From housewife to politician: what the most popular first ladies of the USA do
'04.12.2020'
Source: Burning hut
During the presidential campaign in the United States, everyone is studying not only the candidate, but also his wife, who can become the first lady of the country. We tell how the institution of first ladies was born, why it is no less important than the presidency, and what responsibilities women who receive this title have, writes Burning hut.
How the Institute of First Ladies appeared
First Lady is the title of mistress of the White House. Usually it is assigned to the wife of the President of the United States. The very first mistress of the White House was Martha Washington, the wife of the first president of the United States. But then the title as such did not yet exist. Therefore, to show respect, she was addressed by "Lady Washington".
It is believed that the title was first used by the 12th President of the United States, Zachary Taylor, in a panegyric dedicated to the wife of the fourth head of state, James Madison. Dolly Madison was one of the most enlightened women of her time. She organized ceremonial receptions, where she invited representatives of various political parties. Usually, meetings of opponents ended in fights and duels. But Madison succeeded in getting members of different parties to negotiate, rather than resort to violence. Dolly Madison became the only First Lady to receive an honorary seat in Congress. The Americans also remember her heroic deed during the attack of the British army on Washington in 1814: Dolly did not leave the White House until she saved several US relics, including a portrait of George Washington and securities.
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The official title of First Lady dates back to 1856 when Harriet Lane ruled the White House. She also became the only first lady who was not the president's wife. If the head of state is not married, he can invite a relative or girlfriend to the position of mistress of the White House. This is what the fifteenth president, James Buchanan, did. Harriet was his niece, whom he took into care after the death of his parents.
Harriet Lane has become the darling of the Americans. Women copied her dress and hairstyle, her parents named their daughters after her. Harriet Lane's influence has been compared to that of Jacqueline Kennedy in the 1960s. She used her influence to improve the lives of Native Americans. Harriet collected art and hosted parties to which she invited artists and musicians.
Gradually, the title of first lady appeared in other countries. But not everywhere he is associated with the performance of certain duties, as in the United States.
Why they talk about first ladies as much as about presidents
The first ladies have long ceased to be only the mistress of the White House and the shadow of the spouses. Gradually, they became trendsetters, advisers to the president, and at times had no less political influence than their husbands.
In the XNUMXth century, the first ladies of the United States began to choose a public “goal for promotion”. To do this, they hire staff to help and receive funding. Lady Bird Johnson worked for the environment, Pat Nixon encouraged volunteering, Betty Ford supported women's rights, Rosalyn Carter helped people with mental health problems, Michelle Obama helped military families and fought childhood obesity, and Melania Trump campaigned against cyberbullying.
The first lady becomes the personification of the president's policy. For this reason, her life and work are monitored no less than the president himself.
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Do the first ladies get paid
No, although the first ladies of the United States play an important social and political role, they are not paid. This was criticized by Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. On the one hand, the lack of salaries is explained by the fact that special funding is allocated for the needs of the first ladies. On the other hand, the fact that the president receives a salary, but the first lady does not, prevents the creation of conditions for equal pay for men and women. And at the same time, the first lady cannot refuse to perform duties, unless the reasons are related to health.
Popular first ladies
Edith Wilson
She was the wife of the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson. Some historians consider her the first unofficial female president of the United States.
In 1919, her husband Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke, which left him partially paralyzed. At that time, the United States never approved the Treaty of Versailles and did not join the League of Nations after World War I. This was the main goal of Wilson's policy. But there were many opponents in the government. They played into the hands of the president's illness, which would allow him to be removed from office.
To prevent this, Edith Wilson and the president's inner circle hid from the public the true consequences of Wilson's disease. Edith took over part of the presidency, which she held for a year and a half before the end of Wilson's term.
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Edith decided which issues were important enough to bring them to the attention of the president. She demanded that all urgent matters, service notes and correspondence be sent to her. Edith helped Wilson fill out the paperwork, sometimes adding new notes or suggestions. She even had access to classified information. Unsurprisingly, she came to be regarded as the unofficial president of the United States. Although Edith herself claimed that she did not make any decisions without her husband.
When Wilson's term came to an end, Edith moved with him to their family home in Washington. She looked after the retired president until his death.
Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt became the 37th First Lady. She significantly changed the role of the hostess of the White House.
Roosevelt became the first wife of the president to hold regular press conferences. During Franklin Roosevelt's presidency, Eleanor held 348 press conferences. She hosted a radio show, columns for a daily newspaper and a monthly magazine. There were even cases when she publicly disagreed with her husband's policies. But Franklin still supported her active role as first lady.
Eleanor Roosevelt fought for the rights of women, African Americans and Asian citizens, as well as the rights of World War II refugees. She helped bring about social reform that allowed working women to receive higher wages and more prestigious positions. Eleanor encouraged women of all ages to master professions in order to become independent.
