When did the term “First Lady” come into popular use when referring to the president’s wife? In the early days of the U.S. there was not a generally accepted title for the president’s wife. When Lucy Hayes, wife of the 19th president, Rutherford B. Hayes, accompanied her husband to San Francisco in 1877, the press referred to her as “The First Lady of the Land” and the title stuck.
Some First Lady trivia: Which First Lady was once the national president of the Girls Scouts? (Answer: Lou Hoover) Which First Lady was the first to earn a graduate degree? (Answer: Pat Nixon) Which First Ladies were divorcees when they married their husbands? (Answer: Florence Harding and Betty Ford)
To learn more about our First Ladies, check out the First Ladies’ National Library in Canton, Ohio, which was established when Hillary Clinton was our First Lady. The library is open for tours and workshops. It organizes events and exhibits. Michelle Obama is the library’s honorary chairwoman.
Our Library has many books on our First Ladies. More first lady biographies are available in our online resources, too. Check our online catalog or Ask Us!
kt
