Tonight: First Ladies Book Discussion on Helen Taft, Our Musical First Lady
Plus, catch up on The First Ladies Podcast and check out Cooking with the First Ladies.
Join the National First Ladies Library & Museum tonight for an intriguing discussion about Helen “Nellie” Taft, first lady from 1909 to 1913. In this fascinating staff-led discussion from 7 to 8 p.m. EDT, historian Lewis L. Gould has brought a shadowy first lady into the light and restored her to a rightful place as a patron of music.
Helen Herron Taft came to the White House intent on establishing Washington, D.C., as the nation's cultural capital. A stroke in May 1909 made her a semi-invalid, impaired her speech, and disrupted her agenda. Historians have written her off as a shrewish figure who pushed her portly husband into the presidency. Gould challenges this outdated narrative.
The discussion will meet on Zoom. This interactive program will not be recorded. Zoom info, questions, and pertinent links will be sent out to participants before the meeting. Read more
Catch Up on The First Ladies Podcast
Episode 6: Courtney Caudle Travers discusses public and media expectations that position first ladies as trendsetters and ideals of femininity. Listen here
May 23, 2024
"Remember the First Ladies" Book Discussion
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum will host a special discussion highlighting some of the first ladies of the United States, including Lou Henry Hoover. Nancy Kegan Smith, one of the authors of Remember the First Ladies, will visit Thursday, May 23, at 7 p.m. CDT to discuss her book and research on some of the most interesting women in U.S. history.The event is free. Paid admission to the museum is not required to attend. The Hoover Gift Shop will be open, and books will be available for purchase and signing. No registration required. Read more
Saturdays through June 1, 2024
Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park Tours
The George W. Bush Center is offering master naturalist-guided tours of the Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park at 10 a.m. CDT, weather permitting. Read more
June 14, 2024
In-Person and Virtual – Learned Lucy: First-Person Interpretation of Lucy Hayes with Sarah Hayden, Featuring a Lemonade Social
The National First Ladies Library & Museum will feature a first-person interpretation of First Lady Lucy Hayes at noon EDT presented by Sarah Hayden for all ages. Lucy Hayes was nicknamed “Lemonade Lucy” after her time in the White House and is one of the many remarkable first ladies of the United States with a rich and complex history. Most well-known for her care of wounded infantry soldiers, the life of Lucy Webb Hayes is one also denoted by temperance, education, and advocacy.
Presented in-person at the National First Ladies Library & Museum as well as streamed online, the lecture will be followed by a “lemonade social.” For those joining us via Zoom, a Lucy Lemonade Recipe card will be sent to your email prior to the event so that you can make your own and toast to the beginning of summer. Read more
June 17, 2024
Virtual Event: Cooking With the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library and Museum will present Sarah Morgan “Cooking with the First Ladies Featuring Edith Wilson” at 7 p.m. EDT on June 17, 2024. Join Sarah Morgan for a virtual feast exploring First Lady Edith Wilson’s life and recipes. Sarah, armed with a history degree and passion for cooking, turns history into a culinary adventure. Sarah Morgan launched her Cooking with the First Ladies Instagram account after finding a copy of The First Ladies Cook Book: Favorite Recipes of all the Presidents of the United States at a thrift store back in 2019. In this virtual program, participants will uncover the culinary legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson.
Sarah Morgan's Cooking with the First Ladies is not just a demonstration—it's a culinary crash course in first ladies history. Read more
June 20, 2024
2024 Annual Martha Washington Lecture
The George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon will present a discussion from 7 to 8 p.m. EDT on June 20, 2024, on how the wife of the nation's first president, Martha Washington, truly defined the new role of first lady of the United States. Hear how she and other first ladies influenced American society, policy, diplomacy, and life, and how many of them broke barriers to make a mark on our country and, at times, the world.
This event features Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride, and Nancy Kegan Smith, authors of the new book, Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women.
In-person tickets are $25 and include a reception with beer and wine and a book signing. Virtual tickets are $10 and the event can be watched in real-time or after the event. Read more
June 20, 2024
In-Person Event: Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies
The National First Ladies Library & Museum will dive into what Abigail Fillmore, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Laura Bush all have in common—the fact they were all teachers! Participants will get an inside look into the newly opened 2024-25 featured exhibit, “Leaders in Literacy: First Ladies as Teachers, Educators, and Librarians” at its Third Thursdays Night Out with the First Ladies. The exhibit is presented by Huntington Bank, and in this curator-led, specialized talk and tour, guests will be fully immersed in the exhibit.
Doors open at 6 p.m. EDT. The program begins at 6:30 p.m.EDT at the National First Ladies Library & Museum (205 Market Ave. South, Canton, OH 44702). Read more
June 23, 2024
First Ladies Fine Dining: Mamie Eisenhower
Join author Andrew Och, aka “The First Ladies Man,” for an in-person, hands-on cooking class from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday June 23, 2024, presented by Cookology at Ballston Quarter in Arlington, Virginia.
Mamie Eisenhower's famous “Million Dollar Fudge” was the perfect dessert for any and every party she hosted. Not only did she throw magnificent parties, dinners and events as first lady, but she also enjoyed hosting parties on every military base that was their home for so many years as a military wife. Learn about and prepare some of Mrs. Eisenhower’s favorites in this class. Read more
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