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During World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt advocated for women and African Americans to play an active role in the fight against the Nazis. For example, she suggested that women get jobs in factories a year before it became common practice. She also supported the creation of Tuskegee Pilots, which was the name for the mostly African American military pilot squads. Eleanor helped them enroll in the Tuskegee Air Force High Flight School in Alabama.
Franklin Roosevelt died a few years after the end of World War II. Eleanor continued to deal with political and social issues. President Harry Truman later named her the "First Lady of the World" for Eleanor's achievements in protecting human rights.
Jacqueline Kennedy
The wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. She is remembered for her contributions to art and the preservation of historic architecture. She was the owner of impeccable taste in clothing and is still considered a fashion icon.
Jacqueline Kennedy often held informal meetings at the White House. She invited scientists, poets and artists to receptions along with politicians and diplomats. Thanks to her intelligence and charm, Jacqueline Kennedy was popular with statesmen.
Jacqueline oversaw the restoration of the White House in Washington. Visiting him before John F. Kennedy's inauguration, she noticed that the rooms were furnished with ordinary modern furniture. Jacqueline was disappointed that the building with a long history lacks the atmosphere of past eras, and started restoring the interior.
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She later invited BBC journalists to film a film tour of the restored White House. She acted as a guide, told about the process of building restoration. For this work, Jacqueline was awarded the Emmy statuette.
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Jacqueline could no longer stay in the White House. The former first lady feared for the lives of her children and, a few years after Kennedy's death, married businessman Aristotle Onassis. She tried to create privacy for her family, and after Onassis's death she worked as editor for Viking Press and associate editor for Doubleday.
Even after her death in 1994, Jacqueline Kennedy remains one of the most popular first ladies in US history. In 1999, she was included in the list of the most revered people of the twentieth century - according to the Gallup Institute.
Hillary Clinton
Hillary became the first lady when her husband Bill Clinton won the presidential election. She was called the “politically active” first lady and was compared to Eleanor Roosevelt.
As First Lady, Hillary was actively involved in health issues. With its help, the state program of medical insurance for children was approved, whose parents do not have the funds to register it. She also ran a nationwide immunization campaign against childhood diseases and encouraged older women to get free mammograms to prevent breast cancer. Clinton also helped set up the Office of Violence Against Women in the Department of Justice.
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Clinton took over as US Senator after Bill Clinton ended his presidential term. And in 2016, Hillary became the first female Democratic presidential candidate. She managed to win the popular vote, and only on the basis of the distribution of the electoral votes, the victory went to Donald Trump.
Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama became the first African American to be awarded the title of First Lady. She advocated for solving the problems of poverty, supported initiatives in the education system and healthy lifestyles, fought for women's rights. Michelle Obama was considered a style icon often compared to Jacqueline Kennedy's impeccable taste.
Michelle Obama supported her husband Barack's policies and helped push the bills. In 2009, she hosted a reception for women's rights defenders at the White House to celebrate the entry into force of the equal pay law. In her first months as First Lady, Michelle visited homeless shelters and public free canteens.
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From 2008 to 2017, Michelle Obama supported several initiatives: "Let's get moving!" - Childhood Obesity Program, Achieve More and Let Girls Learn educational initiatives, and Join the Efforts, a project that has helped families of military personnel.
Michelle Obama is noted as one of the few in the government administration who has fought the problem of obesity. In 2008, Time magazine named Michelle Obama “Woman of the Year”. And in 2019, the Gallup Institute conducted a survey, according to which Michelle was recognized as the woman most admired in the United States.
What is known about the future first lady
On January 20, 2021, the era of Joe Biden's presidency will begin. His wife Jill will become the first first lady of Italian descent in US history. She said that she plans to combine the duties of the hostess of the White House with the work of a teacher. This would make her the first wife of the incumbent to have a paid job outside the White House.
Jill Biden has been teaching English for over 10 years. She has also taught adolescents with emotional disabilities in psychiatric hospitals. Jill co-founded the Breast Cancer Initiative and co-founded the United Forces Foundation with Michelle Obama.
From 2008 to 2017, Jill Biden served as the second lady when Barack Obama was president of the United States. Even then, she combined work and duties in the presidential administration.
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Jill is an English teacher at the Alexandria campus of NOVA College. She shares a study with another teacher and asks the intelligence agents accompanying her to look more unobtrusive. Students didn't always know who she really was. When asked if Jill was Joe Biden's wife, she replied that they were relatives. Michelle Obama recalled that during her work trips with the presidential administration, Jill continued to check student work.
When Joe and Jill Biden stepped down as vice president and second lady in 2017, they founded the Biden Foundation. Its main tasks were the prevention of violence against women, the development of community colleges and assistance to the families of military personnel.
