First Ladies' Legacies Spotlighted During Women’s History Month
In-person and virtual events share how these historic figures have broken barriers.
This Women’s History Month, check out the organizations spotlighting America’s first ladies—historic figures in their own right—who have influenced policies, politics, society and the historic arc of women.
Calendar
March 11, 2025
Women and American Politics Then and Now
The George Washington Presidential Library in Mount Vernon on March 11 from 7 to 8 p.m. will present a panel of experts on women, history, and politics to learn about how figures of the past and today broke barriers to make a mark on our country and, at times, the world.
This event will feature a conversation with author Kate Anderson Brower, historian Catherine Allgor, and journalist Ali Vitali, moderated by Lindsay M. Chervinsky, the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library.
A book signing and reception with complimentary beer, wine, and hors-d'oeuvres will take place after the discussion. Read more
March 11, 2025
First Ladies & the White House: Initiatives and Impact
The Richard Nixon Presidential Library will present “First Ladies & the White House: Initiatives and Impact” from 9 to 1 p.m. on March 11, 2025. The free symposium will use National Archives records to explore the evolution of the modern office of the first lady. It will highlight Pat Nixon’s pivotal role in shaping the position and her initiatives to restore and renovate the White House. Read more
March 12, 2025
Leading with Purpose: First Ladies in Women's History
The National First Ladies Library & Museum on March 12, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET, presents a free, online webinar with authors Lisa Burns and Teri Finneman for an inspiring Women’s History Month discussion about the evolving role of first ladies. Drawing from their innovative new book, they’ll explore how first ladies have built on one another’s legacies to shape their political, social, and cultural influence. Lisa Burns is a professor of media studies at Quinnipiac University and author of First Ladies and the Fourth Estate. Teri Finneman, is a journalism professor at the University of Kansas, author, and host of The First Ladies Podcast. Read more
March 13, 2025
Michelle Obama and Her Brother to Speak SXSW 2025
Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson will be featured speakers on Thursday at SXSW 2025, the Austin, Texas-based conference has announced. Robinson is the Executive Director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and host of the Higher Ground podcast Ways To Win. The two are slated to speak at 1 p.m. Central time. The event opened on Friday and runs through March 15. For more information, please visit the 2025 SXSW Schedule.
March 16, 2025
Tudor Place: Women’s History Program
Experience a guided tour of Tudor Place on March 16 from 11 to noon ET with an emphasis on the women who lived and worked here. Descendants of Martha Washington, both free and enslaved, the women of Tudor Place blazed trails, overcame tragedy and impacted the growth of Georgetown. Read more
March 20, 2025
Third Thursday Wine & Cheese: Shattering Glass Ceilings Screening
The National First Ladies Library & Museum in Canton, Ohio, presents Eden Valley Enterprises' inspiring documentary, Victoria Woodhull: Shattering Glass Ceilings in an in-person screening on March 20, 2025, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. EDT. Step back into 1872 and experience the story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for U.S. president, as she challenged societal norms and advocated for women’s rights at a time when few dared. Read more
March 22, 2025
Frances Cleveland Among the Stories Celebrating her Husband’s Birthday
Annette B. Dunlap, author of Frank: The Story of Frances Folsom Cleveland, America’s Youngest First Lady, will be among the speakers for the The Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. local time on March 22, 2025, at the Grover Cleveland Presidential Library & Museum at his Birthplace in Caldwell, New Jersey. To register email gcbirthplacereservations@gmail.com. Visit the association’s website.
March 22-23, 2025
Herstory: Women of Mount Vernon Tour
George Washington’s Mount Vernon presents some of the incredible women who lived and worked on the first president’s estate as well as the women who came later to Mount Vernon and were instrumental in saving and preserving Washington's beloved home. Read more
March 24, 2025
Special Cooking with the First Ladies: Women’s History Month Program
Step back in time to explore the unique stories of the women of the Manhattan Project, including the Calutron Girls, who worked in the “Secret City” of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, with no knowledge of the impact they would have on World War II. The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents this Women’s History Month virtual program from 7 to 8 p.m. EDT on March 24, 2025, that will shine a spotlight on these women’s contributions, complemented by insights into First Ladies Eleanor Roosevelt and Bess Truman, who helped guide the nation during this pivotal era. Participants will receive exclusive recipes from the wartime Oak Ridge cookbook Cooking Behind The Fence and a few favorites from the First Ladies of the 1940s. Read more
March 30, 2025
Sunday in the Park with Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush
The George W. Bush Presidential Center presents an afternoon with America’s favorite sister duo, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Pierce Bush.
Jenna and Barbara will be reading their new picture book, I Loved You First (published by Hachette Book Group/Little Brown Books for Young Readers). This enchanting story beautifully captures the deep connection between parents and their children, drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature and the love that shapes our most cherished moments. This is a timed entry event. Tickets can be purchased for either 12:30 or 2:00 p.m. local time. A minimum of one book per ticket order is required. Additional books may be purchased. Read more
Through April 1, 2025
Applications Are Open for Obama Voyager Scholarship
The Obama Foundation has announced that applications are now open for its 2025-2027 cohort. Started by former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama and Brian Chesky, the CEO and co-founder of Airbnb, the Voyager Scholarship is an opportunity for college students interested in pursuing a career in public service to see the world, learn more about their chosen field, receive financial support, and connect with a group of young leaders dedicated to important changemaking work. Application deadline is April 1, 2025. Read more
April 5-6, 2025
White House to Open for Public Spring Tours
First Lady Melania Trump announced Friday the White House will open its gardens and grounds to the public for free spring tours on April 5, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 6, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Visitors can explore the the South Lawn, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, and the White House Kitchen Garden will also be accessible to guests.
A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). The National Park Service will distribute free, timed tickets at a tent outside the White House Visitor Center each day of the tours beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tickets will be distributed—one ticket per person—on a first-come, first-served basis. Please call the 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041 to check on the status of the event. For more information, including what visitors will need to access the White House campus, please visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/Visit.
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.