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Unique First Ladies Through History
A look back at some of the women who ve called the White House home
Jump to Section Lady Bird Johnson 1963-1969
Gomel Ahead of her time for her commitment to conservation and the environment, she actively supported the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 — known as “Lady Bird’s Bill” — which called for clean water, air and roadsides, as well as the preservation of parks and wilderness areas. She also founded the Society for a More Beautiful National Capital. “Where flowers bloom, so does hope,” she said. Eleanor Roosevelt 1933-1945
Time Life Pictures/Getty Images The longest-serving First Lady, she elevated the position far beyond White House hostess, championing civil rights and the rights of the poor, and establishing her own powerful role alongside husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ever-eloquent, she said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Abigail Adams 1797-1801
Shutterstock The first First Lady to live in the White House, Abigail was wife to second president John Adams — who was also her third cousin — and mom to the country’s sixth president, John Quincy Adams. She was politically involved enough to be called “Mrs. President” rather than Lady Adams, and called for women’s rights and the end of slavery. Elizabeth Anne Betty Bloomer Ford 1974-1977
Everett Collection/Alamy Once a part-time model who studied dance with Martha Graham, she married Gerald Ford at age 30 (her second marriage). While in the White House she supported progressive causes such as abortion rights and the Equal Rights Amendment. In later years she spoke openly about her struggle with alcoholism, hoping to remove its stigma. Nancy Davis Reagan 1981-1989
Dirck Halstead/Getty Images A one-time actress, she, along with movie-star-turned-president husband Ronald Reagan, was credited with bringing glamour back to the White House, with projects including renovating the private quarters and buying new china. “Hollywood on the Potomac,” as the White House was dubbed, played host to many big-name celebrities and royals. But Nancy was not all about style but interested in advocacy, too — her famous “Just Say No” antidrug campaign encouraged American youth to steer clear of drugs and alcohol. Mary Todd Lincoln 1861-1865
Bettmann/Getty Images Known for her tragic life — including husband Abraham Lincoln’s assassination — and signs of mental illness, Lincoln grew entranced by spiritualism (the belief, popular in the 19th century, that the dead are ever-present). Her son, Robert, later had her committed to an insane asylum, but a trial found her sane, and she was released. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe Edith Wilson 1915-1921
Corbis via Getty Images The second wife of Woodrow Wilson — she married the then-widowed president in 1915 after a brief courtship — was one of his closest advisers, and later labeled the “Secret President.” When Wilson suffered a massive stroke and became bedridden, she assumed “stewardship” of the presidency, guarding her husband from guests and meetings until the end of his term. In her memoirs, she claimed she “never made a single decision regarding the disposition of public affairs,” but only about what she did and didn’t show her husband. Entertainment Access curated AARP entertainment articles, essays, videos, films and more See more Entertainment offers > Abigail Powers Fillmore 1850-1853
Alamy She was a bookish teacher in a New Hope, New York, school, when she met future hubby Millard Fillmore — her student, though at 21 she was just two years his senior. As First Lady she was hardly the life of the party; she preferred reading to socializing. Prone to illness, she died of pneumonia 24 days after leaving the White House. Hillary Rodham Clinton 1993-2001
Ron Galella/Getty Images A Wellesley- and Yale-educated lawyer, Hillary’s life is series of “firsts.” After eight years as First Lady to husband Bill Clinton, she jump-started her own political career and became the only First Lady to become a U.S. senator (from New York) and then U.S. secretary of state. During her 2016 bid for president, she had the distinction of being the first woman nominee for a major party. “I’ve been called many things by many people,” she has said. “Quitter is not one of them.” Helen Nellie Herron Taft 1909-1913
Bettmann/Getty Images Wife of one of our more rotund presidents, William Howard Taft, she reportedly pushed him toward the presidency (he was interested in the Supreme Court, where he later served). The ambitious Nellie attended the 1912 Democratic convention to stifle personal attacks on her Republican husband — and it worked. But he lost the re-election to Woodrow Wilson nonetheless. Alamy Hard-working and independent, she built a newspaper business in her early years of marriage to the Warren G. Harding — though while campaigning for him she said, “I have only one real hobby: my husband.” When he died suddenly in office at the age of 58, conspiracy theorists claimed she poisoned him, but historians think it was a heart attack. Michelle Obama 2009-2017
Win McNamee/Getty Images The writer, style icon and graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law School is the only African American to become First Lady. A political powerhouse called “The Closer” for her ability to wow campaign audiences (despite her outward disdain for politics at large), her White House time was dedicated to Let’s Move! — an initiative that targeted the nationwide epidemic of childhood obesity. “This is my mission,” she declared. “I am determined to work with folks across this country to change the way a generation of kids thinks about food and nutrition.” Nancy Kerr is a senior writer and editor of features content for AARP. Prior to joining the organization, she was the editor of special projects for USA Today; a senior editor for the USA Weekend magazine; an assistant managing editor of digital content at The Washington Post and the director of women’s programming at America Online. MORE ON EVENTS & HISTORY AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Restaurants offers > See more Travel Planning offers > See more Flowers & Gifts offers > See more Groceries offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS