Anita McBride to Headline National First Ladies Library & Museum Fundraising Gala
Event marks 25th year since the First Ladies National Historic Site was designated.
For decades the Canton, Ohio-based National First Ladies Library & Museum has been dedicated to telling the stories of America’s first ladies. In honor of its milestone 25th anniversary since being named a historic site, the organization has announced Anita McBride, former chief of staff for former First Lady Laura Bush, will headline its premier fundraising event, “Women of the White House Gala.”
The event will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 20, 2025, at the historic Onesto Event Center in Canton and will include a Kennedy-era inspired dinner, a discussion with McBride, live entertainment, photo opportunities and the Jewelry Box Raffle. Guests will also have the opportunity to view an exact replica of Jacqueline Kennedy’s iconic wedding gown from the museum’s permanent collection.
“Anita McBride has spent her career not just witnessing history, but shaping it,” said David Lee, president and CEO of the NFLLM in a statement. “Her work elevating the voices and contributions of first ladies is perfectly aligned with our mission, and we are honored to bring her to Canton for what promises to be an unforgettable evening.”
McBride’s career includes senior roles under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. She is the co-author of Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women and U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies, and currently leads the First Ladies Initiative at American University.
The NFLLM, according to Lee, has grown tremendously from when it was first founded by Stark County, Ohio native Mary Regula, the wife of former Ohio Congressman Ralph Regula. Since then, it has expanded from a single online biography to a full museum and research center visited by guests from all 50 states and countries around the world.
Along the way, it added “Museum” to its name and acquired artifacts like the Jacqueline Kennedy replica wedding dress, which was donated by Monte Durham of TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress. It partnered with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to revitalize First Ladies Park, expanded its outreach nationwide with programs in Florida and Arizona and will launch a National Advisory Board later this year. And, the NFLLM has welcomed former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush as well as descendants including Jenna Hager Bush.
“We’re deeply grateful to the community, donors, and supporters who have made this growth possible, and we can’t wait to see where the next 25 years will take us,” Lee said in an email.
This year’s event is hosted by the National First Ladies Auxiliary Board, a dedicated group of women volunteers who work year-round to strengthen the museum’s mission through advocacy, engagement and philanthropy. The event is presented by Employers Health.
Tickets and sponsorships are now available here.
CGI Celebrates ‘Re-imagined’ Annual Meeting’s 20th Year
Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), a program of former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton’s Clinton Foundation, will celebrate its 20th anniversary at September’s annual gathering in New York.
This year’s event has been described as “re-imagined” by organizers who have attracted leaders from around the globe in areas including heads of state, business, philanthropy, nobel laureates, civil society and activists.
The meeting is designed to promote collaboration and take action to confront new and worsening challenges on climate, health, the economy, and more.
President Clinton in a statement outlined that this year’s meeting will look different than previous years to most effectively confront the challenges of 2025 and lay the groundwork for what’s next.
“The global development community is at an unprecedented crossroads, with growing humanitarian needs, fewer resources, and the landscape changing every day. Given the scope of the challenges we face, this year’s CGI meeting will be different—by necessity,” Mr. Clinton said in a press release. “We need to redefine how we show up, how we work, and how we find ways to honor our common humanity. This September, our goal will be to connect dots across issues, expose the consequences, and confront the complicated issues in front of us.”
