Frances Folsom Cleveland was a celebrity first lady unlike almost any before her, and the mass production of her image to sell a variety of goods by the American Consumer industry in the mid1880s angered both her and her husband, president Grover Cleveland. To help us understand the Frances Cleveland sensation sweeping the country, we begin our story inside 1600 pennsylvania avenue as a curious nation waited for the details of a 49yearold bachelor president marrying his 21yearold bride inside the white house for the first and only time in our countrys history, launching Frances Cleveland into instant celebrity. Youre standing in the cross hall of the modern white house. Its the same basic layout as it would have been on june 2, 1886, when president Grover Cleveland and his bridetobe, Frances Folsom, came down what was then the large staircase to the family quarters at the west end of this corridor. They would have proceeded down the hallway. The music started up at the east side behind
This is about 30 minutes. Frances cleveland was a celebrity first later unlike any before her. And the mass production of her image to sell a bride of goods by the consumer industry angered her and her husband, president Grover Cleveland. To help us understand the sensation sweeping the country we begin our story inside 1600 pennsylvania avenue. For the first and only time in our countries history. Watching Frances Cleveland into instant celebrity. This is the modern white house. It is the same basic layout as it would have been on june 2. When president Grover Cleveland and his bride to be came down what was then about large staircase to the family quarters at the west end of this corridor. They would have proceeded on the hallway, the music started up at the east side behind us here where the United States marine band was assembled. The famous John Philip Sousa played the wedding march as the happy couple came down the hallway. They would have passed through these doors, these very s
In the courtroom, they are fighting to save their careers and lives. The last image i wanted to bring to your attention is a. There was a book fair in chicago 10 years ago. Those are wonderful things to go to. For historical research, you can get some great finds. There was, wrapped up in plastic, front page copy of the sinking, july 25. There was a wonderful cartoon that to me, after all the years of research, brings it in chilling fashion to life. The cartoonists blaming greed for the shipwreck. This is a pretty good representation. This has actually shipped the tipped the ship the wrong way. But, the point is well made. That brings to a close the image portion of the presentation. I would be happy to take some questions. We have some books. Some questions . I was in chicago for a few days and took an agricultural tour of the smell river. It is in the middle of chicago. Smale river. It is in the middle of chicago. I get on my boat in south michigan. You were very close. You were at m
Annette dunlap she changed it in terms of putting education in the forefront and getting involved with education and taking care of children. She was really concerned about how children were cared for, and that was something she definitely emphasized. Susan swain and, taylor where would you put her in the pantheon of first ladies weve been learning about this year . Taylor stoermer shes the first celebrity first lady, the First National celebrity first lady. And i think when were talking about the development of our understanding of the institution of the first lady, then she is the first one in which we get to start thinking about what really are the uses of that celebrity in good ways and bad ways, because there are concerns that have developed about the first family being owned by the American Public, but also how that can actually be a positive tool of the broader presidency if only Grover Cleveland would have been able to see that. Susan swain and the story in that regard will con
First ladies library, lucinda fraley. [ applause ]. Thank you. Thank you. And thank you, everyone, who is involved with the symposium. You have absolutely no idea how thrilled my colleagues and i are all to be here. Any time we get a chance to present first ladies we always put forth our mission, which is to i cant think of our mission. You can tell im really good today. It is to educate public about the lives and the activities of the first ladies in this country. And believe me, they were all wonderful. And as i was talking to somebody last night at the reception, we think all the president s were quite intelligent, every one of them. Because they were smart enough to marry the woman who became their lifes partner and the first ladies of our country. We want you to be wowed. We want you to be wowed by the first ladies. And as we are every day. So i would like to introduce friends we know very well through the years. As i introduce each one in the order of Florence Harding, followed b