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Join FLARE on March 19 at 7 pm EDT for a program by Annette Dunlap moderated by Nichola Gutgold on first lady and fashion, Inside the Wardrobe.

Join FLARE on March 19 at 7 pm EDT for a program by Annette Dunlap moderated by Nichola Gutgold on first lady and fashion, Inside the Wardrobe.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 7pm ET

Tune in to “Inside the Wardrobe: First Ladies and the Politics of Fashion,” for a deeper dive into the stories behind some of our first ladies’ sartorial choices.

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American FLOTUS Podcasts View All Podcasts

Flare 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 American POTUS, we present experts drawn from the many members of FLARE sharing with us their expertise and their experiences. We hope you enjoy American FLOTUS. The next podcast is:

Jackie Kennedy's Use of Soft Diplomacy

On this episode of American FLOTUS scholar Elizabeth (Jody) Natalle discusses with host Alan Lowe the soft diplomacy that Jacqueline Kennedy perfected into an art and a science.  From 43 State Dinners to meetings around the world with presidents and prime ministers, Jackie set a new standard for all future First Ladies. The transcript is available at the link below.

Listen to the Podcast 

 Read the Transcript

Why Melania Trump will 'never be a traditional First Lady': She has 'her own ideas' Melania and Donald are splitting their time between Washington, D.C., and Florida.
OP/ED: The press secretary to the former first lady explains how Jill Biden gave the country a fresh, evolved view of what the first lady can be.
Former First Lady Laura Bush Accepts Award at St. Valentine’s Day Luncheon
Hillary Clinton, Duffy tangle over DOGE involvement in Transportation Department
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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 The Second Lady as Understudy:

Apprenticing the Role Before Ascending
to the First Lady Mainstage

by Jeanne Ryan Wolfson

Senate Ladies Luncheon

Second Lady Pat Nixon (far right) at a Senate Ladies Luncheon,
June 9, 1959. Photo credit: Richard Nixon Foundation

Twelve of the nation’s first ladies served as second ladies of the United States before their husbands were elected President: Abigail Adams, Letitia Tyler, Abigail Fillmore, Eliza Johnson, Edith Roosevelt, Grace Coolidge, Bess Truman, Pat Nixon, Lady Bird Johnson, Betty Ford, Barbara Bush, and Dr. Jill Biden. Their time as second lady revealed some of what they would bring to the role of first lady as well as causes they would continue to champion.

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First Ladies Birthdays view all events

Tue
8
2025
April 8, 2025

Elizabeth “Betty” Bloomer Ford

April 8, 1918

Sat
19
2025
April 19, 2025

Lucretia Rudolph Garfield

April 19, 1832

Sat
26
2025
April 26, 2025

Melania Knavs Trump

April 26, 1970

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