FLARE | First Ladies Association of Research and Education

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New podcast episode released Dec 18

Listen in as host Alan Lowe talks with Jill Abraham Hummer about her book, Laura Bush: Texas Roots, Global Impact.

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FLARE Online Program: History of White House Holiday Traditions

American FLOTUS Podcasts View All Podcasts

American FLOTUS

American FLOTUS is dedicated to bringing you the very best information and analysis about the First Ladies of the United States. In this partnership of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) and the American POTUS podcast, we present experts drawn from the many members of FLARE, who share their expertise and experiences with us. We hope you enjoy American FLOTUS.

The most recent podcast is:

The Many Roles of a First Lady from the White House to the Big Screen

Join host Alan Lowe for the next episode of American FLOTUS featuring Lisa Burns and Teri Finneman, discussing their book, The Cambridge Companion to US First Ladies. From serving as influential advocates and trendsetters to their roles in wartime and in film, this conversation covers a wonderfully diverse set of topics that show the many ways First Ladies have influenced our nation and our world.

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Our Mission

The mission of FLARE is to create and sustain a network to promote and publicize research and education relevant to the contributions, lives, impacts, and lasting legacies of U.S. First Ladies.

Our Vision

FLARE will be the primary association to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and outreach among scholars, institutions, First Ladies’ staff, biographers, archivists, journalists, and public historians interested in research and education about the lasting legacy of U.S. First Ladies.

FLARE Focus more information

FLARE Focus on Betty Ford’s Dance with Vulnerability and Leadership

Jamey Grisham

“Betty Bloomer Ford’s vivid performance as our most candid first lady has made her memorable,” observes first daughter Margaret Truman.^[¹^] Although much scholarship centers on Ford’s advocacy for breast cancer awareness and substance abuse, comparatively little has probed the influence of her early years as a professional dancer. Before her White House tenure, Ford trained rigorously in modern dance—a discipline that deeply informed her lifelong commitment to authenticity and empathy.
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Upcoming Events view all events

←	January 2026					→
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
				1	2	3 Grace Goodhue Coolidge January 3, 1879 January 3, 2026
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17 Michelle Robinson Obama January 17, 1964 January 17, 2026
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26 Julia Dent Grant January 26, 1826 January 26, 2026	27	28 FLARE Virtual Program: A Tour of the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace & Museum Online January 28, 2026 7:00PM - 9:00PM EST	29	30	31

Wed
28
2026

January 28, 2026
7:00PM - 9:00PM EST

FLARE Virtual Program: A Tour of the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace & Museum

Online

First Ladies Birthdays view all events

Sat
3
2026

January 3, 2026

Grace Goodhue Coolidge

January 3, 1879

Sat
17
2026

January 17, 2026

Michelle Robinson Obama

January 17, 1964

Mon
26
2026

January 26, 2026

Julia Dent Grant

January 26, 1826

* indicates Inaugural Lifetime Individual Member
*Kristin Ahlberg	*Catherine Allgor	*Mary R. Anderson	Sara W. Armstrong	*Thomas J. Balcerski	*Maurine Beasley
*Allida Black	*Pamela G. Bourland-Davis	*Mary C. Brennan	*Christopher Brick	*Paulette Brinka	*Mary Balfour Calvert
*Diana B. Carlin	Kathie Cesa	*Stacy Cordery	*Erika N. Cornelius Smith	*Susan Donius	*East Wing Magazine
Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum	*Sharon Fawcett	Andra Gillespie	*Lewis L. Gould	James R. Grisham, III	*Nichola Gutgold
*Laura Gutin	*Myra G. Gutin	*Linda B. Hobgood	*Edwina and Tom Johnson (Atlanta)	*Kay Sebring-Roberts Kuhlmann	Michael LaRosa
*Christopher J. Leahy	*Heath Hardage Lee	Alan Lowe	*Anne F. Mattina	*Anita B. McBride	*Lisa Hill McCubbin
*Elizabeth J. Natalle	*Nick Natalle	Andrew Och	*Valerie Palmer-Mehta	*Barbara Perry	*G. Joseph Pierron
*Maria Protti	*Lindsay B. Reynolds	*Rebecca Boggs Roberts	*Katherine A. S. Sibley	*Nancy Kegan Smith	*Mary Stockwell
*Larry and Louann Temple	*Elizabeth Lorelei Thacker-Estrada	*Courtney C. Travers	*Tammy R. Vigil	*Molly Wertheimer	*Sharon Williams Leahy
*Jeanne Ryan Wolfson	*Nancy Beck Young	*Kay Zerwick

American University School of Public Affairs Inaugural Lifetime Institutional MemberLearn More	Rider University Learn More	The White House Historical Association Learn More	Massachusetts Historical Society Learn More
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation Learn More	National First Ladies' Library * Museum Learn More	Center for Presidential History, Southern Methodist University Learn More	George W. Bush Institute Learn More
Dole Institute of Politics Learn More	National Trust for Historic Preservation Learn More	National Archives Learn More	Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site Learn More
Montpelier Foundation Learn More

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