Featured FLARE Member
(Each month we will feature a FLARE member who is making news
and educating the public about the lives and legacies of America’s first ladies.)
to share your news article(s)!
Diana Carlin contributes Jane Pierce 'In Pursuit' essay
Grief can narrow a life—or deepen moral resolve
More Info >Conference Recap from East Wing Magazine
250 Years of First Ladies Making History
FLARE members, scholars, historians and book authors gathered at American University on May 15th for debate and discussion of presidential spouses.
More Info >Julia Dent Grant Embraced Change
The Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site commemorates the former first lady’s bicentennial with a yearlong series of events and an exhibit that tells her story.
More Info >Launch of New Journal Is Dedicated to Boosting Scholarship of First Ladies
East Wing Magazine article
FLARE Members Sharon Williams Leahy and Teri Finneman contribute to the first-ever Journal of First Ladies Studies, edited by Dr. Christopher Leahy.
More Info >Christopher Leahy Contributes 'In Pursuit' Essay on John Tyler
Ambiguity demands decisive leadership
More Info >From dinner to diplomacy: How giant pandas first came to National Zoo
Bob Bostock & Heath Hardage Lee's recent interview
More Info >East Wing Magazine Article: Conference to Celebrate 250 Years of First Ladies
In May, panelists will discuss how America’s presidential spouses have left their mark on history.
More Info >Catherine Allgor Contributes to In Pursuit
Catherine Allgor, FLARE Inaugural Lifetime Member and 2023 recipient of the Gould Award, authored the essay on Dolley Madison for In Pursuit.
More Info >Dr. Colleen Shogan, FLARE Members Contribute to In Pursuit
FLARE member Dr. Colleen Shogan, former Archivist of the U.S., is leading the civics education program In Pursuit that premiered on Presidents’ Day, February 16, 2026.
More Info >New FLARE President Diana Carlin Targets Growth in Milestone Fifth Year
With Carlin, the First Ladies Association for Research and Education continues to build out offerings that expand and aim to ‘rewrite’ America’s first ladies history.
More Info >Scholars Consider the ‘Big Picture’ When It Comes to ‘Melania’
Mrs. Trump’s interpretation of the ‘first lady’ is what first ladies scholars will analyze for years to come.
More Info >White House Experts on the East Ballroom and Past White House Renovations: Interviews with Diana Carlin and Anita McBride
White House experts weigh in on the renovations to the White House in an interview with Jack DiPrimio.
More Info >Michelle Obama Decodes Her First Lady Sartorial Messages in ‘The Look’
Scholars analyze the former first lady’s 'deliberate' and 'purposeful' wardrobe choices.
More Info >Former White House East Wing Staffers Shocked and Saddened By Demolition of Their Cherished Workplace
Wrecking crews on Monday started tearing down where The Office of the First Lady is housed to make way for President Trump’s Grand Ballroom.
More Info >Jill Abraham Hummer Publishes New Book on Laura Bush
FLARE Member Jill Abraham Hummer has published a book entitled "Laura Bush: Texas Roots, Global Impact" with the University Press of Kansas.
More Info >Annette Dunlap launches Substack Series, AllThingsFirstLadies
Annette Dunlap has started a new Substack series called AllThingsFirstLadies
Her current post is on Betty Ford's Enduring Legacy for Breast Cancer Awareness.
First Ladies: Enduring Infidelities, Strokes and Assassinations
Virtual Program - July 14 at 7:00 pm ET
In case you missed it, FLARE hosted a discussion with moderator Dr. Diana Carlin, FLARE Vice President and Professor Emerita of Communication, Saint Louis University, and author Dr. Craig Smith on his fascinating new book, First Ladies: Enduring Infidelities, Strokes and Assassinations. Dr. Smith has written 25 books, was a speech writer for President Gerald R. Ford, and a consulting writer for President George H.W. Bush.
More Info >