [31] |
September 21, 1788 | 21 June 1810 | Zachary Taylor | 1849 | 60 years, 164 days | 1850 | 767 days | August 14, 1852 | 23,337 days (63 years, 328 days) | |
14 | Abigail Fillmore (née Powers) [32] [33] |
March 13, 1798 | 5 February 1826 | Millard Fillmore | 1850 | 52 years, 118 days | 1853 | 26 days | March 30, 1853 | 20,105 days (55 years, 17 days) | |
15 | Jane Means Pierce (née Appleton) [34] [35] |
March 12, 1806 | 19 November 1834 | Franklin Pierce | 1853 | 46 years, 357 days | 1857 | 2,464 days | December 2, 1863 | 21,084 days (57 years, 265 days) | |
16 | Harriet Lane (later Johnston) [36] [37] |
May 9, 1830 | — [n 8] |
James Buchanan (Uncle) |
1857 | 26 years, 299 days | 1861 | 15,460 days | July 3, 1903 | 26,717 days (73 years, 55 days) | |
17 | Mary Lincoln (née Todd) [38] [39] |
December 13, 1818 | 4 November 1842 | Abraham Lincoln | 1861 | 42 years, 81 days | 1865 | 6,301 days | July 16, 1882 | 23,226 days (63 years, 215 days) | |
18 | Eliza Johnson (née McCardle) [40] [41] |
October 4, 1810 | 17 May 1827 | Andrew Johnson | 1865 | 54 years, 193 days | 1869 | 2,508 days | January 15, 1876 | 23,844 days (65 years, 103 days) | |
19 | Julia Boggs Grant (née Dent) [42] [43] |
January 26, 1826 | 22 August 1848 | Ulysses S. Grant | 1869 | 43 years, 37 days | 1877 | 9,415 days | December 14, 1902 | 28,080 days (76 years, 322 days) | |
20 | Lucy Hayes (née Webb) [44] [45] |
August 28, 1831 | 30 December 1852 | Rutherford B. Hayes | 1877 | 45 years, 188 days | 1881 | 3,035 days | June 25, 1889 | 21,121 days (57 years, 301 days) | |
21 | Lucretia Garfield (née Rudolph) [46] [47] |
April 19, 1832 | 11 November 1858 | James A. Garfield | 1881 | 48 years, 319 days | 1881 | 13,324 days | March 14, 1918 | 31,374 days (85 years, 329 days) | |
22 | Ellen Arthur
[8]
[9] (née Herndon) |
August 30, 1837 | 25 October 1859 | Chester A. Arthur | ‡ | — | — | — | January 12, 1880 | 15,475 days (42 years, 135 days) | |
† | Mary McElroy (née Arthur) [8] [9] |
July 5, 1841 | — [n 9] |
Chester A. Arthur (Brother) |
1881 | 40 years, 76 days | 1885 | 11,632 days | January 8, 1917 | 27,580 days (75 years, 187 days) | |
† | Rose Cleveland [48] [49] |
June 13, 1846 | — [n 10] |
Grover Cleveland (Brother) |
1885 | 38 years, 264 days | 1886 | 11,860 days | November 22, 1918 | 26,459 days (72 years, 162 days) | |
23 | Frances Cleveland (née Folsom, later Preston) [48] [49] |
July 21, 1864 | 2 June 1886 | Grover Cleveland | 1886 | 21 years, 316 days | 1889 | 1,461 days | October 29, 1947 | 30,414 days (83 years, 100 days) | |
24 | Caroline Harrison (née Scott) [50] [51] |
October 1, 1832 | 20 October 1853 | Benjamin Harrison | 1889 | 56 years, 154 days | 1892 | — | October 25, 1892 | 21,939 days (60 years, 24 days) | |
† | Mary McKee (née Harrison) [50] [51] |
April 3, 1858 | — [n 11] |
Benjamin Harrison (Father) |
1892 | 34 years, 205 days | 1893 | 13,751 days | October 28, 1930 | 26,505 days (72 years, 208 days) | |
25 | Frances Cleveland (née Folsom, later Preston) [48] [49] |
July 21, 1864 | 2 June 1886 | Grover Cleveland | 1893 | 28 years, 226 days | 1897 | 18,500 days | October 29, 1947 | 30,414 days (83 years, 100 days) | |
26 | Ida McKinley (née Saxton) [52] [53] |
June 8, 1847 | 25 January 1871 | William McKinley | 1897 | 49 years, 269 days | 1901 | 2,080 days | May 26, 1907 | 21,901 days (59 years, 352 days) | |
27 | Edith Kermit Roosevelt (née Carow ) [54] [55] |
August 6, 1861 | 2 December 1886 | Theodore Roosevelt | 1901 | 40 years, 39 days | 1909 | 14,455 days | September 30, 1948 | 31,831 days (87 years, 55 days) | |
28 | Helen Louise Taft (née Herron) [56] [57] |
June 2, 1861 | 19 June 1886 | William Howard Taft | 1909 | 47 years, 275 days | 1913 | 11,036 days | May 22, 1943 | 29,938 days (81 years, 354 days) | |
29 | Ellen Wilson (née Axson) [58] [59] |
