HOUSTON — The definition of a First Lady is "a woman who is married to the president of the U.S." But in over 230 years since the first, first lady they have proven to be so much more. A confidant, partner and at times caretaker of their husbands. The book "Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women" shows how each First Lady put their own stamp on the role and impacted their husbands' presidency and the nation.
Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride, and Nancy Kegan Smith wrote the book, and were inspired by First Lady, Abigail Adams, when it came to the book's title. In 1776, the future first lady, Abigail Adams, pleaded to her husband to "Remember the Ladies." Her plea was a goal for the authors in sharing stories through the book that would help readers to remember the extraordinary accomplishments of America's first ladies.
Three first ladies were Texan: Lady Bird Johnson and Laura Bush were born in Texas and Barbara Bush moved to Texas in 1948 with her two-year-old son George W. Bush when her husband George H. W. Bush accepted a job in the oil industry.
To get a copy of the book "Remember the First Ladies," click here.
To learn more about White House History, visit whitehousehistory.org.