New Grant Money Dedicated for First Ladies Archives
First Ladies Association for Research and Education announces Lewis L. Gould Archives Grant to make nonprofit archives more accessible.
For scholars studying America’s first ladies, especially the lesser-known women, the work has often been accompanied with frustration in their attempts to unearth hard-to-find sources to help tell fuller stories of presidential spouses.
Now, scholars are hoping to make that work a little easier for their peers as a result of the newly established Lewis L. Gould Archives Grant administered by the First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE), the organization announced last week.
The grant is endowed by historian Lewis L. Gould, who is recognized as the “father” of First Ladies Studies. He is the Eugene C. Barker Centennial Professor Emeritus in American History at the University of Texas at Austin where, in the fall of 1982, he taught the first course on first ladies. Gould also authored or edited more than 20 books, including the Modern First Ladies series he began in 1998, featuring three books he wrote for the series, Lady Bird Johnson: Our Environmental First Lady (1999), Helen Taft: Our Musical First Lady (2010) and Edith Kermit Roosevelt: Creating the Modern First Lady (2012).
A competitive award, it is available to non-profit archives for the purpose of making sources connected to U.S. first ladies more widely available to researchers and the public by processing, digitizing, transcribing, exhibiting and publicizing all or part of a collection connected to the lives and legacies of presidential spouses. The goal of the Gould Archives Grant is to help archives spotlight primary source materials valuable to the study of first ladies that have otherwise been overlooked or relatively unknown in an effort to encourage their use, according to a statement released by FLARE.
The grants will be issued in small awards, prioritizing small sites where first ladies documents are not digitized, Diana Carlin, president of FLARE, tells East Wing Magazine in a recent phone interview.
“I think people are going to react very positively,” said Carlin, noting she has run into issues locating documents on first ladies she’s written about. “It will make a lot of this more accessible.”
In addition to digitizing documents, further uses of the Gould Archives Grant could include, for example, the creation and publicizing of transcriptions of the correspondence of first ladies; an annotated, on-line finding aid; a webpage or website with information about the archival collection/documents, and/or; and an on-line exhibit that centers on the documents.
And, as long expenditures draw attention to documents connected directly to first ladies, the Gould Archives Grant also supports the purchase or upgrade of necessary archival supplies and equipment essential to project goals. That may include a stipend for an intern or current staff member directly related to project activities; the creation of a catalogue or finding aid; transcription services; costs associated with creating an on-line exhibit; publicizing the existence of lesser-known documents or collections.
Grants are up to $600 and no matching funds are required. Priority will be given to archives that can make available lesser-known or lesser-utilized collections to a wide audience of scholars and the public. Eligible applicants must be non-profit archival repositories whose collections are open to the public. More information about the grant can be found here.
Calendar
March 18 and 25, 2026
Focus on Human Rights
The New York State Division of Human Rights along with the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights and the Eleanor Roosevelt Center have launched, Focus on Human Rights: A Three-Part Series, that will analyze the evolution and continued advancement of human rights work in New York State. The series kicks off with webinars on March 11 and March 18. It wraps up with an in-person event on March 25.
The three-part series (two-part webinar and one in-person event) will examine the Division of Human Rights’ modernization efforts, New York State’s protections of human rights under the Human Rights Law, an overview of the Division’s Hate and Bias Prevention Unit, the legacy and impact of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and an in-person panel exploring Eleanor Roosevelt’s leadership in shaping the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that continues to influence human rights work today. Read more
March 26, 2026
America’s First Ladies: Impact and Legacy
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the Truman Library Institute’s annual Women Rising event presents David Von Drehle, New York Times bestselling author and former Washington Post columnist, shares the stage with internationally recognized author and former White House staffer Anita McBride. The event will take place in person and virtually at 6:30 p.m. CT on March 26, 2026. Together, they will explore her groundbreaking research for Remember the First Ladies, in which McBride highlights the women who broke barriers and profoundly shaped presidents, the country and the world. From civil rights to politics, public policy and global diplomacy, first ladies have transformed the “right-hand” role into one of lasting influence—both in public and behind the scenes.
