First Ladies

In 2008, Michelle Obama became the first African American first lady after her husband, Barack Obama, was elected as the first African American President of the United States. Michelle and Barack were elected on a wave of euphoria, but not everyone shared in the enthusiasm of the moment and they endured vicious attacks. In spite of this, Michelle’s popularity climbed, and she became a critical factor in President Obama’s re-election in 2012. During her time in the White House, Michelle used her platform to speak on issues such as gun violence and launched the Let’s Move! initiative dedicated to combating childhood obesity.

Jackie Kennedy’s time in the White House was short – thirty-five tumultuous months that promised a new dawn for America but were marked by private betrayal and public tragedy. Featuring rarely seen personal letters, photographs and intimate audio recordings, the episode reveals how Jackie took control of JFK’s legacy in the days following his assassination, writing about ‘the brief shining moment that was known as Camelot’.

Nancy Reagan is popularly known as the doting wife of President Ronald Reagan, but in reality, she had much more than a supporting role in the first ‘Hollywood’ presidency. From Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for the White House in 1980, to his Cold War ending triumph in 1987, Nancy Reagan was pulling strings and calling the shots behind the scenes.

Eleanor Roosevelt and former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt created arguably the most formidable political partnership in American history. Eleanor's desolate childhood sowed the seeds of a life devoted to standing up for the poor and dispossessed. By the time she reached the White House, she was at the forefront of efforts to ease the suffering caused by the Great Depression and a leader of the campaign for civil rights.

Bill and Hillary Clinton entered the White House in 1992, and Hillary was almost immediately attacked for being too ambitious and too involved in her husband’s administration. Following Bill Clinton’s scandal, Hillary chose to forge her own path and became a Senator, Secretary of State and nearly elected as the first female president of the United States. This episode explores the life of Hillary Rodham Clinton and how she became a trailblazer who forever changed the role of first lady.

On November 22nd, 1963 the assassination of President John F. Kennedy launched the presidency of Lyndon Baines Johnson – and catapulted his wife Lady Bird into a role that she didn’t prepare for. The Johnson administration enacted one of the most prolific legislative programs in U.S. history – but it likely wouldn’t have succeeded without Lady Bird Johnson’s steadying presence. Lady Bird became a master mediator, helping to soothe discord in the administration, and shape LBJ’s reputation in the country.