Remember the Ladies: Why the First Lady Deserves Equal Recognition to the President
The President of the United States wields power and responsibility that makes him known as the “leader of the free world.” From Abraham Lincoln to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, presidents are credited with implementing policies and decisions, the bricks that compose America's structure. Though presidents remain in the media and public perspective as the executive leading the nation, it is time that the role of the president's wife, the first lady, be given equal prestige. A first lady is not elected and is not mentioned in the Constitution. Still, she volunteers her time, working unpaid, and deals with public scrutiny by citizens and the media for her ideas, political involvement, and even the clothes she wears. Despite criticism, she willingly puts herself at the mercy of the public in order to better society and aid the president. From Martha Washington to Eleanor Roosevelt to Michelle Obama, the First Lady of the United States has been instrumental in the United States decision processes, advocating for specific issues and shaping the president's opinion. She deserves to be recognized for her work and impact on the presidency and the United States history.
Martha Washington served as the first lady from 1789 to 1797. Prior to this role, she worked beside her husband, General George Washington, during the American Revolution. Through letters written to governors’ wives, she was instrumental in getting colonial women to volunteer their time and resources to help the Continental Army (National First Ladies' Library para.10). That wasn't the only initiative she led, as “she created spaces for politicians and their spouses in New York and later Philadelphia,” with her drawing-rooms becoming “the first political salon in the United States” (Good 3). Hence, as far as a first lady's role in politics, Martha Washington did not let gender norms make her shy away from taking part. Though she stayed within the realm of domesticity, taking up causes that had women helping the war effort from home, she remained politically engaged by creating conferences for men and women to share knowledge and be intellectually stimulated. Other first ladies would follow suit, often having their own initiatives in their time at the White House.
While President Washington dealt with creating a new nation and setting precedents, Martha Washington, ahead of her time, balanced the standards of being a wife in American society with the tact and charm needed to have political influence. As George Washington commanded the American army, Martha Washington provided soldiers with much-needed supplies, food, and clothing. As the president hosted formal meetings, she held informal ones in the dining room. Both were equally successful in connecting important individuals in each government branch with one another and supporting the spread of knowledge. Then, when George Washington had a cancerous growth surgically removed from his leg in 1789, Martha Washington cared for her husband as his wife and also saved his public image of a strong leader by “mak[ing] arrangements to mitigate the pain of his painful post-surgical recovery, ensuring that the public streets near their home were cordoned off and straw was laid nearby to muffle sounds” (National First Ladies' Library para.17). This anecdote is a testament to her understanding of just how interrelated public opinion and politics were, despite the fact that she had no prior political experience. Mrs. Washington proves that giving the first lady equal status to the president is not a foreign concept, as she was called “Presidentess,” and her legacy remains as the only first lady to be called so (Mount Vernon Library para. 9).
The next first lady, Abigail Adams, followed in Martha Washington’s footsteps and studied public opinion to protect her husband's administration from dissent. She did so by consuming news stories and correcting false information and “became an avid reader of and commentator on both Republican and Federalist newspapers” (Shields and Teute 7). Abigail Adams understood that an incorrect report or an article attacking the administration would only serve to evoke anger and confusion from citizens. Hence, she fought misinformation by sharing newspapers she considered accurate throughout the United States, as well as had local newspapers reprint the factual news stories. Adams' sought to infiltrate public opinion and use it to her husband's advantage. Thus, she would also send the president's speeches to her sister in order “to learn the comments upon it, with a veiw to discover the Temper and Sentiments of the publick mind.” (Shields and Teute 8). She strived to handcraft her husband's image into that of a President liked by the public, though his approval rating was negatively impacted by listening to her advice.