As chief of staff to Laura Bush, McBride had an insider’s view of the First Lady’s evolving role. A knowledgeable and humorous storyteller, she will share insights into how first ladies throughout history advanced the position of women and left their mark on the nation. She’ll also provide fascinating commentary on the under- and over-appreciated residents of the White House, drawing on her unique experience and extensive research. Read more
March 28, 2026
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum Annual Easter Celebration
The Annual Easter Celebration, one of the most anticipated events of spring, will be held in person at the George H.W. Presidential Library & Museum in College Station, Texas, on Saturday, March 28, from 9:30 a.m. until noon local time. Activities at the free event will be available for children aged 9 and under, and will include an Easter egg hunt, carnival games, bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, complimentary refreshments, and photos with the Easter Bunny. Modeled after the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, the Easter Celebration has been hosted by the Bush Library & Museum in partnership with the College Station Police Department since 1999, but the event has a long tradition in College Station. Read more
April 4, 2026
LBJ Library Easter Egg Roll
The LBJ Presidential Library announced the 11th Annual Easter Egg Roll on the lawn of the LBJ Presidential Library. The festivities will include to include: Easter Egg Roll and Hunt, ice cream, a petting zoo, an appearance by the Easter bunny and face painting. The egg hunt will be limited to children ages 5 and younger. Older children will be able to receive prizes by participating in the Egg Roll.
The LBJ Future Forum is excited to host the Partnerships for Children (PFC) community for this special event. PFC’s mission is to make tomorrow better than today by supporting and empowering children, youth, and families involved with Child Protective Services. Please visit the PFC website to learn more. Future Forum also will be collecting diapers (size 4-7), pull-ups (any size), laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, baby wash, baby lotion, baby powder, diaper rash cream, and formula for the Rainbow Room, a 24/7 resource center in the Child Protective Services office. We encourage attendees to bring an item for the Rainbow Room.
The Easter Egg Roll is inspired by the White House Easter Egg Roll, an annual family event to hunt for and race Easter Eggs on the White House South Lawn. The holiday tradition has a long history dating back to 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes officially opened the White House grounds to local children for egg rolling on Easter Monday.
April 4, 2026
Remember the Ladies Family Day
George Washington’s Mount Vernon presents “Remember the Ladies Family Day” on April 4, 2026, from 9 to 4 p.m. Discover the nation’s founding mothers during America’s semiquincentennial and explore the many ways in which women supported the cause of liberty and the Revolutionary War.
Participate in hands-on activities, listen to character interpretations, and see demonstrations that highlight the lives and leadership of women at the home of America’s first First Lady, Martha Washington. Read more
April 10, 2026
Legacy Lecture: On the Road with America’s First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents a virtual program of powerful stories about America’s first ladies with Andrew Och, aka The First Ladies Man. The author of the two-volume series Unusual for Their Time: On the Road With America’s First Ladies highlights the women who shaped the presidency and influenced the course of American history. Read more
April 16, 2026
Third Thursday: Journeys That Changed America
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents on April 16, 2026 from 6 to 8 p.m. local time stories of the first ladies whose travels helped transform diplomacy, leadership, and American life. This in-person Third Thursday program highlights unforgettable journeys: from Jackie Kennedy’s iconic moments abroad to Lady Bird Johnson’s road trips that helped redefine America’s landscapes. Read more
April 23, 2026
From Poise to Purpose: Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, and the Changing Role of First Lady
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation presents a birthday event at the Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on April 23, 2026 to honor First Lady Betty Ford, who would be 108 on April 8.
Betty Ford and Pat Nixon shared more than just the first lady position: they also shared a long history of friendship and mutual admiration. Heath Hardage Lee, author of The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon, will discuss Pat Nixon’s life and times as well as the intertwined fates of Mrs. Nixon and Mrs. Ford, and their contrasting styles as first lady. Read more
May 19, 2026
30th Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum
On May 19, 2026, the Carter Center’s Rosalynn Carter Mental Health and Caregiver Program will convene the 30th Annual Rosalynn Carter Georgia Mental Health Forum, a milestone gathering dedicated to advancing mental health policy, systems, and practice across the state of Georgia. Read more