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40-835: The first room in the White House to carry the name "Lincoln Bedroom" was in the northwest corner of the White House. It existed from 1929 (at which time it was changed from the Prince of Wales Bedroom) until 1961, when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy transformed it into the President's Dining Room . The Lincoln Bedroom and the Lincoln Sitting Room are located in the southeast corner of the Second Floor. As originally designed and completed in 1809, this space contained two very narrow, north–south running bedchambers with

80-619: A U.S. senator for the seventeen-day overlap before Bill Clinton's term came to an end. Established in 1912, the First Ladies Collection has been one of the most popular attractions at the Smithsonian Institution . The original exhibition opened in 1914 and was one of the first at the Smithsonian to prominently feature women. Originally focused largely on fashion, the exhibition now delves deeper into

120-885: A global fashion icon: her style was copied by commercial manufacturers and imitated by many young women, and she was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1965. Mamie Eisenhower was named one of the twelve best-dressed women in the country by the New York Dress Institute every year that she was First Lady. The "Mamie Look" involved a full-skirted dress, charm bracelets, pearls, little hats, and bobbed, banged hair. Michelle Obama also received significant attention for her fashion choices: style writer Robin Givhan praised her in The Daily Beast , arguing that

160-470: A staff to support these activities. Lady Bird Johnson pioneered environmental protection and beautification. Pat Nixon encouraged volunteerism and traveled extensively abroad; Betty Ford supported women's rights; Rosalynn Carter aided those with mental disabilities; Nancy Reagan founded the Just Say No drug awareness campaign; Barbara Bush promoted literacy; Hillary Clinton sought to reform

200-665: A toilet room between them. By 1825, the toilet had been removed and the bathroom space joined to the west bedchamber to create an office. This area was used for the President's office over the next several decades. Abraham Lincoln used it as both an office and a Cabinet room, and signed the Emancipation Proclamation in the room on January 1, 1863. During the Lincoln presidency, the walls were covered with Civil War military maps. It had dark green wallpaper, and

240-609: The Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, what would become the Lincoln Bedroom was used by Roosevelt staffer Louis Howe . In 1945, newly inaugurated President Harry S. Truman learned that the "President's Office" had once been used by Abraham Lincoln. Truman had the bed, furniture, and other items in the Prince of Wales Room moved into the office. The new bedroom was decorated primarily in blue, and became briefly known as

280-450: The War of 1812 . Madison set the standard for the ladyship and her actions were the model for nearly every first lady until Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1930s. Roosevelt traveled widely and spoke to many groups, often voicing personal opinions to the left of the president's. She authored a weekly newspaper column and hosted a radio show. Jacqueline Kennedy led an effort to redecorate and restore

320-518: The White House . Historically, when a president has been unmarried or a widower, he has usually asked a relative to act as White House hostess. While the household always had domestic staff, since the early 20th century, the first lady has been assisted by her event staff, which has grown over the years to include communications, personal, and program staff. Her office is now known as the Office of

360-505: The "Blue Bedroom." The White House underwent a complete reconstruction beginning in 1949, during which the rooms were rebuilt. Jacqueline Kennedy renovated much of the White House during the Kennedy administration, including the Lincoln Bedroom. These changes included adding an unsigned portrait of a Hartford, Connecticut , family in their parlor to what is now known as the Lincoln Bedroom. This unsigned oil painting, dated 1840 to 1850,

400-470: The 45 presidents of the United States have been males, and all have either had their wives, or a female hostess, assume the role of first lady. Thus, a male equivalent of the title of first lady has never been needed; in 2016, as Hillary Clinton became the first woman to win a major party's presidential nomination, questions were raised as to what her husband Bill would be titled if she were to win

440-553: The Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 presidential election . Had Harris' presidential campaign been successful, Emhoff would presumably have been granted this title. However, Harris lost the election, again rendering this a moot point. The position of the first lady is not an elected one and carries only ceremonial duties. Nonetheless, first ladies have held a highly visible position in American society. The role of

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480-527: The First Lady and is headquartered in the East Wing of the White House . Jill Biden has served as the first lady of the United States since 2021, being the wife of the 46th president, Joe Biden . Jill Biden is also one of twelve second ladies to have gone on to become first ladies during their spouses' terms as president. While the title was not in general use until much later, Martha Washington ,

520-555: The First Lady is an entity of the White House Office, a branch of the Executive Office of the President . When First Lady Hillary Clinton decided to pursue a run for Senator of New York, she set aside her duties as first lady and moved to Chappaqua, New York , to establish state residency. She resumed her duties as first lady after winning her senatorial campaign, and retained her duties as both first lady and