For instance, the crux of the Adams' administration was the XYZ Affair. The French Prime Minister had refused to meet with U.S. diplomats, instead of sending messengers to convey that the United States could only meet with him if they paid. Upon hearing of France's behavior, Abigail Adams advised her husband to go to war. She gauged the public and saw public sentiment shifting to being anti-France. For instance, “The celebrated tricolor cockade, worn by many in their hats only days before, was soon replaced by its black American counterpart” (Ray 2). Ultimately, Adams valued his wife's advice, and though he did not personally want to engage in warfare, he compromised by waging an undeclared war known as the Quasi-War with France. Abigail Adams further urged him to pass a Sedition Act, which came with an Alien act (History.com). In doing so, it became legal to arrest and deport foreigners, both during and outside of wartime. Citizenship requirements also changed from five years of U.S. residency to fourteen years. Under the Sedition Act, American citizens could not write or say anything negative about the government. These controversial acts were met with backlash, as the public found them both harsh and restrictive. As public sentiment grew against the President, Abigail Adams remained steadfast in her support since the Sedition Acts prevented the dissemination of false information against her husband, which was what she had been working so hard to end. The Alien Act kept the French out of the United States, which Adams supported since it kept them from influencing American culture. (Miller Center para.6) Here, Abigail Adams parallels Martha Washington, in that Adams too found herself playing the role of a supportive wife and the role of political figure simultaneously. Even though John Adams’ administration is not among the best in the United States’ history, it did show that Abigail Adams stood by her husband and convinced him of what policy actions to take. The dealings with France are essentially the crux of that administration and for better or for worse, John Adams listened to his wife, which highlights her importance in influencing the president.
Martha Washington had to figure out the role of the first lady by herself, as no one had held it before. Abigail Adams dealt with foreign policy and navigated the nuances of public opinion for President Adams. Still, both dealt more with ceremonial duties. When the torch eventually passed to Eleanor Roosevelt, she faced a new challenge, acting as the president's eyes and ears, due to his inability to walk. Long before entering the White House, Eleanor acted as her husband's political partner, beginning with Franklin Delano Roosevelt's time in the New York Senate from 1910 to 1913 (White House.gov 4 para.4). As he rose among the ranks and became Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Eleanor learned about D.C.'s inner workings firsthand. Then the bad news came: Franklin D. Roosevelt was diagnosed with polio and lost the use of his legs in 1921. From that point on, he relied totally on his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. Thrust into the spotlight, she campaigned for her husband's vice presidency. According to the White House, she even joined the women's division of the State Democratic Committee just to keep his interest in politics alive. As her husband adjusted to a new way of life with his disability, Roosevelt trained under the guidance of Louis Howe, her husband's assistant, growing more comfortable in a public speaking role. (Polak 9) Putting her hatred of giving speeches aside, she took over parts of her husband's work that he could no longer do and continued to when he became president.
Furthermore, it is important to note that the first lady's role is purely symbolic since she is not an elected official. Though Eleanor Roosevelt did not legally have political power, she had political influence equal to that of a president. In fact, Eleanor Roosevelt was often used as an intermediary between the Democratic and Republican parties, and “party officials would not be forced to address controversial or otherwise highly problematic issues” (Polak 14). In turn, Eleanor gained support for issues she advocated for. For example, one highly contested issue was an anti-lynching bill. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, urged the president to condemn lynching and pass anti-lynching legislation publicly. The White House, however, remained silent on the issue. The NAACP then turned to the first lady, who assured the NAACP that the president endorsed anti-lynching when, in reality, he did not express legislative interest. Through Eleanor Roosevelt's continuous reassurance to Black Americans that they were not being left defenseless against discrimination, she “contributed to a shift in the black vote from Republican to Democrat during Franklin D. Roosevelt's second term elections as her rapport with the black electorate reflected well upon her husband” (Cooper 5).
