| Post: | First Lady |
| Body: | the United States of America |
| Style: | Madam First Lady |
| Residence: | White House |
| Inaugural: | Martha Washington |
| Website: | First Ladies |
The first lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, but, on occasion, the title has been applied to women who were not presidents' wives, such as when the president was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president was unable to fulfill the duties of the first lady. The first lady is not an elected position; it carries no official duties and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. Traditionally, the first lady does not hold outside employment while occupying the office,[1] although Eleanor Roosevelt earned money writing and giving lectures, but gave most of it to charity,[2] and Jill Biden has maintained her regular job as an educator during her time in the role.[3] The first lady has her own staff, including the White House social secretary, the chief of staff, the press secretary, the chief floral designer, and the executive chef. The Office of the First Lady is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House, and is a branch of the Executive Office of the President.
There have been total of 54 first ladies including 43 official and 11 acting, within 46 first ladyships. This discrepancy exists because some presidents had multiple first ladies. Following Joe Biden's inauguration on January 20, 2021, his wife, Jill Biden, became the 43rd official first lady.
There are four living former first ladies: Hillary Clinton, married to Bill Clinton; Laura Bush, married to George W. Bush; Michelle Obama, married to Barack Obama; and Melania Trump, married to Donald Trump. The most recent first lady to die was Rosalynn Carter, married to Jimmy Carter. The first first lady was Martha Washington, married to George Washington. Presidents John Tyler and Woodrow Wilson had two official first ladies; both remarried during their presidential tenures. The wives of four presidents died before their husbands were sworn into office but are still considered first ladies by the White House and National First Ladies' Library: Martha Wayles Skelton, married to Thomas Jefferson;[4] [5] Rachel Jackson, married to Andrew Jackson;[6] [7] Hannah Van Buren, married to Martin Van Buren;[8] and Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur, married to Chester A. Arthur.[9] [10] One woman who was not married to a president is still considered an official first lady: Harriet Lane, niece of bachelor James Buchanan. The other non-spousal relatives who served as White House hostesses are not recognized by the First Ladies' Library.
In 2007, the United States Mint began releasing a set of half-ounce $10 gold coins under the First Spouse Program with engravings of portraits of the first ladies on the obverse.[11] When a president served without a spouse, a gold coin was issued that bears an obverse image emblematic of Liberty as depicted on a circulating coin of that era and a reverse image emblematic of themes of that president's life. This is true for the coins for Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, and James Buchanan's first ladies, but not the coin for Chester A. Arthur's first lady, which instead depicts suffragette Alice Paul.[12]
Living first ladies (from oldest to youngest):
This list includes all persons who served as first ladies, regardless of whether they were married to the incumbent president or not, as well as persons who are considered first ladies and the White House Historical Association. It is sorted by the name the first ladies were commonly known as.
No. | Portrait | Name | Tenure | Age at tenure start | President | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | data-sort-value="Washington, Martha" | Martha Washington [13] [14] | April 30, 1789 – March 4, 1797 | data-sort-value="Washington, George" | George Washington | |||
| 2 | data-sort-value="Adams, Abigail" | Abigail Adams [15] [16] | March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801 | data-sort-value="Adams, John" | John Adams | |||
| 3 | data-sort-value="Jefferson, Martha" | Martha Jefferson | March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1809 | data-sort-value="Jefferson, Thomas" | Thomas Jefferson | |||
| 4 | data-sort-value="Madison, Dolley" | Dolley Madison [17] [18] | March 4, 1809 – March 4, 1817 | data-sort-value="Madison, James" | James Madison | |||
| 5 | data-sort-value="Monroe, Elizabeth" | Elizabeth Monroe [19] [20] | March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 | data-sort-value="Monroe, James" | James Monroe | |||
