|
Where History
repeats itself
everyday. |
| |
The
Intimate Lives
of
the
President's
Wives
|
 |
|
Three of America's grandest First
Ladies meet to discuss their lives, their dreams, and life on Pennsylvania
Avenue.
This delightful and informative session features Presidential Wives who occupied
the White House during the Civil War, Mary Todd Lincoln; World War I, Edith
Wilson; and World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt.
|
**************************************************************************************
|
Mary
Todd Lincoln |
1818-1881
White House Years: 1860 -1865
I whispered to Mr. Lincoln "What would Miss Harris
think of my hanging on to you so? The President replied, "She
won't think anything about it." It was nearly 10:15 in the
evening hour
John Wilkes Booth, shot and killed President Lincoln April
14th 1865.
Still holding his hand she begged the doctors, "Please save
my husband! My dear
husband... Could he recover? Oh, my god, I knew I had given my husband to die"
Mary Todd Lincoln began a secret campaign to find
employment for hundreds of destitute individuals during the war. She
actively sought to find work for the former slaves, finding them positions
as clerks, night watchmen, lamplighters, and more. Mary journeyed to
military hospitals, visited the wounded and dying, and brought flowers to
them.
The press never reported her deeds. |
******************************************************************************************
|
1872-1961
White House Years: 1915 - 1921
"Initially, I considered Woodrow resign from the
office. But Dr. Dercum recommended, "For Mr. Wilson to resign
would have a bad effect on the country and if he resigns, the greatest
incentive to recover is gone. He has utmost confidence in
you." Thus, I began my 'stewardship' of the presidency. I
decided who would visit the president. I decided what problems were
crucial for him to review. I studied every document and explained
them to Woodrow. And I signed those papers with my
initials."
For nearly eighteen months Mrs. Wilson guided the office
of the President. It was called the "petticoat
government." |
Edith Wilson
|
********************************************************************************************
|
Eleanor
Roosevelt
|
1884-1962
White House Years: 1933-1945
"...and the very next day, without giving me a
glance or the satisfaction of batting an eyelash, he would calmly state
publicly as his own, the policies and beliefs he had argued against the
night before! And to this day I have no idea whether he had simply
used me as a sounding board, as he so often did, with the idea of getting
the reaction of the person on the outside, or whether my arguments had
been needed to fortify his decision and to clarify his own mind."
|
|
