National Museum of American History - The First Ladies

Another exhibit that we toured while at the National Museum of American History last fall covered the history of America's First Ladies.

The First Ladies explores the unofficial but important position of first lady and the ways that different women have shaped the role to make their own contributions to the presidential administrations and the nation. The exhibition features more than two dozen gowns from the Smithsonian’s almost 100-year old First Ladies Collection, including those worn by Frances Cleveland, Lou Hoover, Jacqueline Kennedy, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama. A section titled “Changing Times, Changing First Ladies” highlights the roles played by Dolley Madison, Mary Lincoln, Edith Roosevelt, and Lady Bird Johnson and their contributions to their husband’s administrations. The First Ladies encourages visitors to consider the changing role played by the first lady and American women over the past 200 years.
--from National Museum of American History website

The position of First Lady (usually held by the President's wife--but not all presidents have been married so sometimes the hostess position has been held by others) is one of long tradition, but one not codified in law.  So many different first ladies have had different perspectives on the position.  The exhibit covers a number of them.

My wife enjoyed looking at the dresses.

There were quite a few of them on display from a number of different eras.  You can learn even more about the dresses belonging to the first ladies through the Smithsonian's online exhibition here.  Apparently the exhibit has existed in many different forms over the years and is perennially popular.

This dress and matching purse and choes belonged to Mamie Doud Eisenhower, first lady from 1953-1961.  They were designed for a 1957 state dinner held at the British Embassy.

Again while not officially codified the position of first lady can be very influential on things like state dinners, let alone initiatives.

A large section of the exhibit includes information on each of the first ladies throughout history as well as some of the china associated with that administration.

The first five first ladies ranged in age from 28 to 57 at the time their husband (or in Martha Jefferson Randolph's case her father) assumed office.

Here you can see china from the Washington and Jefferson administrations.

Two of Dolly Madison's dresses were on display as well.  She is well known for her efforts to save things from the White House before the British burned Washington DC during the War of 1812.

The next time you're in the area I'd encourage you to check out the exhibit and see what it looks like when you're there, because it may not be the same as when I saw it.

~Matt