Main Content

May 6, 2021

This program will be virtual

9:00-9:15am

Welcome and Overview

  • Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States
  • Anita McBride, Director of American University’s First Ladies Initiative and White House Historical Association Board Member
  • Frederick J. Ryan Jr., Chairman, Board of Directors, White House Historical Association
  • Sylvia Burwell, President, American University

9:15-10:35am

First Ladies and Gender

  • Introduced and moderated by Colleen Shogan, Senior Vice President and Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History, White House Historical Association
  • Sara Georgini, Series Editor for The Papers of John Adams, Massachusetts Historical Society
  • Cassandra Good, Assistant Professor, Marymount University
  • Marie Jenkins Schwartz, Professor Emerita, University of Rhode Island
  • Gwendolyn DuBois Shaw, Associate Professor, University of Pennsylvania and Curator for the National Portrait Gallery's Every Eye is Upon Me: First Ladies of the United States

Short break (10 minutes)

10:45am-12:00pm

First Ladies Reconsidered

  • Introduced and moderated by Anita McBride, Director of American University’s First Ladies Initiative and White House Historical Association Board Member
  • Amy Greenberg, George Winfree Professor of American History, Pennsylvania State University
  • Lois Romano, Independent Scholar and columnist, The Washington Post
  • Julia Sweig, Independent Scholar and author

Lunch (12:00-1:00pm)

1:00-2:15pm

First Ladies and Communications

  • Introduced and moderated by Susan Swain, co-Chief Executive Officer and President, C-SPAN
  • Diana Carlin, Professor Emerita of Communication, Saint Louis University
  • Stacy Cordery, Professor of History, Iowa State University
  • Christopher Brick, Director and Editor of The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, George Washington University

Short Break (10 minutes)

2:25-3:40pm

First Ladies and Historic Preservation

  • Introduced and moderated by Katherine Malone-France, Chief Preservation Officer, National Trust for Historic Preservation
  • Barbara Perry, Gerald L. Baliles Professor and Director of Presidential Studies, University of Virginia's Miller Center
  • Nancy Kegan Smith, Former Director of the Presidential Materials Staff, National Archives and Records Administration
  • Mary C. Brennan, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Texas State University

Short Break (5 minutes)

3:45-5:00pm

Key Note: The Triumph of Nancy Reagan

  • Introduced and interviewed by Stewart D. McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association
  • Karen Tumulty, author and columnist, The Washington Post

Closing Remarks

  • Stewart D. McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association

History Happy Hour: Eleanor - Her Impact and Influence on the Role of First Lady

Continue to learn about First Ladies with our History Happy Hour from 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Eleanor Roosevelt was the longest serving First Lady throughout her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms in office (1933-1945). When Mrs. Roosevelt came to the White House in 1933, she understood social conditions better than any of her predecessors, and she transformed the role of First Lady accordingly. David Michaelis, author of Eleanor, will share more about the impact and influence of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

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