Last week America swore in our 45th President. Whole libraries exist dedicated to the lives of our leaders. Indeed any bookstore worth its salt includes a biography section dedicated to our Presidents. But what about the other leadership position in the White House? No, not the Vice President–the title that comes with no description, but a whole lot of responsibilities: the First Lady.
The History of the First Lady
Not every President has taken his oath with a wife standing by. However, the role of First Lady is filled with every new leader, by nieces, sisters, or close family friends. Even if a First Lady enters the office along with the new POTUS, but dies while he is in office, a new person always fills the position for the remainder of his tenure. First Ladies have been everything from actresses to career politicians, advocates for social change and even once taking over when the Chief became too ill to fulfill his duties alone.
In honor of this diverse and oft-overlooked post, we’ve put together a reading list of books about our First Ladies, from Martha to Michelle.
1. Martha Washington
America’s first First Lady, Martha Washington took the post reluctantly. Her marriage to George was her second, but instead of quiet years by his side, she wound up with the Father of our nation. Martha was so opposed to her husband becoming president that she did not attend his inauguration. For more on Martha, check out Patricia Brady’s Martha Washington: An American Life.
