History Archive
Educators Students Apps Contact
HistoryCentral Est. 1996
Biographies · The First Ladies

First Ladies

The women of the White House. From Martha Washington to Jill Biden — the wives and hostesses who shaped the role of First Lady across more than two centuries. Choose a name to read her story.

44
First Ladies
1789
It begins
Martha→Jill
Washington to Biden

Martha to Jill

All the First Ladies

In order of administration. Some served as White House hostess; a few wives died before their husbands took office.

44 First Ladies
1Martha WashingtonMartha Washington
Martha Washington
1789–1797
George Washington
2Abigail AdamsAbigail Adams
Abigail Adams
1797–1801
John Adams
3Martha JeffersonMartha Jefferson
Martha Jefferson
Died 1782
Thomas Jefferson
4Dolley MadisonDolley Madison
Dolley Madison
1809–1817
James Madison
5Elizabeth MonroeElizabeth Monroe
Elizabeth Monroe
1817–1825
James Monroe
6Louisa AdamsLouisa Adams
Louisa Adams
1825–1829
John Quincy Adams
7Rachel JacksonRachel Jackson
Rachel Jackson
Died 1828
Andrew Jackson
8Hannah Van BurenHannah Van Buren
Hannah Van Buren
Died 1819
Martin Van Buren
9Anna HarrisonAnna Harrison
Anna Harrison
1841
William Henry Harrison
10Julia Gardiner TylerJulia Gardiner Tyler
Julia Gardiner Tyler
1844–1845
John Tyler
11Sarah PolkSarah Polk
Sarah Polk
1845–1849
James K. Polk
12Margaret TaylorMargaret Taylor
Margaret Taylor
1849–1850
Zachary Taylor
13Abigail FillmoreAbigail Fillmore
Abigail Fillmore
1850–1853
Millard Fillmore
14Jane PierceJane Pierce
Jane Pierce
1853–1857
Franklin Pierce
16Mary Todd LincolnMary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
1861–1865
Abraham Lincoln
17Eliza JohnsonEliza Johnson
Eliza Johnson
1865–1869
Andrew Johnson
18Julia GrantJulia Grant
Julia Grant
1869–1877
Ulysses S. Grant
19Lucy HayesLucy Hayes
Lucy Hayes
1877–1881
Rutherford B. Hayes
20Lucretia GarfieldLucretia Garfield
Lucretia Garfield
1881
James A. Garfield
21Ellen ArthurEllen Arthur
Ellen Arthur
Died 1880
Chester A. Arthur
22 & 24Frances ClevelandFrances Cleveland
Frances Cleveland
1886–1889 · 1893–1897
Grover Cleveland
23Caroline HarrisonCaroline Harrison
Caroline Harrison
1889–1892
Benjamin Harrison
25Ida McKinleyIda McKinley
Ida McKinley
1897–1901
William McKinley
26Edith RooseveltEdith Roosevelt
Edith Roosevelt
1901–1909
Theodore Roosevelt
27Helen TaftHelen Taft
Helen Taft
1909–1913
William Howard Taft
28Edith WilsonEdith Wilson
Edith Wilson
1915–1921
Woodrow Wilson
29Florence HardingFlorence Harding
Florence Harding
1921–1923
Warren G. Harding
30Grace CoolidgeGrace Coolidge
Grace Coolidge
1923–1929
Calvin Coolidge
31Lou HooverLou Hoover
Lou Hoover
1929–1933
Herbert Hoover
32Eleanor RooseveltEleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
1933–1945
Franklin D. Roosevelt
33Bess TrumanBess Truman
Bess Truman
1945–1953
Harry S. Truman
34Mamie EisenhowerMamie Eisenhower
Mamie Eisenhower
1953–1961
Dwight D. Eisenhower
35Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Kennedy
1961–1963
John F. Kennedy
36Lady Bird JohnsonLady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
1963–1969
Lyndon B. Johnson
37Pat NixonPat Nixon
Pat Nixon
1969–1974
Richard Nixon
38Betty FordBetty Ford
Betty Ford
1974–1977
Gerald Ford
39Rosalynn CarterRosalynn Carter
Rosalynn Carter
1977–1981
Jimmy Carter
40Nancy ReaganNancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan
1981–1989
Ronald Reagan
41Barbara BushBarbara Bush
Barbara Bush
1989–1993
George H. W. Bush
42Hillary ClintonHillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton
1993–2001
Bill Clinton
43Laura BushLaura Bush
Laura Bush
2001–2009
George W. Bush
44Michelle ObamaMichelle Obama
Michelle Obama
2009–2017
Barack Obama
45Melania TrumpMelania Trump
Melania Trump
2017–2021
Donald Trump
46Jill BidenJill Biden
Jill Biden
2021–2025
Joe Biden
From the makers of HistoryCentral

Explore our history apps

Take HistoryCentral with you. Our apps put American history and centuries of the human story in your pocket.

Browse the Apps →