560-498: The First Lady's style had helped to enhance the public image of the office. Since the 1920s, many first ladies have become public speakers, adopting specific causes. It also became common for the First Lady to hire a staff to support her agenda. Recent causes of the First Lady are: Fringe (trim) Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

600-480: The United States The first lady of the United States ( FLOTUS ) is a title typically held by the wife of the president of the United States , concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never been codified or officially defined, she figures prominently in the political and social life of the United States. The first lady of the United States is the hostess of

640-402: The White House. Many first ladies became significant fashion trendsetters. Some have exercised a degree of political influence by virtue of being an important adviser to the president. Over the course of the 20th century, it became increasingly common for first ladies to select specific causes to promote, usually ones that are not politically divisive. It is common for the first lady to hire

680-702: The board of trustees of the National Cultural Center, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts . Near the end of her husband's presidency , Hillary Clinton became the first first lady to seek political office, when she ran for United States Senate . During the campaign, her daughter Chelsea took over much of the first lady's role. Victorious, Clinton served as junior senator from New York from 2001 to 2009, when she resigned to become President Obama's secretary of state . Later, she

720-571: The canopy of the Lincoln bed was recreated, and the lace and silk and wool velvet bed drapes were accurately recreated, including hand-made fringe and tassels based upon 19th-century photographs. New gilded window valances in the Rococo Revival style were created in place of those shown in engravings, drawings and a painting made during Lincoln's presidency. 38°53′51″N 77°02′11″W  /  38.897617°N 77.036363°W  / 38.897617; -77.036363 First Lady of

760-403: The carpeting was also dark green. Newspapers were stacked on the desk and tables along with large amounts of mail and requests from office seekers. Two large wicker wastebaskets were filled with debris. The east bedchamber in the southeast corner of the house was converted into an office for presidential aides, although President John Tyler used it as part of his office from 1841 to 1845. During

800-478: The contributions of first ladies to the and American society. In 2008, "First Ladies at the Smithsonian" opened at the National Museum of American History as part of its reopening year celebration. That exhibition served as a bridge to the museum's expanded exhibition on first ladies' history that opened on November 19, 2011. "The First Ladies" explores the unofficial but important position of first lady and

840-548: The dream of the suffragettes by changing her title from First Lady to Acting First Man". According to the Nexis database, the abbreviation FLOTUS (pronounced / ˈ f l ə ʊ t ɪ s / ) was first used in 1983 by Donnie Radcliffe, writing in The Washington Post . Several women (at least thirteen) who were not presidents' wives have served as first lady, as when the president was a bachelor or widower, or when

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880-549: The earliest known written examples comes from a November 3, 1863, diary entry of William Howard Russell , in which he referred to gossip about "the First Lady in the Land", referring to Mary Todd Lincoln . The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when newspaper journalist Mary C. Ames referred to Lucy Webb Hayes as "the First Lady of the Land" while reporting on the inauguration of Rutherford B. Hayes . The frequent reporting on Lucy Hayes' activities helped spread use of

920-474: The election, rendering this a moot point. In 2021, Kamala Harris took office as vice president, making her husband Doug Emhoff the first male spouse of a nationally elected officeholder. Emhoff assumed the title of Second Gentleman of the United States ("gentleman" replacing "lady" in the title) making it likely that any future male spouse of a president will be given the title of first gentleman. Harris would later go on to replace President Joe Biden as

960-469: The first lady has evolved over the centuries. She is, first and foremost, the hostess of the White House. She organizes and attends official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the president. Lisa Burns identifies four successive main themes of the first ladyship: as public woman (1900–1929); as political celebrity (1932–1961); as political activist (1964–1977); and as political interloper (1980–2001). Martha Washington created

1000-459: The healthcare system in the U.S.; Laura Bush supported women's rights groups, and encouraged childhood literacy. Michelle Obama became identified with supporting military families and tackling childhood obesity; and Melania Trump used her position to help children, including prevention of cyberbullying and support for those whose lives are affected by drugs. Since 1964, the incumbent and all living former first ladies are honorary members of

1040-431: The nation still preserved the habits of early life. Indulging in no indolence, she left the pillow at dawn, and after breakfast, retired to her chamber for an hour for the study of the scriptures and devotion." According to popular belief, Dolley Madison was referred to as first lady in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President Zachary Taylor ; however, no written record of this eulogy exists, nor did any of

1080-477: The newspapers of her day refer to her by that title. Sometime after 1849, the title began being used in Washington, D.C., social circles. The first person to have the title applied to her while she was actually holding the office was Harriet Lane , the niece of James Buchanan ; Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper used the phrase to describe her in an 1860 article about her duties as White House hostess. Another of

