You’ve probably heard of Nancy Reagan’s war on drugs, Laura
Bush’s
”
Ready to Read, Ready to Learn
”
initiative and Hillary Clinton’s efforts to reform the national
health-care system. Maybe you’ve heard how Dolley Madison saved
George Washington’s portrait from destruction during the War of
1812, or how Eleanor Roosevelt served in the United Nations.
You’ve probably heard of Nancy Reagan’s war on drugs, Laura Bush’s “Ready to Read, Ready to Learn” initiative and Hillary Clinton’s efforts to reform the national health-care system. Maybe you’ve heard how Dolley Madison saved George Washington’s portrait from destruction during the War of 1812, or how Eleanor Roosevelt served in the United Nations. You might think you know all there is to know about our nation’s first ladies, but we’ve scrounged up some facts that may surprise you.
First Lady fun facts
– Martha Washington (1789-1797) was the first first lady to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.
– In an effort to provide the White House with fresh milk, Eliza Johnson (1865-1869) bought cows, which grazed on the lawns out back.
– Dolley Madison (1809-1817) was a devout user of snuff tobacco.
– Louisa Adams (1825-1829) had the scare of her life when her infant son was snatched from her arms in New York in 1807. She followed the assailant and recovered her baby.
– Lucy Hayes (1877-1881) banned all alcoholic beverages from the White House, earning her the nickname “Lemonade Lucy.” But the first lady didn’t stop there – she also forbid card playing, pool and dancing. One thing she didn’t ban, installing the first flush toilets in the White House.
– Though a first lady, Anna Harrison (1841) never even saw or lived in the White House, because her husband died before she had the chance to join him there.
– Margaret Taylor (1849-1850) prayed every night for her husband’s defeat in the 1848 election.
– Caroline Harrison (1889-1892) put up the first Christmas tree in the White House.
– Helen “Nellie” Taft (1909-1913) was the first first lady to own and drive a car and to smoke cigarettes. She also planted the first cherry tree in Washington, which was a gift from Japan.
– Edith Wilson (1913-1921) was a descendent of Pocahontas.
– Florence Harding (1921-1923) was accused of poisoning her husband, a widely unpopular president. While no formal evidence was ever found, the first lady did forbid an autopsy of her husband’s corpse.
– Eleanor Roosevelt (1933-1945) was not very interested in cooking, and once served hot dogs to the visiting king and queen of England.
– Mamie Eisenhower (1953-1961) was a fan of “I Love Lucy,” and never missed an episode of “As the World Turns.”
– Extremely superstitious, Nancy Reagan (1981-1989) kept a large talisman at home to ward off evil spirits, never stored her shoes above head level and refused to change if she accidentally put on an article of clothing inside out.
History lesson
1789: Martha Washington became the first first lady.
1809-1817: Dolley Madison was the first first lady to be associated with a specific project or cause. She helped found a home for orphaned girls in Washington.
1850: Abigail Fillmore established the first library in the White House.
1878: Lucy Hayes became known for helping citizens of Washington, especially Civil War veterans and their families.
1890: Caroline Harrison helped raise funds for The Johns Hopkins Medical School on the grounds they would admit women to the program.
1933-1945: Eleanor Roosevelt was a strong supporter of rights for women and blacks. She also oversaw the creation of a National Youth Administration to help people find work and preached the New Deal doctrine across the country.
1961-1963: Jacqueline Kennedy put a focus on family and art, and promoted the cultural and historical preservation of Washington. She helped make the White House a museum of American history, and rejuvenated the neighborhood surrounding the White House.
1965: Lady Bird Johnson lobbied for the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 for better road planning and fewer billboards on federal highways. During her time in the White House, she fought to make American cities more beautiful by planting flowers.
1974-1977: Betty Ford founded the Betty Ford Center in California, an alcohol and drug treatment center.
1977-1981: Rosalynn Carter was one of President Carter’s closest advisers, sitting in on many Cabinet meetings. She was an honorary chair of the Commission on Mental Health.
1981-1989: Nancy Reagan headed the “Just Say No” campaign to combat drug use.
1993-2001: Hillary Clinton headed the Task Force on National Health Reform and in 2008 became the first first lady to run for president.
2006: Laura Bush received an award from the Kuwait-American Foundation for her efforts to improve the living conditions and education level of children around the world.
2009: Michelle Obama became the first black first lady.
