FIRST LADIES
The ladies behind the legacies
Meet the American icons who have changed the course of history, from Martha Washington tending to soldiers during the American Revolution to Dr. Jill Biden's modern push for equity in women's health. Get a glimpse into the brilliant minds of these powerful women and be inspired to champion your own cause by their example.
See a name below that you don't recognize? These women were White House Hostesses! Particularly in the earlier days of the Republic (often when a President was not married or was widowed) various women took on the role of White House hostess. They served as the primary female figure responsible for hosting formal events and representing the President’s spouse. Often, family members like daughters or nieces filled this position, providing a familial touch to the presidency. Women such as Martha Jefferson Randolph, Emily Tennesse Donelson, Angelica Van Buren, and Harriett Lane Johnston filled this role.
![First Ladies of the US Martha Washington Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Martha-Washington-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Martha Washington Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Martha-Washington-Small-Image.jpg)
Martha
Washington
![First Ladies of the US Abigail Adams Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Abigail-Adams-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Abigail Adams Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Abigail-Adams-Small-Image.jpg)
Abigail
Adams
![First Ladies of the US Martha Jefferson Randolph Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Martha-Jefferson-Randolph-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Martha Jefferson Randolph Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Martha-Jefferson-Randolph-Small-Image.jpg)
Martha
Jefferson
![First Ladies of the US Dolley Madison Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Dolley-Madison-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Dolley Madison Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Dolley-Madison-Small-Image.jpg)
Dolley
Madison
![First Ladies of the US Elizabeth Monroe Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Elizabeth-Monroe-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Elizabeth Monroe Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Elizabeth-Monroe-Small-Image.jpg)
Elizabeth
Monroe
![First Ladies of the US Louisa Adams Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Louisa-Adams-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Louisa Adams Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Louisa-Adams-Small-Image.jpg)
Louisa
Adams
![First Ladies of the US Rachel Jackson Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Rachel-Jackson-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Rachel Jackson Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Rachel-Jackson-Small-Image.jpg)
Rachel
Jackson
![First Ladies of the US Emily Donelson Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Emily-Donelson-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Emily Donelson Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Emily-Donelson-Small-Image.jpg)
Emily
Donelson
![First Ladies of the US Hannah Van Buren Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Hannah-Van-Buren-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Hannah Van Buren Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Hannah-Van-Buren-Small-Image.jpg)
Hannah
Van Buren
![First Ladies of the US Angelica Van Buren Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Angelica-Van-Buren-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Angelica Van Buren Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Angelica-Van-Buren-Small-Image.jpg)
Angelica
Van Buren
![First Ladies of the US Letitia Tyler Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Letitia-Tyler-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Letitia Tyler Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Letitia-Tyler-Small-Image.jpg)
Letitia
Tyler
![First Ladies of the US Anna Harrison Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Anna-Harrison-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Anna Harrison Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Anna-Harrison-Small-Image.jpg)
Anna
Harrison
![First Ladies of the US Julia Tyler Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Julia-Tyler-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Julia Tyler Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Julia-Tyler-Small-Image.jpg)
Julia
Tyler
![First Ladies of the US Sarah Polk Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Sarah-Polk-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Sarah Polk Square Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Sarah-Polk-Square-Image.jpg)
Sarah
Polk
![First Ladies of the US Margaret Taylor Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Margaret-Taylor-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Margaret Taylor Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Margaret-Taylor-Small-Image.jpg)
Margaret
Taylor
![First Ladies of the US Abigail Fillmore Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Abigail-Fillmore-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Abigail Fillmore Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Abigail-Fillmore-Small-Image.jpg)
Abigail
Fillmore
![First Ladies of the US Jane Pierce Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Jane-Pierce-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Jane Pierce Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Jane-Pierce-Small-Image.jpg)
Jane
Pierce
![First Ladies of the US Harriet Lane Johnston Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Harriet-Lane-Johnston-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Harriet Lane Johnston Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Harriet-Lane-Johnston-Small-Image.jpg)
Harriet
Lane
![First Ladies of the US Mary Lincoln Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mary-Lincoln-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Mary Lincoln Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mary-Lincoln-Small-Image.jpg)
Mary
Lincoln
![First Ladies of the US Eliza Johnson Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Eliza-Johnson-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Eliza Johnson Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Eliza-Johnson-Small-Image.jpg)
Eliza
Johnson
![First Ladies of the US Julia Grant Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Julia-Grant-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Julia Grant Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Julia-Grant-Small-Image.jpg)
Julia
Grant
![First Ladies of the US Lucy Hayes Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Lucy-Hayes-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Lucy Hayes Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Lucy-Hayes-Small-Image.jpg)
Lucy
Hayes
![First Ladies of the US Lucretia Garfield Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Lucretia-Garfield-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Lucretia Garfield Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Lucretia-Garfield-Small-Image.jpg)
Lucretia
Garfield
![First Ladies of the US Mary McElroy Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mary-McElroy-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Mary McElroy Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mary-McElroy-Small-Image.jpg)
