Outskirts Press, INC.

THE FIRST LADIES OF THE 19TH CENTURY

Michelle Obama, Jackie Kennedy, Mamie Eisenhower—these are just a few of the 20th-century wives of American presidents who have been immortalized under the blazing spotlight of public scrutiny and media coverage. But go back a hundred years to the First Ladies of the 19th century, and we find a group of women who have often been overlooked—and not because their contributions were less or their lives less colorful.



“In an era with few national newspapers and journals, and with photography in its infancy, it was the President whose picture hung in towns and cities throughout the land… The First Lady was rarely seen outside the capital and remained almost unknown to the nation’s citizens until the latter part of the century.”



Remembering the Ladies will bring these extraordinary women from the first hundred years of the American presidency to life. It’s an insightful peek into the personal and political lives of this group of First Ladies, many of whom were burdened by more than their fair share of misfortune—and some who were nearly forgotten. These are women who were thrust into a political arena that was not always receptive or supportive. Their tales involve slavery, bigamy, duels, royal snubs, wars, assassinations, and suffrage. First and foremost, however, the First Ladies of the 19th century were loyal and dedicated citizens, wives, and mothers, whose stories deserve to be told.