Saturday is National First Ladies Day, and attention to the office has been rising. Anita McBride, who was chief of staff to Laura Bush and co-chair of the In Pursuit essay series honoring presidents and first ladies, says essays about first ladies are drawing particular interest. She attributes that interest to long-standing gaps in public knowledge and historical scholarship about the women who have shaped presidential life.
McBride describes the influence of first ladies as a form of ‘soft power’ — an informal, unelected influence that is distinct from the authority of elected office. That influence can be exerted quietly behind the scenes or more visibly in public initiatives, but it generally stops short of direct policymaking. The first lady often complements the president: together they manage ceremonial duties, shape public perception, and model civic engagement, even when many policy decisions remain outside her remit.
Looking back, early first ladies helped define the role for the new republic. Martha Washington, as the first presidential spouse, set precedents for hospitality, formality, and accessibility that helped legitimize the presidency. George Washington treated the job as shared in public life, and Martha’s work as hostess and wartime companion provided a template for how the presidential couple could project dignity and approachability.
By contrast, historians have richer documentary records for some couples than for others. The Adams correspondence, for example, preserves roughly 1,200 letters between Abigail and John Adams, giving an intimate view of life during long separations and revealing how Abigail balanced household management, child-rearing, estate affairs, and eyewitness accounts of revolutionary events. Those letters remain a valuable window into the personal side of early American political life.
Across eras, first ladies have convened social networks, shaped cultural norms, championed causes, and embodied national values. McBride emphasizes both continuity and change: the role has always mattered, but contemporary scholarship and public curiosity are expanding our understanding beyond fashion and protocol to examine substantive civic and social influence. Projects like In Pursuit seek to advance that conversation by pairing historical research with insights from people who have worked in and around the White House.
From literacy campaigns to public health, education, and veterans issues, first ladies frequently choose initiatives that marshal public attention and resources without taking on formal policymaking roles. That judicious exercise of ‘soft power’ can lead to lasting social outcomes. McBride’s perspective, shaped by White House experience, underscores the practical limits of the role while highlighting its considerable reach.
For listeners who want a deeper dive, McBride’s full conversation about first ladies, the In Pursuit series, and the balance between influence and restraint is available on The Takeout podcast.