Mary
McElroy
![First Ladies of the US Rose Cleveland Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Rose-Cleveland-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Rose Cleveland Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Rose-Cleveland-Small-Image.jpg)
Rose
Cleveland
![First Ladies of the US Frances Cleveland Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Frances-Cleveland-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Frances Cleveland Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Frances-Cleveland-Small-Image.jpg)
Frances
Cleveland
![First Ladies of the US Caroline Harrison Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Caroline-Harrison-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Caroline Harrison Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Caroline-Harrison-Small-Image.jpg)
Caroline
Harrison
![First Ladies of the US Mary McKee Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mary-McKee-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Mary McKee Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mary-McKee-Small-Image.jpg)
Mary
McKee
![First Ladies of the US Frances Cleveland Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Frances-Cleveland-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Frances Cleveland Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Frances-Cleveland-Small-Image.jpg)
Frances
Cleveland
![First Ladies of the US Ida McKinley Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Ida-McKinley-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Ida McKinley Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Ida-McKinley-Small-Image.jpg)
Ida
McKinley
![First Ladies of the US Edith Roosevelt Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Edith-Roosevelt-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Edith Roosevelt Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Edith-Roosevelt-Small-Image.jpg)
Edith
Roosevelt
![First Ladies of the US Helen Taft Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Helen-Taft-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Helen Taft Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Helen-Taft-Small-Image.jpg)
Helen
Taft
![First Ladies of the US Ellen Wilson Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Ellen-Wilson-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Ellen Wilson Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Ellen-Wilson-Small-Image.jpg)
Ellen
Wilson
![First Ladies of the US Edith Wilson Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Edith-Wilson-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Edith Wilson Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Edith-Wilson-Small-Image.jpg)
Edith
Wilson
![First Ladies of the US Florence Harding Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Florence-Harding-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Florence Harding Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Florence-Harding-Small-Image.jpg)
Florence
Harding
![First Ladies of the US Grace Coolidge Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Grace-Coolidge-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Grace Coolidge Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Grace-Coolidge-Small-Image.jpg)
Grace
Coolidge
![First Ladies of the US Lou Hoover Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Lou-Hoover-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Lou Hoover Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Lou-Hoover-Small-Image.jpg)
Lou
Hoover
![First Ladies of the US Eleanor Roosevelt Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Eleanor-Roosevelt-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Eleanor Roosevelt Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Eleanor-Roosevelt-Small-Image.jpg)
Eleanor
Roosevelt
![First Ladies of the US Bess Truman Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Bess-Truman-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Bess Truman Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Bess-Truman-Small-Image.jpg)
Elizabeth
Truman
![First Ladies of the US Mamie Eisenhower Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mamie-Eisenhower-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Mamie Eisenhower Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Mamie-Eisenhower-Small-Image.jpg)
Mamie
Eisenhower
![First Ladies of the US Jackie Kennedy Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Jackie-Kennedy-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Jackie Kennedy Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Jackie-Kennedy-Small-Image.jpg)
Jackie
Kennedy
![First Ladies of the US Claudia Johnson Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Claudia-Johnson-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Claudia Johnson Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Claudia-Johnson-Small-Image.jpg)
Claudia
Johnson
![First Ladies of the US Pat Nixon Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Pat-Nixon-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Pat Nixon Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Pat-Nixon-Small-Image.jpg)
Pat
Nixon
![First Ladies of the US Betty Ford Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Betty-Ford-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Betty Ford Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Betty-Ford-Small-Image.jpg)
Elizabeth
Ford
![First Ladies of the US Rosalynn Carter Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Rosalynn-Carter-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Rosalynn Carter Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Rosalynn-Carter-Small-Image.jpg)
Rosalynn
Carter
![First Ladies of the US Nancy Reagan Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Nancy-Reagan-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Nancy Reagan Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Nancy-Reagan-Small-Image.jpg)
Nancy
Reagan
![First Ladies of the US Barbara Bush Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Barbara-Bush-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Barbara Bush Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Barbara-Bush-Small-Image.jpg)
Barbara
Bush
![First Ladies of the US Hillary Clinton Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Hillary-Clinton-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Hillary Clinton Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Hillary-Clinton-Small-Image.jpg)
Hillary
Clinton
![First Ladies of the US Laura Bush Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Laura-Bush-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Laura Bush Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Laura-Bush-Small-Image.jpg)
Laura
Bush
![First Ladies of the US Michelle Obama Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Michelle-Obama-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Michelle Obama Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Michelle-Obama-Small-Image.jpg)
Michelle
Obama
![First Ladies of the US Melania Trump Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Melania-Trump-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Melania Trump Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Melania-Trump-Small-Image.jpg)
Melania
Trump
![First Ladies of the US Jill Biden Hover Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Jill-Biden-Hover-Image.jpg)
![First Ladies of the US Jill Biden Small Image](/assets/FirstLadies/First-Ladies-of-the-US-Jill-Biden-Small-Image.jpg)