First ladies’ causes: Dolley Madison’s orphanage, Lady Bird Johnson’s beautification, and more

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First ladies’ causes: Dolley’s orphanage and more

A look at some first ladies past and their causes:

DOLLEY MADISON

The first first lady to take on a public project, Madison helped to found an orphanage for young girls, the Washington Female Orphans Asylum. She gave money to the project, donated a cow to provide the girls with fresh milk, and helped to sew uniforms.

MARY TODD LINCOLN

An ardent abolitionist, Lincoln supported the Contraband Relief Association, which worked to provide housing, jobs, clothing and medical care for recently freed slaves. She got involved with the group as a result of her friendship with her dressmaker, former slave Elizabeth Keckley.

HELEN “NELLIE” TAFT

The first first lady to publicly advocate and successfully lobby for federal action, Taft pushed for an executive order that required government departments to create health and safety standards for federal workplaces.

FLORENCE HARDING

An outspoken advocate for the humane treatment of animals, Harding turned down invitations to rodeos, removed big game heads from the state dining room and refused to wear feathers on her clothes. She opposed testing on live animals and questioned laws that could result in harm to sea animals on federal property.

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

The longest-serving first lady, Roosevelt traveled the nation and spoke out loudly on behalf of the homeless, hungry, unemployed, domestic workers, college students, labor unions, women, coal miners, European refugees, African-Americans, soldiers in World War II and more. Her South Lawn victory garden helped inspire Michelle Obama’s garden more than a half-century later.

JACQUELINE KENNEDY

Kennedy was a strong supporter of the arts and promoted historic preservation of the White House, including passage of legislation to make donated items the permanent property of the White House. She helped create the White House Historical Association, pressed for creation of a White House curator and reversed plans to destroy historic Lafayette Square across from the White House.

LADY BIRD JOHNSON

Johnson’s “beautification” efforts encompassed a wide variety of efforts to promote rural and urban environmentalism, national parks conservation, anti-pollution measures and more. Her husband handed her the first pen he used to sign the $320 million highway beautification bill.

NANCY REAGAN

Reagan traveled 250,000 miles throughout the U.S. and abroad promoting drug education and awareness. Her catch-phrase “just say no” became part of the popular culture.

BARBARA BUSH

Bush focused her attention on eradicating illiteracy, establishing a foundation for family literary, appearing on Oprah Winfrey’s show and making regular appearances on a national radio program, “Mrs. Bush’s Story Time.”

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

The first first lady with an office in the West Wing, Clinton was the chief architect and spokesman for the administration’s failed health care reform effort.

LAURA BUSH

A former librarian, Bush emerged as a strong supporter of efforts to promote reading and education.

Source: National First Ladies’ Library (www.firstladies.org) and its historian, Carl Anthony.