Since Franklin D. Roosevelt was unable to meet with citizens across the country due to his disability, the first lady traveled the country alone in a car. She related to citizens on a micro level, making her appear approachable and working for Americans, which by proxy, made President Roosevelt be viewed similarly. For instance, spiritual leader Pauli Murray wrote to President Roosevelt in 1938, calling on “FDR to stand up to white Southern Democrats” (Rung para. 3). She expressed frustrations like low wages and racism against African Americans. Murray was distraught that her Black family, which had generations fight as soldiers in the United States Army faced racism in the very country they fought for. Though Franklin D. Roosevelt did not respond, Eleanor did, and Murray and Eleanor soon became close friends. They were instrumental in saving Odell Waller, a sharecropper who murdered his white landlord in self-defense, from execution. This situation highlights that even though Franklin D. Roosevelt did not confront Southern Democrats, Eleanor Roosevelt did all she could to help through “ER's special brand of influence peddling, which included notes and telephone calls to her husband, public utterances to the degree she found constructive, and behind-the-scenes work with individuals and organizations” (Rung 4). This instance highlights how the first lady is not just the wife of the president. She works in the shadows, lobbying for causes and convincing her husband to take action. Even British Prime Minister Winston Churchill expressed that President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not have had as good of a presidency without Eleanor Roosevelt. “The debt we owe to President Roosevelt is also owed to her,” Churchill said (Luscombe and Fassi para. 5).
As established thus far, the first lady is a unique job that must balance the expectations of the line of domesticity and political involvement. Eleanor Rosalynn Carter, however, broke the scale and the stereotypes surrounding women with it. Referred to as First Lady Rosalynn Carter, she is known to be one of those most involved first ladies, essentially becoming a co-president during the Carter administration. She attended cabinet meetings, briefings open to only high government officials, and even acted in place of the president at some ceremonies. She went as far as to move her own office from the family quarters of the White House to the East Wing, where the Oval Office is. This act demonstrated a symbolic shift in the role of the first lady, from a mother and homemaker to a political equal to her husband. In fact, Carter ate lunch once a week with her husband, but only to discuss work. This proved that he valued his wife's opinion, as he asked for her advice on major issues. The media did not like her extensive involvement, however. They belittled her by calling her,“‘the steel magnolia — one whose political ambition is concealed behind a facade of southern femininity’” (Combs 8). Despite the media's attempts to reduce Eleanor down to a mere woman, she remained a political force within the White House.
Mrs. Carter took on her own special projects while serving as the first lady. For instance, she took a keen interest in the performing arts and sought to give them more attention. Therefore, she invited artists and performers, both in the United States and abroad to the White House to partake in “...a Sunday afternoon concert series that featured great performers such as Vladimir Horowitz, Mstislav Rostropovich, Leontyne Price, and Mikhail Baryshnikov,” which the public could watch on television (Faye 3). Mental health was another priority for her, so she convinced President Carter to start the Commission on Mental Health, which she was Honorary Chairperson of from 1977 to 1978. The commission sought to determine the state of the nation's mental health, its causes, and available remedies through public hearings. This undertaking led to thousands of pages of data related to mental health, which were made public to be used for research in the future. After a year of compiling data, the first lady took the commission's findings and recommendations to Mr. Carter, resulting in the Mental Health Systems bill. After Mrs. Carter lobbied for the bill and even testified to Congress for its approval, it became an act in 1980. (Faye 4) The act was groundbreaking, as it provided grants to community centers to make mental health a priority. Public perception of Rosalynn Carter changed for the better as she brought reforms. President Carter, on the other hand, lost approval throughout his administration. Though he arranged the Camp David Accords, bringing peace between Egypt and Israel in 1978, his mishandling of the Iranian Revolution hurt his reputation. Ultimately, as author Scott Kaufman's biography on Mrs. Carter summarizes, “Even when her husband Jimmy Carter's approval ratings sank to record lows, she still tied with Mother Teresa as the most admired woman in the world” (Kaufman 1). Rosalynn Carter showed that when placed in the president's role with the same responsibilities, the first lady can end an administration with a higher approval rating than the president himself. Hence, the first lady goes beyond a mother or wife, transcending into a vital political tool.