May 15, 1860 | 24 June 1885 | Woodrow Wilson | 1913 | 52 years, 293 days | 1914 | — | August 6, 1914 | 19,805 days (54 years, 83 days) | |
† | Margaret Woodrow Wilson [58] [59] |
April 16, 1886 | — [n 12] |
Woodrow Wilson (Father) |
1914 | 28 years, 112 days | 1915 | 10,283 days | February 12, 1944 | 21,120 days (57 years, 302 days) | |
30 | Edith Wilson (née Bolling, widowed Galt) [60] [61] |
October 15, 1872 | 18 December 1915 | Woodrow Wilson | 1915 | 43 years, 64 days | 1921 | 14,909 days | December 28, 1961 | 32,580 days (89 years, 74 days) | |
31 | Florence Harding (née Kling) [62] [63] |
August 15, 1860 | 8 July 1891 | Warren G. Harding | 1921 | 60 years, 201 days | 1923 | 477 days | November 21, 1924 | 23,473 days (64 years, 98 days) | |
32 | Grace Anna Coolidge (née Goodhue) [64] [65] |
January 3, 1879 | 4 October 1905 | Calvin Coolidge | 1923 | 44 years, 211 days | 1929 | 10,353 days | July 8, 1957 | 28,675 days (78 years, 186 days) | |
33 | Lou Hoover (née Henry) [66] [67] |
March 29, 1874 | 10 February 1899 | Herbert Hoover | 1929 | 54 years, 340 days | 1933 | 3,961 days | January 7, 1944 | 25,485 days (69 years, 284 days) | |
34 | Anna Eleanor Roosevelt [68] [69] |
October 11, 1884 | 17 March 1905 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 1933 | 48 years, 144 days | 1945 | 6,418 days | November 7, 1962 | 28,515 days (78 years, 27 days) | |
35 | Elizabeth Virginia "Bess" Truman (née Wallace) [70] [71] |
February 13, 1885 | 28 June 1919 | Harry S. Truman | 1945 | 60 years, 58 days | 1953 | 10,863 days | October 18, 1982 | 35,675 days (97 years, 247 days) | |
36 | Mamie Geneva Eisenhower (née Doud) [72] [73] |
November 14, 1896 | 1 July 1916 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 1953 | 56 years, 67 days | 1961 | 6,859 days | November 1, 1979 | 30,301 days (82 years, 352 days) | |
37 | Jacqueline Lee Kennedy (née Bouvier, later Onassis) [74] [75] |
July 28, 1929 | 12 September 1953 | John F. Kennedy | 1961 | 31 years, 176 days | 1963 | 11,136 days | May 19, 1994 | 23,671 days (64 years, 295 days) | |
38 | Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (née Taylor) [76] [77] |
December 22, 1912 | 17 November 1934 | Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963 | 50 years, 335 days | 1969 | 14,051 days | July 11, 2007 | 34,534 days (94 years, 201 days) | |
39 | Thelma "Pat" Nixon (née Ryan) [78] [79] |
March 16, 1912 | 21 June 1940 | Richard Nixon | 1969 | 56 years, 310 days | 1974 | 6,892 days | June 22, 1993 | 29,683 days (81 years, 98 days) | |
40 | Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Ford (née Bloomer) [80] [81] |
April 8, 1918 | 15 October 1948 | Gerald Ford | 1974 | 56 years, 123 days | 1977 | 12,587 days | July 8, 2011 | 34,059 days (93 years, 91 days) | |
41 | Eleanor Rosalynn Carter (née Smith) [82] [83] |
August 18, 1927 | 7 July 1946 | Jimmy Carter | 1977 | 49 years, 155 days | 1981 | 15,804 days | 35,318 days (96 years, 254 days) | ||
42 | Nancy Reagan (née Robbins, adopted Davis) [84] [85] |
July 6, 1921 | 4 March 1952 | Ronald Reagan | 1981 | 59 years, 203 days | 1989 | 9,902 days | March 6, 2016 | 34,577 days (94 years, 244 days) | |
43 | Barbara Bush (née Pierce) [86] [87] |
June 8, 1925 | 6 January 1945 | George H. W. Bush | 1989 | 63 years, 226 days | 1993 | 11,421 days | April 17, 2018 | 36,119 days (92 years, 313 days) | |
44 | Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton [88] [89] |
October 26, 1947 | 11 October 1975 | Bill Clinton | 1993 | 45 years, 86 days | 2001 | 8,499 days | 27,944 days (76 years, 185 days) | ||
45 | Laura Lane Bush (née Welch) [90] [91] |
November 4, 1946 | 5 November 1977 | George W. Bush | 2001 | 54 years, 77 days | 2009 | 5,577 days | 28,300 days (77 years, 176 days) | ||
46 | Michelle LaVaughn Obama (née Robinson) [92] [93] |
January 17, 1964 | 3 October 1992 [94] | Barack Obama | 2009 | 45 years, 3 days | Incumbent | 22,017 days (60 years, 102 days) |