| 6 | data-sort-value="Adams, Louisa" | Louisa Adams [21] [22] | March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829 | data-sort-value="Adams, John Quincy" | John Quincy Adams | |||
| 7 | data-sort-value="Donelson, Emily" | Emily Donelson [23] | March 4, 1829 – November 26, 1834 | data-sort-value="Jackson, Andrew" | Andrew Jackson | |||
| data-sort-value="Jackson, Sarah" | Sarah Jackson [24] | November 26, 1834 – March 4, 1837 | data-sort-value="Jackson, Andrew" | Andrew Jackson | ||||
| 8 | Vacant | March 4, 1837 – November 27, 1838 | Vacant | data-sort-value="Van Buren, Martin" | Martin Van Buren | |||
| data-sort-value="Van Buren, Angelica Singleton" | Sarah Van Buren [25] | November 27, 1838 – March 4, 1841 | data-sort-value="Van Buren, Martin" | Martin Van Buren | ||||
| 9 | data-sort-value="Harrison, Anna" | Anna Harrison [26] [27] | March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 | data-sort-value="Harrison, William" | William Henry Harrison | |||
| data-sort-value="Harrison, Jane" | Jane Harrison | March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 | data-sort-value="Harrison, William" | William Henry Harrison | ||||
| 10 | data-sort-value="Tyler, Letitia" | Letitia Tyler [28] [29] | April 4, 1841 – September 10, 1842 † | data-sort-value="Tyler, John" | John Tyler | |||
| data-sort-value="Tyler, Priscilla" | Priscilla Tyler [30] | September 10, 1842 – June 26, 1844 | data-sort-value="Tyler, John" | John Tyler | ||||
| data-sort-value="Tyler, Julia" | Julia Tyler [31] [32] | June 26, 1844 – March 4, 1845 | data-sort-value="Tyler, John" | John Tyler | ||||
| 11 | data-sort-value="Polk, Sarah" | Sarah Polk [33] [34] | March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 | data-sort-value="Polk, James" | James K. Polk | |||
| 12 | data-sort-value="Taylor, Margaret" | Margaret "Peggy" Taylor [35] [36] | March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 | data-sort-value="Taylor, Zachary" | Zachary Taylor | |||
| 13 | data-sort-value="Fillmore, Abigail" | Abigail Fillmore [37] [38] | July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853 | data-sort-value="Fillmore" | Millard Fillmore | |||
| 14 | data-sort-value="Pierce, Jane" | Jane Pierce [39] [40] | March 4, 1853 – March 4, 1857 | data-sort-value="Pierce, Franklin" | Franklin Pierce | |||
| 15 | data-sort-value="Lane, Harriet" | Harriet Lane [41] [42] | March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 | data-sort-value="Buchanan, James" | James Buchanan | |||
| 16 | data-sort-value="Lincoln, Mary" | Mary Lincoln [43] [44] | March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865 | data-sort-value="Lincoln, Abraham" | Abraham Lincoln | |||
| 17 | data-sort-value="Johnson, Eliza" | Eliza Johnson [45] [46] | April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869 | data-sort-value="Johnson, Andrew" | Andrew Johnson | |||
| 18 | data-sort-value="Grant, Julia" | Julia Grant [47] [48] | March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877 | data-sort-value="Grant, Ulysses" | Ulysses S. Grant | |||
| 19 | data-sort-value="Hayes, Lucy" | Lucy Hayes [49] [50] | March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881 | data-sort-value="Hayes, Rutherford" | Rutherford B. Hayes | |||
| 20 | data-sort-value="Garfield, Lucretia" | Lucretia Garfield [51] [52] | March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881 | data-sort-value="Garfield, James" | James A. Garfield | |||
| 21 | data-sort-value="McElroy, Mary" | Mary McElroy [53] | September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885 | data-sort-value="Arthur, Chester" | Chester A. Arthur | |||
| 22 | data-sort-value="Cleveland, Rose" | Rose Cleveland [54] | March 4, 1885 – June 2, 1886 | data-sort-value="Cleveland, Grover" | Grover Cleveland | |||
| data-sort-value="Cleveland, Frances" | Frances Cleveland [55] [56] | June 2, 1886 – March 4, 1889 | data-sort-value="Cleveland, Grover" | Grover Cleveland | ||||
| 23 | data-sort-value="Harrison, Caroline" | Caroline Harrison [57] [58] | March 4, 1889 – October 25, 1892 † | data-sort-value="Harrison, Benjamin" | Benjamin Harrison | |||
| data-sort-value="McKee, Mary Harrison" | Mary Harrison McKee | October 25, 1892 – March 4, 1893 | data-sort-value="Harrison, Benjamin" | Benjamin Harrison | ||||
| 24 | data-sort-value="Cleveland, Frances, 2" | Frances Cleveland | March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 | data-sort-value="Cleveland, Grover" | Grover Cleveland | |||
| 25 | data-sort-value="McKinley, Ida" | Ida McKinley [59] [60] | March 4, 1897 – September 14, 1901 | data-sort-value="McKinley, William" | William McKinley | |||
