Megan Hance
Kevin Monroe
HIST 181-001
30 October 2017
Influential First Ladies
The United States has had presidents and First Ladies ever since 1789. Their legacy will always be remembered and talked about in every history book. First Ladies started out as just the wife of the President that hosted parties but have evolved into an important role within the United States Government that now have a say in political decisions. Many First Ladies have made an impact on the United States but some more than others. Some of the more influential First Ladies are Claudia Taylor (Lady Bird) Johnson, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter. Each First Lady has experienced a pre-White House life, present White House life, and a post White House life. Each one has influenced the United States in different ways or at different points in their life, but ultimately impacted it for the greater good.
Claudia Taylor Johnson was born in Karnack, TX on December 22, 1912. She was the daughter of Thomas and Minnie Taylor. Unfortunately, her mother died while she was at a young age and she was raised by a nursemaid, whom she received the nickname of “Lady Bird” from. She was a smart individual as she graduated from Marshall High School at age 15 and went on to St. Mary’s College. After finishing there, she continued to the University of Texas to study history, journalism, and shorthand (First Ladies Biography: Lady Bird Johnson). Lady Bird met Lyndon Johnson while he was in Austin, TX for work. They went on a date and after a short seven-week relationship, he proposed, and Lady Bird said yes. She married President Lyndon B. Johnson in November of 1934 while he was a Congressional Secretary. According to The White House and their article on Mrs. Johnson, “The years that followed were devoted to Lyndon's political career, with "Bird" as partner, confidante, and helpmate.” Lyndon Johnson allowed for Lady Bird to run his political office while he was serving in the war and during his time of illness. It was often joked that she ran the office better than he did, as seen in the Lady Bird Johnson Program (Lady Bird Johnson’s Featured Item). Lady Bird bought and ran her own radio station in 1943. She worked hard and eventually transformed it into a larger business including AM and FM stations, and a TV station. She stayed actively involved with the radio station even throughout her days in the White House (The Environmental First Lady).
Lady Bird Johnson became First Lady in the year of 1963 and continued in that role until 1969. The Johnson’s began their lives in the White House due to tragic events. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Lyndon Johnson’s inauguration took place on a plane a couple hours later with Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Kennedy on each side of him (MacNeil). Although it was hard, she tried to make the transition into the White House as painless as possible since the Johnson’s and the Kennedy’s were friends. During this time, she did not leave Mrs. Kennedy and often asked her opinion on many matters. Lady Bird Johnson had an interest in the history of First Ladies and studied them throughout her lifetime. The National Library of First Ladies stated that she is, “One of the few women to assume the position with a highly conscious sense of the public expectations, the limitations and the opportunities that came with it.” In 1964, Lyndon Johnson ran for his own presidency term and Lady Bird was the one of the main reasons behind it. She worked extensively to provide him with reasons on why he should run and ultimately she convinced him of doing so. Lady Bird is responsible for the beginning of campaigning First Ladies. She used her inheritance to travel and give speeches on why Mr. Johnson should become the next president and speak about his political talents. In the end, it paid off with a victory in the 1964 election (First Lady Biography: Lady Bird Johnson). Mrs. Johnson impacted the United States in many ways, but one of her main objectives was the beautification of the land. During her time of working on the beautification, she coined the nickname of “The Environmental First Lady”. During Lady Bird’s time in the White House, she passed over 200 laws concerning the environment and 50 major initiatives (The Environmental First Lady). In 1965, she passed the High Beautification Act, which was the act she was the most active in. This act stated that interstates must be kept clean and limit the use of advertising. This, along with the many other acts or funds she developed, were meant to be used to preserve the land (Highway Beautification Act). Lady Bird Johnson, “Planted bulbs and trees along roadsides to call attention to the growing crisis of habitat and species loss”, as stated by the editors at Biography.com. With the above evidence, it is easy to conclude that Mrs. Johnson had a love for the land and that she hugely impacted how nature was seen at that point in time. Mrs. Johnson supported President Johnsons movement of War on Poverty, which was an initiative to address poverty, unemployment, and inequality in the nation. This stance also was to help children who were in need by keeping them nourished and giving them the opportunity to go to school.