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The term "First Lady" was first coined by President Zachary Taylor in 1849 whil eulogizing Dolly Madison. The first White House occupant to be called "First Lady" was by The Bachelor President James Buchanan referring to his niece Harriet Lane who was actually occupying that position. In the media, Frank Leslie in his Illustrated Monthly in 1860, was first to print , "The Lady of the White House, and by courtesy, the First Lady of the Land." Since Harriet Lane, the term "First Lady" went to all predecessors of her position.
The title was first used in print for Mrs. Rutherford Hayes.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe term "first lady" goes back to President James Buchanan....15th president. He was not married, some say he was gay. He had his niece move into the White House to handle all his "social affairs". The people who worked at the White House didn't know how to address her.....so they coined the phrase "first lady".
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThis is actually a complicated question, because the term was used sporadically, but did not really come into common use till the late 1800s/early 1900s. One of the earliest uses of the term "first lady" was applied to Martha Washington. In an 1843 newspaper article that appeared in the Boston Courier, the author, "Mrs. Sigourney," discussing how Mrs. Washington had not changed even after her husband George became president, wrote that "The first lady of the nation still preserved the habits of early life. Indulging in no indolence, she left the pillow at dawn, and after breakfast, retired to her chamber for an hour for the study of the scriptures and devotion" ("Martha Washington," Boston Courier, 12 June 1843, p. 4). Interestingly, in her day, Martha Washington was usually called "Lady Washington," as if she were a member of the British royalty.
But it would be another 40-50 years before you would see the term "first lady" used by the press (what we today call the media). Lucy Hayes, wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes, was called by this term in 1877, and gradually more presidential wives were referred to by some version of this title-- First Lady of the Land, First Lady of the Republic, First Lady of the Nation... and eventually, by the time of Eleanor Roosevelt, just as "First Lady."
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What is another term for the presidents wife?
Another term for the president's wife is the first lady.
What year was the term first lady used and for which first lady?
The term First Lady was first coined in 1860, in reference to Harriet Lane the White House hostess for her bachelor uncle, President James Buchanan. Before that the presidents wives were popularly known as "Lady ......." as in President and Lady (Washington, Maddison etc....).
Who is our current first lady?
Currently (in December 2015), the First Lady is Michelle Obama; she is the first woman of color in US history to be First Lady. When her husband Barack Obama's term as president ends, the US will have a new president and a new first lady---or if a woman wins, we will have a First Gentleman.
Who was the first first lady for the us president?
Martha Washington was the wife of he first president and was widely respected and honored as such. However, the term "first ladY' for the president's wife was not used at first. The consensus seems to be that the first White Hostess who was given this title was Harriet Lane , the niece of bachelor president, James Buchanan.
When did Hillary Clinton become 1st lady?
Hillary Clinton became the first lady in 1993-- first term of Bill Clinton as a President.
Who was the 6th first lady?
The wife of the 6th president was Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams. I am not sure you would call her the 6th first lady, since the 3rd president did not have a wife when he lived in the White House and the term "first lady" was not commonly used for the president's wife until several years later.
When did Michelle Obama become the first lady of the US?
When President Obama was sworn in, his wife automatically became first lady. That is the title given to the wife of the president. But it should be noted that the term "First Lady" did not really become commonly used until the early 1900s.
Who is the president of Mexico and first Lady of Mexico?
As of 2011, they were Felipe Calderon (term: 2006-2012) and Margarita Zavala.
What is the name of the very first first lady?
That was Martha Washington, wife of George Washington, who was our first president. Interestingly, the term "first lady" was not yet in use in American culture. But Martha was so beloved that people thought of her like royalty, and they called her "Lady Washington."
Why are the first ladies called first ladies?
Some people have suggested that since the president is the chief executive or the first man, so it stands to reason that they would call his wife the first lady. But the answer is a bit more complicated. Historically, the term "first lady" was not in common use until the late 1800s, and even then, there was a question about who should have this title. Some newspaper reporters and political figures believed it should be the wife of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, since the Chief Justice served for many years, while presidents' wives were not as much of a stable presence, given that they only were around for as little as four years. One of the first times the term was applied to a president's wife was when Zachary Taylor called Dolly Madison the "First Lady" at her funeral. But the term "first lady" was not seen in newspapers very often until the early 1890s, when it was applied to the wife of President Benjamin Harrison-- she was often called the "first lady of the land," and the wife of President Grover Cleveland was also referred to in this same way.
What prior political and leadership experience does Hillary have that makes her qualified to be the next president?
Hillary was a US senator from New York. That was her only elected office. She was cabinet member for President Obama's first term.
What does lady mean?
The term "ladies first" means that men will should allow women to go first.
