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IN THIS CHAPTER

Studying First Lady rankings

Looking at ten evaluation criteria

Reviewing an academic survey

This chapter looks at how experts rank U.S. First Ladies. The public is aware of some of the First Ladies, namely the wives of our most famous presidents. This knowledge comes mostly from schools and the emphasis that the media places on these important First Ladies. But when was the last time you read about or saw a show on Lucy Hayes or Grace Coolidge? On the other hand, you can choose among several movies or books about Eleanor Roosevelt or Jaqueline Kennedy.

Polls show that most U.S. citizens know about the First Ladies in office during their lifetime but don’t know much about the First Ladies of the past. Most Americans are familiar with Michelle Obama, Nancy Reagan, and even Jaqueline Kennedy. But what about Helen Taft or Sarah Polk? Therefore, the public ranks current and famous First Ladies higher than lesser-known first ladies. Academics who study First Ladies, on the other hand, have a better historical perspective and do rank some of our founding First Ladies, such as Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison, very high.

Over time, the standing of a First Lady may change within the rankings of the U.S. public and academics, providing for renewed interest in her life and actions while serving as First Lady. Some First Ladies are highly regarded after they leave office, only to end up being considered disappointments in the long run. Other First Ladies may be considered failures shortly after the end of their term and then become popular later. Nancy Reagan is a great example of this. When her husband left office in 1989, she was ranked very low, among the ten least influential First Ladies. This changed over time, as people took a look at what she had done and how influential she was with her husband, especially during his second term. By the time the newest rankings came out in 2014, she made it into the top 15 list of First Ladies.

This chapter looks at the one consistent academic survey of U.S. First Ladies, the Siena College Research Institute Survey on First Ladies, which is taken just about every decade.