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“Of course, being mistress of the White House is a terrific responsibility, and I am truly grateful for my Army wife training.”
First Ladies of the US Mamie Eisenhower Full Image

Mamie Eisenhower

Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower
Years of service: 1953-1961
Born: 1896

First Ladies of the US Mamie Eisenhower Full Image

Mamie Doud’s pampered childhood did not prepare her for the anxiety-filled life of a military wife. As General Dwight Eisenhower’s fame soared during World War II, Mamie’s solitude and loneliness accelerated, straining their marriage. Once Dwight became President, having her husband frequently under the same roof in the White House was balm for Mamie’s soul, and she relished her popularity as First Lady. Her flair for fanciful entertainment was in harmony with the postwar years of celebration after a long-fought war. Aware of the racial injustice so prevalent in the 1950s, she opened the grounds of the White House Easter Egg Roll to black children for the first time.

 

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Leaders in Literacy

4/30/2024 through 4/30/2025

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First Ladies as Teachers, Educators, and Librarians.

The right to an education is a foundational principle of America’s history, and many First Ladies have taken up this cause. We celebrate National First Ladies Day by kicking off this featured exhibit, presented by Huntington Bank.