1120-482: The presidency. During the campaign, the title of First Gentleman of the United States was most frequently suggested for Bill Clinton, although as a former president himself, he might have been called "Mr. President". In addition, state governors' male spouses are typically called the first gentleman of their respective state (for example, Michael Haley was the first gentleman of South Carolina while his wife, Nikki , served as governor). Ultimately, Hillary Clinton lost

1160-506: The process of renovation. A boldly patterned Renaissance Revival patterned carpet was created for the room. The wallpaper became a compromise, using the diamond pattern found in the historic engravings and painting, but eschewing the deep Victorian color palette found in the oil painting for a much lighter off-white color favored by the Bush family in many of the White House rooms they refurbished. The crown-shaped canopy hood which originally held

1200-686: The role and hosted many affairs of state at the national capital (New York and Philadelphia). This socializing became known as the Republican Court and provided elite women with opportunities to play backstage political roles. Both Martha Washington and Abigail Adams were treated as if they were "ladies" of the British royal court. Dolley Madison popularized the first ladyship by engaging in efforts to assist orphans and women, by dressing in elegant fashions and attracting newspaper coverage, and by risking her life to save iconic treasures during

1240-454: The room's carpeting, mantel and painted walls were not of the period. Initial decisions were made to replace the existing Neoclassical mantel with a mid-19th-century Victorian style mantel design, and to use more patterns as would have been used in Lincoln's day for the wallpaper and carpet. Two etchings and a drawing from the Lincoln era consistently showed a diamond patterned wallpaper and a Renaissance Revival style gas chandelier existed then in

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1280-570: The room. A small oil painting showed a color representation of the same diamond patterned wall paper in dark green, mustard and teal. These were used to create duplicates of the fixtures and furnishings that were installed. During the administration of George W. Bush the new curator, William Allman, along with new Bush appointees to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, including Bush family decorator Ken Blasingame, continued

1320-525: The title outside Washington. A popular 1911 comedic play about Dolley Madison by playwright Charles Nirdlinger, titled The First Lady in the Land , popularized the title further. By the 1930s, it was in wide use. Use of the title later spread from the United States to other nations. When Edith Wilson took control of her husband's schedule in 1919 after he had a debilitating stroke, one Republican senator labeled her "the Presidentress who had fulfilled

1360-499: The use of such titles as "Lady", "Mrs. President" and "Mrs. Presidentress"; Martha Washington was often referred to as "Lady Washington". One of the earliest uses of the term "First Lady" was applied to her in an 1838 newspaper article that appeared in the St. Johnsbury Caledonian , the author, " Mrs. Sigourney ", discusses how Martha Washington had not changed, even after her husband George became president. She wrote that "The first lady of

1400-530: The ways that different women have shaped the role to make their own contributions to the presidential administrations and the nation. The exhibition features 26 dresses and more than 160 other objects, ranging from those of Martha Washington to Michelle Obama , and includes White House china , personal possessions and other objects from the Smithsonian's unique collection of first ladies' materials. Some first ladies have garnered attention for their dress and style. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis , for instance, became

1440-468: The wife of George Washington , the first U.S. president (1789–1797), is the first First Lady of the United States. During her lifetime, she was often referred to as "Lady Washington". Since the 1900s, the role of first lady has changed considerably. It has come to include involvement in political campaigns, management of the White House, championship of social causes, and representation of the president at official and ceremonial occasions. Additionally, over

1480-611: The wife of the president was unable to fulfill the duties of the first lady herself. In these cases, the position has been filled by a female relative of the president, such as Jefferson's daughter Martha Jefferson Randolph , Jackson's daughter-in-law Sarah Yorke Jackson and his wife's niece Emily Donelson , Taylor 's daughter Mary Elizabeth Bliss , Benjamin Harrison 's daughter Mary Harrison McKee , Buchanan's niece Harriet Lane , Chester A. Arthur 's sister Mary Arthur McElroy and Cleveland's sister Rose Cleveland . Each of

1520-482: The years individual first ladies have held influence in a range of sectors, from fashion to public opinion on policy, as well as advocacy for female empowerment . The use of the title First Lady to describe the spouse or hostess of an executive began in the United States. In the early days of the republic, there was not a generally accepted title for the wife of the president. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including

1560-600: Was donated by the E. and A. Silberman Galleries . During the Clinton administration the Committee for the Preservation of the White House and then Curator of the White House Betty Monkman began initial assessment for the refurbishment of the room. While most of the furniture and artwork in the room was found to be of similar related periods, and much was associated with the presidency of Lincoln,

1600-549: Was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 2016 election , but lost to Donald Trump . The Office of the First Lady of the United States is accountable to the first lady for her to carry out her duties as hostess of the White House, and is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House. The first lady has her own staff that includes a chief of staff, press secretary, White House social secretary , and chief floral designer . The Office of

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