The First Ladies

Courtney Travers discusses public and media expectations that position first ladies as trendsetters and ideals of femininity. From Michelle Obama's J.Crew fashion to Nancy Reagan's signature red, from...

13 Maj 202419min

Elizabeth Natalle explains how modern first ladies influence diplomacy, often championing democracy on the world stage and advancing progress in foreign policy, human rights, education, and health. Do...

29 Apr 202430min

Thomas Balcerski discusses the contributions that first ladies have made during wartime from the Revolutionary War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. From Mary Lincoln's visits to Civil War veterans...

15 Apr 202433min

Sarah Fling discusses the connections that early first ladies had to slavery and how few first ladies have engaged with civil rights. Martha Washington set a precedent for using enslaved labor at the ...

1 Apr 202420min

Tammy Vigil discusses the roles expected of first ladies and how they perform those roles can be an asset or a liability to the president. Dolley Madison's dinner party diplomacy, Eleanor Roosevelt's ...

18 Mars 202427min

Author Lisa Burns discusses why the public is so interested in first ladies and how their influence endures 235 years after Martha Washington began the role. Show transcripts are available at https://...

4 Mars 202437min

Welcome to The First Ladies, a podcast that reflects on the fascinating legacies of the women forever tied to the White House.

1 Nov 202339s