First Lady

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First Lady is the unofficial title in a number of countries of the wife of an elected male head of state.^[1] It originated in the United States in 1849, when United States President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison "First Lady" at her state funeral while reciting a eulogy written by himself.^[2] Occasionally another woman, such as the President's daughter, will fill the duties of First Lady as hostess in the White House, if the President's wife is unwilling, unable, or if the President is a widower or bachelor. The current First Lady of the United States is Michelle Obama, wife of Barack Obama. In American English media the term First Lady is often applied to wives of Heads of State of other countries, irrespective of whether or not there is such a role or whether that role is differently described.

Contents 1 Origin 2 Variations 2.1 First Gentleman 2.1.1 Current U.S. First Gentlemen 3 Non-political uses 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References

[edit] Origin

In the early days of the United States republic, there was no generally accepted title for the wife of the President. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including the use of such titles as "Lady," "Mrs. President," "Mrs. Presidentress" (in the case of Edith Wilson) and "Queen of the White House."^[3] Dolley Madison was referred to as "first lady" in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President Zachary Taylor. However, no written record of this eulogy exists.^[4]

Harriet Lane, niece of bachelor President James Buchanan was the first woman to be called First Lady while actually serving in that position. The phrase appeared in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Monthly in 1860, when he wrote, "The Lady of the White House, and by courtesy, the First Lady of the Land." Once Harriet Lane was called First Lady, the term was applied retrospectively to her predecessors.

The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when Mary C. Ames wrote an article in the New York City newspaper The Independent describing the inauguration of President Rutherford B. Hayes. She used the term to describe his wife, Lucy Webb Hayes. Mrs. Hayes was a tremendously popular first lady, and the frequent reporting on her activities helped spread use of the term outside Washington.^{[citation needed]}

In some situations, the title is bestowed upon a non-spouse. Park Geun-hye, former head of the Grand National Party of Korea, has been referred to as the First Lady to South Korean President Park Chung Hee. Although she is President Park's daughter, the title was bestowed upon her after her mother's death.^[5]

[edit] Variations

The entire family of the head of state may be known familiarly as the "First Family."^[6]

The spouse of the second in command (such as a Vice President) may be known as the "Second Lady," or Vice-First Lady. Less frequently, the family would be known as the "Second Family".

The wife of a male governor of a U.S. state is commonly referred to as the First Lady of that state, for example "First Lady of Ohio." The practice is less common for wives of mayors but is nevertheless used for some, particularly large cities; example: "First Lady Maggie Daley of Chicago."

[edit] First Gentleman

The wife of a male Governor of a U.S. state is referred to as the First Lady of that state; similarly, the husband of a female Governor would be referred to as the First Gentleman of that particular state. If a woman were elected president or otherwise ascended to the presidency, her husband would likely be styled First Gentleman.^[7]

[edit] Current U.S. First Gentlemen

• Todd Palin (Alaska)
• Dr. John Brewer (Arizona)
• Lou Rell (Connecticut)
• Daniel Mulhern (Michigan)
• Bob Eaves (North Carolina)
• Mike Gregoire (Washington)

[edit] Non-political uses

It has become commonplace for the title of "First Lady" to be bestowed on women, as a term of endearment, who have proven themselves to be of exceptional talent, even if that talent is non-political. For example, the term has been applied in the entertainment field to denote the "First Lady of Television" (Lucille Ball), the "First Lady of Song" (Ella Fitzgerald), the "First Lady of Country Music" (Tammy Wynette) the "First Lady of American Soul" (Aretha Franklin),^[8] the "First Lady of the Grand Old Opry" (Loretta Lynn), and the "First Lady of the American Stage" (Helen Hayes) ^[9].

The term "first lady" is also used to denote a woman who occupies the foremost social position within a particular locality.^[10]

The spouse of the president of a university or college may also be styled its first lady. In some institutions this use is official, and in some unofficial. In many it is not used.

The term is also used often in the religious setting. The wife of a senior pastor is sometimes called "first lady."

[edit] See also

• List of First Ladies of Brazil
• Spouses of the Prime Ministers of Canada
• List of First Ladies of France
• First Lady of Paraguay
• First Lady of the Philippines
• First Lady of Malaysia
• First Lady of Mexico
• First Lady of South Korea
• First Lady of the United States
  • List of First Ladies of the United States
• List of current United States first spouses (U.S. states & territories)
• First Lady of Venezuela

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Sellers, Maud (April 1894). "The City of York in the Sixteenth Century". The English Historical Review 9 (34): 275–304. doi:10.1093/ehr/IX.XXXIV.275. 
• Russell, A. (1889). Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York. 21. pp. 494–515.