To tackle these challenges, the Clintons, including their daughter, Chelsea, have called together leaders of major charitable foundations, nonprofits, businesses, governments, unions, and more to chart solutions in 2025. Initial featured participants at the CGI 2025 Annual Meeting include:
Heads of State and government leaders including Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda; Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas; Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, President Vjosa Osmani of Kosovo, and Amy Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM);
Business leaders including Priscilla Sims Brown, President and CEO, Amalgamated Bank; Rolando Gonzalez Bunster, Chairman and CEO, InterEnergy Group; Tim Cadogan, CEO, GoFundMe; James Mwangi, Group CEO, Equity Group Holdings; Daniel O’Day, Chairman and CEO, Gilead Sciences; and Bill Ready, CEO, Pinterest;
Philanthropic leaders including Nancy Lindborg, President and CEO, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation; Patricia McIlreavy, President and CEO, Center for Disaster Philanthropy; Binaifer Nowrojee, President, Open Society Foundations; Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, President and CEO, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Karlee Silver, CEO, Grand Challenges Canada; and Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation;
Nobel Laureates including Denis Mukwege, President and Founder, Panzi Hospital; Maria Ressa, Co-Founder and CEO, Rappler; and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Founder and Chair Emeritus, The Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development;
Civil society and multi-lateral organization leaders including Nazanin Ash, CEO, Welcome.US; Ann Lee, Co-Founder and CEO, Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE); Lisha McCormick, CEO, Last Mile Health; Michelle Nunn, President and CEO, CARE USA; and Kennedy Odede, Co-Founder and CEO, Shining Hope for Communities;
Global Activists and Advocates including Suyen Barahona Cuan, Executive Director, Colmena Fund; Ai-jen Poo, President and Executive Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA) and Caring Across Generations; Liz Shuler, President, AFL–CIO; Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers; and more.
Calendar
Butterfly Daze To Honor Rosalynn Carter with Wreath-Laying Ceremony
The fourth annual Butterfly Daze in Plains, Georgia, starting on Saturday will pay tribute to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter leading up to what would have been her 98th birthday.
The celebration, entering its fourth year, will mark the first time it will be held in the absence of both former President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Mr. Carter passed away less than a year ago on Dec. 29, 2024, at age 100 and Mrs. Carter died on Nov. 19, 2023. She was 96.
Highlights will include the National First Ladies Day Commission and The Society of Presidential Descendants honoring former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s birthday on Aug. 18 with an inaugural wreath-laying ceremony at the Carter Gardens and Burial Site in Plains.
The full schedule of the Butterfly Daze events are as follows (all times are EDT):
Saturday
Festivities get started at 8:30 a.m. with the Rosalynn Carter Memorial Food Distribution taking place at the Plains Inn and Antique Mall parking lot. More than 30 years ago and with the support of Maranatha Baptist Church, the former first lady began serving food to neighbors in need. The service continues on in her name.
At 11 a.m. at Plains High School, the U.S. Postal Service will unveil the official postage stamp commemorating former President Jimmy Carter.
At 11:50 a.m., Hudson House will host the fourth annual Butterfly Release. People can participate in the live release.
At 12:30 p.m., “A First Ladies Tribute to Rosalynn Carter” panel discussion is scheduled to take place at Plains High School. Panelists include President and Mrs. Carter’s grandson James Carter, President and Mrs. Carter’s niece Kim Carter Fuller, presidential descendants Mary Jean Eisenhower and Richard Gatchell, Jr., and presidential historian, author, and Carter friend Larry Cook. Dr. Larry Cook will be signing his books (for purchase) about first ladies and President and Mrs. Carter.
From noon to 2 p.m., visitors can tour Apartment 9a, the apartment at 200 Pascal Street where the Carters lived with their three sons upon first returning from the Navy to Plains in 1953.
At 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., sessions of “Cooking with the First Ladies Man featuring Rosalynn’s Family,” a ticketed event at Mama Allie’s House (Rosalynn Carter’s Childhood Home) that has already sold out.
From 6 to 9 p.m., “Paint-By-Carter” Presidential Descendants Painting Party” will be held at the Plains Community Center. Tickets are required.
Sunday
From 10 a.m. to noon, “Rosalynn” Sunday will be held at Maranatha Baptist Church. Sunday School will be taught by the former first lady’s niece, Kim Carter Fuller and the worship service will feature special musical guests followed by birthday cake and coffee fellowship.
Monday
At 10 a.m., the National First Ladies Day Commission and The Society of Presidential Descendants will honor and remember former First Lady Rosalynn Carter’s birthday on Aug. 18 with an inaugural wreath-laying ceremony at the Carter Gardens and Burial Site in Plains, Georgia.