| 26 | data-sort-value="Roosevelt, Edith" | Edith Roosevelt [61] [62] | September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909 | data-sort-value="Roosevelt, Theodore" | Theodore Roosevelt | |||
| 27 | data-sort-value="Taft, Helen" | Helen "Nellie" Taft [63] [64] | March 4, 1909 – March 4, 1913 | data-sort-value="Taft, William" | William H. Taft | |||
| 28 | data-sort-value="Wilson, Ellen" | Ellen Wilson [65] [66] | March 4, 1913 – August 6, 1914 † | data-sort-value="Wilson, Woodrow" | Woodrow Wilson | |||
| data-sort-value="Wilson, Margaret" | Margaret Wilson [67] | August 6, 1914 – December 18, 1915 | data-sort-value="Wilson, Woodrow" | Woodrow Wilson | ||||
| data-sort-value="Wilson, Edith" | Edith Wilson [68] [69] | December 18, 1915 – March 4, 1921 | data-sort-value="Wilson, Woodrow" | Woodrow Wilson | ||||
| 29 | data-sort-value="Harding, Florence" | Florence Harding [70] [71] | March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 | data-sort-value="Harding, Warren" | Warren G. Harding | |||
| 30 | data-sort-value="Coolidge, Grace" | Grace Coolidge [72] [73] | August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929 | data-sort-value="Coolidge, Calvin" | Calvin Coolidge | |||
| 31 | data-sort-value="Hoover, Lou" | Lou Hoover [74] [75] | March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933 | data-sort-value="Hoover, Herbert" | Herbert Hoover | |||
| 32 | data-sort-value="Roosevelt, Eleanor" | Eleanor Roosevelt [76] [77] | March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945 | data-sort-value="Roosevelt, Franklin" | Franklin D. Roosevelt | |||
| 33 | data-sort-value="Truman, Bess" | Elizabeth "Bess" Truman [78] [79] | April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953 | data-sort-value="Truman, Harry" | Harry S. Truman | |||
| 34 | data-sort-value="Eisenhower, Mamie" | Mamie Eisenhower [80] [81] | January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 | data-sort-value="Eisenhower, Dwight" | Dwight D. Eisenhower | |||
| 35 | data-sort-value="Kennedy, Jacqueline" | Jacqueline "Jackie" Kennedy [82] [83] | January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 | data-sort-value="Kennedy, John F." | John F. Kennedy | |||
| 36 | data-sort-value="Johnson, Lady Bird" | Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson [84] [85] | November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969 | data-sort-value="Johnson, Lyndon B." | Lyndon B. Johnson | |||
| 37 | data-sort-value="Nixon, Pat" | Thelma "Pat" Nixon [86] [87] | January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974 | data-sort-value="Nixon, Richard" | Richard Nixon | |||
| 38 | data-sort-value="Ford, Betty" | Elizabeth "Betty" Ford [88] [89] | August 9, 1974 – January 20, 1977 | data-sort-value="Ford, Gerald" | Gerald Ford | |||
| 39 | data-sort-value="Carter, Rosalynn" | Rosalynn Carter [90] [91] | January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 | data-sort-value="Carter, Jimmy" | Jimmy Carter | |||
| 40 | data-sort-value="Reagan, Nancy" | Nancy Reagan [92] [93] | January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 | data-sort-value="Reagan, Ronald" | Ronald Reagan | |||
| 41 | data-sort-value="Bush, Barbara" | Barbara Bush [94] [95] | January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 | data-sort-value="Bush, George H. W." | George H. W. Bush | |||
| 42 | data-sort-value="Clinton, Hillary" | Hillary Clinton [96] [97] | January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 | data-sort-value="Clinton, Bill" | Bill Clinton | |||
| 43 | data-sort-value="Bush, Laura" | Laura Bush [98] [99] | January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 | data-sort-value="Bush, George W." | George W. Bush | |||
| 44 | data-sort-value="Obama, Michelle" | Michelle Obama [100] [101] | January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017 | data-sort-value="Obama, Barack" | Barack Obama | |||
| 45 | data-sort-value="Trump, Melania" | Melania Trump [102] [103] | January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021 | data-sort-value="Trump, Donald" | Donald Trump | |||
| 46 | data-sort-value="Biden, Jill" | Jill Biden [104] | – present | data-sort-value="Biden, Joe" | Joe Biden | |||
Certain spouses of presidents of the United States are not considered first ladies of the United States.
Four presidents were widowed prior to their presidencies:
Two presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their presidencies:
Two presidents were divorced and remarried prior to their presidencies:
Two presidents remarried after their presidencies: