Clinton Presidential Center Presents “Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women”

Please join us on Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. CT, when the Clinton Presidential Center Presents “Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women,” a conversation with authors Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride, and Nancy Kegan Smith.  

Register here to attend the program in person at the Clinton Presidential Center or to tune in live online.  

“Remember the First Ladies” explores the evolutionary role of the first lady and its historic importance on the American presidency. The groundbreaking book shines a light on the influential women who broke barriers and made a mark on our country and, at times, our world, during their tenures in the White House. 

The book includes both biographical and thematic chapters. It examines the influence of first ladies on topics such as civil rights, political campaigns, major speeches, and the White House across the span of the nation’s history. Profiles of first ladies bring their histories, achievements, and legacies to life. Readers learn about the development and expansion of the role of the first lady, from its origins under Martha Washington through its current iteration under Dr. Jill Biden. The book explores how first ladies have been uniquely positioned to influence American society, policy, diplomacy, and life in the White House. 

BOOK: The authors will sign copies of “Remember the First Ladies” following the program. Click here to purchase your copy from the Clinton Museum Store available for delivery or in-store pick up at the event. 

DINE: Join us at our on-site restaurant, 42 bar and table, before the program for happy hour or after the program for dinner. Make your reservation online or call 501-537-0042. 

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Diana B. Carlin is Professor Emerita of Communication at Saint Louis University and a retired professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas. Her research and teaching are in political communication with an emphasis on women in politics, first ladies, political rhetoric, and political debates. She has taught courses on first ladies at three universities.

Anita B. McBride is Executive-in-Residence and Director of the First Ladies Initiative at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies in the School of Public Affairs at American University. Her experience includes service in three U.S. presidential administrations at the White House and Department of State and as chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush.

Nancy Kegan Smith previously served as Director of the Presidential Materials Division of the National Archives and Records Administration. She is President of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education, FLARE. She is co-editor of Modern First Ladies: Their Documentary Legacy and lectures on first ladies and presidential records. 

Clinton Presidential Center Presents is a partnership between the Clinton Foundation, Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas, and Clinton Presidential Library.