Several presidential descendants will be present for the event. A short ceremony will commence that morning to remember the former first lady. The Carter Gardens and Burial Site, where the Carters’ graves are located, was designed by Rosalynn Carter and is operated by the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Aug. 25, 2025
First Ladies on the Page Book Club: The President’s Wife: A Novel
Join the First Ladies on the Page Book Club for an exciting discussion of The President’s Wife: A Novel by Tracey Wood on Monday, August 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM via Zoom.
Discover the incredible story of Edith Bolling Wilson, a fiercely independent woman who became the First Lady of the United States and shaped the course of history during one of the most tumultuous times in America. Tracey Enerson Wood brings Edith Wilson’s complex and courageous journey to life in this sweeping historical novel. Read more
Sept. 5, 2025
Legacy Lecture: Julia Grant in Her Own Words
The National First Ladies Library and Museum will take participants back in time to the Civil War era with former First Lady Julia Dent Grant as she shares her extraordinary life story. On Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, at noon ET, join a virtual first-person performance that brings Julia Grant to life. Experience her remarkable journey as she navigated the challenges of her husband’s rise to become the Commanding General of the U.S. Army, faced the trials of raising four children during the Civil War, and lived through one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Julia Grant, the wife of General Ulysses S. Grant, witnessed major battles, narrowly escaped an assassination plot, and stood by her husband’s side during the volatile years of Reconstruction. Read more
Through Sept. 5, 2025
There is Still Time to Apply as a Volunteer to Help Decorate the White House for the Holidays
Applicants have until Sept. 5, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET to submit their applications to First Lady Melania Trump to volunteer to help decorate the White House for the Christmas holidays or to apply as performer at the White House during the holiday open houses.
Selected applicants will be notified by Monday, October 13, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET. All selected volunteers are responsible for their individual travel, accommodations, and personal expenses.
Volunteer Christmas Decorator Application:
Those interested in volunteering to decorate the White House ahead of the Christmas Season may apply HERE. Please note that any individual applying to volunteer at the White House must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Each person must apply individually; group applications cannot be accepted. Decorating will take place during the week of Monday, November 24 through Sunday, November 30, 2025. Additional details may be found on the application page.
Volunteer Holiday Performer Application:
Performers and musical groups including school bands, choirs, and holiday-themed entertainers are encouraged to apply HERE for the opportunity to perform during the holiday open houses during the month of December. Additional details may be found on the application page.
Please direct any questions to Volunteers@who.eop.gov
Sept. 18, 2025
Third Thursday Wine & Cheese: First Ladies & Their Iconic Hats
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents a wine and cheese event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. EDT on Sept. 18, 2025, during a fascinating evening exploring the iconic hats worn by first ladies throughout history. Read more
FLARE Announces Call for Submissions for New E-journal
The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) invites submissions to a new e-journal, FLARE’s Journal of First Ladies Studies, which is scheduled for launch early in 2026. The journal welcomes scholarly submissions based on original research on any aspect of the study of first ladies, including work that examines them within a historical context, adopts a comparative perspective, presents a theoretical approach, or offers an interdisciplinary framework for analysis in fields such as history, women’s studies, communication, sociology, political science, material culture, and historic preservation.
Inquiries about potential articles in the journal should be directed to the journal’s editor, Christopher J. Leahy, Professor of History at Keuka College, at cleahy@keuka.edu.
Select Saturdays through Oct. 18, 2025
Tales from the First Lady
Mount Vernon invites you to step back in time and join Martha Washington for a special in-person storytelling adventure at 10 a.m. on select Saturdays from July 19 through Oct. 18, 2025. Designed for children ages 4-7, this engaging 30-40 minute program offers a unique opportunity to hear a captivating children's story read aloud by Mrs. Washington herself. Young learners will have the chance to ask Mrs. Washington questions and hear fascinating snippets about her own childhood or stories about her children. Read more
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.