Now, in more recent times, Michelle Obama represents a first lady that faced a challenge no other had to: racism. President Barack Obama dealt with racism in the United States for being the first Black president, but Michelle bore its brunt. Barack Obama, who is biracial, grew up in a white household, so many people considered him to not be ‘Black enough’ in comparison. Michelle Obama was viewed as her husband’s tie to the Black community, with the phrase “He married her'' indicating that by choosing Michelle, who grew up in a Black household (Griffin 4). She had also been vocal about racism in America and her own slavery ancestors. For example, her college thesis was dedicated to exposing the toxic race relations at her school, Princeton University. Her paper ended up being published in newspapers, and she became known as an advocate for the Black community. By marrying her, the public saw Obama committed himself to the Black cause since he was openly identifying as Black. As a result, Michelle became the target of public hate; “While she legitimated his racial authenticity for many African Americas, for some whites she became the lightning rod, the persistent reminder of his race” (Griffin 4). As that reminder, Michelle Obama endured anger and backlash and ultimately was seen as Black first and first lady second.
With the other first ladies, the media attacked them for directly helping the president, like through persuading them to pass an act. Michelle Obama, however, represented a return to the traditional role of a first lady. She stuck to her health initiative, acted as a hostess, and did not participate in political matters as much as previous first ladies did. Still, it wasn't enough to please the media. Before President Barack Obama took office, Michelle Obama had said, ‘“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country ... not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change”’ (Knuckey para.2). Afterward, the media criticized Obama and accused her of not being a patriot, to the point where she had to clarify in later interviews that she was proud of the United States. That level of in-depth analysis and the questioning of her character that followed would be the type a President faces, not his wife. Hence even before she was the first lady, Michelle Obama demonstrated endurance and strength in the face of harsh treatment that the media usually gives presidents, simply because she was Black. When she wore a sleeveless dress, the public saw it as scandalous.
When she announced an award in the 2013 Oscars, news stories claimed that she was acting in an unpresidential way, even though Former First Lady Laura Bush and even Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan had cameos or speeches at the award show before. Thus, the dissent towards Michelle Obama had racist undertones. Michelle Obama was held to a higher standard than previous First Ladies simply because the public did not accept a Black first lady. In the end, the facade finally broke, and the public's true racist intentions became apparent. Most notably, former Clay, West Virginia Mayor Beverly Whaling posted on Facebook, “It will be so refreshing to have a classy, beautiful, dignified First Lady back in the White House. I'm tired of seeing a Ape in heels” (Browning and Bever para.4,5). The animalistic imagery used here shows that as the first lady, Michelle Obama did not even get the chance to be the next Eleanor Roosevelt or Rosalynn Carter. From the moment she became the first lady, nothing she could do could appease the public, yet she remained strong, composed, and persisted, a trait befitting of a president.
Ultimately, the First Lady of the United States is the cornerstone of American history. Without her, each presidency would have been vastly different. While George Washington set precedents for the presidency, Martha Washington set precedents for the first lady. Abigail Adams mastered the nuances of public opinion and influenced John Adams' foreign and domestic policies. Eleanor Roosevelt served as a tunnel through which President Roosevelt interacted with the citizens and through which the public could express its hardships, concern, and love to the president. Though Eleanor Roosevelt acted as a liaison for the President, Eleanor Carter took on even more responsibility and essentially became a co-president, with Carter consulting her on every pressing issue America faced. Michelle Obama did not blink in the face of public racism, dealing both with it directed towards her and her family, and soldiered on with her health initiative despite public resistance. For every obstacle a president faced, the first lady handled attacks directed at her husband, as well as at herself. She acts as an advisor, a mother, and a hostess. Even when vilified, like Eleanor Carter and Michelle Obama, she remains poised to work. Thus, the first lady deserves recognition. Simply put, echoing the words of Abigail Adams, when discussing the presidents that shaped the United States, all credit cannot be given to those men alone. When taught to generations, American history must not fail to “Remember the ladies.”
By Farah Javed
Illustrations were done in collaboration with the New Media Artspace at Baruch College. The New Media Artspace is a teaching exhibition space in the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Baruch College, CUNY. Housed in the Newman Library, the New Media Artspace showcases curated experimental media and interdisciplinary artworks by international artists, students, alumni, and faculty. Special thanks to docent Anya Ballantyne for creating artwork for this piece.
Check the New Media Artspace out at http://www.newmediartspace.info/