Transcripts For CSPAN3 First Ladies Influence And Image 20151010

To mamie with music, 160 million join in our chorus. To mamie with music, to mamie, with love. Susan swain a birthday tribute to Mamie Eisenhower, televised nationally by cbs in march of 1956, just a few weeks after her husband, president Dwight Eisenhower, announced his bid for reelection. Tonight, 1950s america and the life and times of first lady Mamie Eisenhower. Good evening and welcome to cspan series, first ladies influence and image. Tonight is Mamie Eisenhowers turn. And here to tell us about her life are two people who have spent a lot of time with first ladies, and in particular in marilyn holts case, Mamie Eisenhower. Shes a historian and author of a biography called, Mamie Eisenhower, the generals first lady. We also welcome back edith mayo to the table. Edies been one of our guiding forces among academic historians on first ladies for this whole series. Its nice to see you again. Edith mayo nice to be back. Susan well, what should we take away watching that piece of video from the 1950s . [laughter] about her popularity . About the use of television . Marilyn irvin holt the film clip you showed from the Birthday Celebration in march, 1956, this is shown. And obviously, its an election year. And immediately, the democrats want equal time because this is in their view a campaign ad. And william paley, who was president of cbs, and a very close friend of the eisenhowers, says, no, no, no, its not equal time because this is nonpolitical entertainment with the first lady. Well, obviously, mamies birthday is in november, were just a few days away from it right now. And this is in march. So obviously, there was some political background to this. But if you watched the show at the time, what you saw besides the singing and the celebrating were a lot of people talking about mamie, and with real affection, and wanting to get across or reemphasize how really popular she was at the time. Susan edie mayo, what should we know about television and the presidency in the 1950s . Edith mayo well, the eisenhower campaign was the first televised campaign. And so there were a whole range of new techniques that were brought to the fore for that campaign. And there were there were these wonderfully rehearsed maninthestreet interviews that were supposed to be spontaneous, but were obviously quite rehearsed. But that was quite a new feature for a campaign. And then you had all the, you know, the little bouncing balls and bouncing elephants and so forth that were ike for president and we like ike and i like ike and everyone likes ike. So there were a whole range of new techniques that came to the fore. I think part of the excuse, if you will, about having this celebration for mamie was that she so epitomized the 50s, particularly with american women. That if she hadnt been there to do it, someone would have had to invent her, i think. Susan well have 90 minutes to learn more about Mamie Eisenhower and her full life, with the eight years that the eisenhowers spent in the white house. And the one special thing about this program, we have live cameras at the eisenhowers farm in gettysburg, pennsylvania. That farm is about 90 miles away from washington, d. C. It takes about two hours to drive there and then outside of the very famous Historic Town of gettysburg. Its about six miles away from town center. The eisenhowers bought this in the 1950s and spent their white house years and also their retirement years there. Right now, youre looking at mamies bedroom. You will learn about mamies affection for pink during this program, and you can see lots of evidence there in the bedroom that she created for herself in her retreat away from public life. Well be back to that later on throughout the program. Were going to go back in time and learn a little bit about Mamie Eisenhower Mamie Geneva Doud her biography. And to do that, lets go back to that special in 1956 where they talk a bit about her biography as well. [video clip] and i hope that you, the members of our organization, and our distinguished guests, will enjoy this salute to our first lady. A Birthday Party is really a party when some of the party inaudible . How do you do . And thank you for inviting me. You know, birthdays almost seem synonymous with memories, like albums. So weve brought along this special album for you. Its filled, we hope, with fond remembrances, musical and pictorial. And now heres a picture of the three doud sisters, circa 1906. And heres a denver debutante visiting in san antonio, texas about 1915. And your wedding dress, and the portrait in your inaugural gown when you became our first lady. Take one fresh and tender kiss. Add one stolen night of bliss. One girl, one boy, some grief, some joy. Memories are made of this. Susan a little bit of a capsule view of Mamie Eisenhowers biography. But tell us a little bit more. She was born in boone, iowa and its worth noting that she is the end of a generation, really, the last first lady born in the 19th century. Marilyn irvin holt she was born in 1896, boone, iowa. And she was our very last first lady to be born in the 19th century. Her family lived in boone until she was about eight years old. And then they moved to colorado and thats where she grew up. And one of the photographs shows her in san antonio. The family would winter in san antonio, partly because of one of her Sisters Health problems, rheumatic fever. She was almost an invalid. And so they would winter. And while they were in san antonio, well, they went with some friends to Fort Sam Houston and thats where mamie was first introduced to ike. Susan Second Lieutenant at the time. Marilyn irvin holt Second Lieutenant, very serious. She says he said when theyve written about this meeting that he was really not interested in any kind of girl or girlfriend. He was very, you know, duty and his job in the military. And mamie just kind of swept him off his feet. Susan or vice versa. Marilyn irvin holt or vice versa. Susan and whirlwind courtship. Edith mayo absolutely. Susan and they married a short time really after they met. Whats interesting is that her she was wealthy. She was a debutante. And her father warned her off of military life. Marilyn irvin holt he warned her off. He said first of all, his mamies parents really liked ike, going to the phrase of the campaign. They thought he was a wonderful young man. And her father even told her that when he was coming around to visit, that she ought to quit being so flighty and going off with other young men to parties. She should Pay Attention to ike. But when they got married, he told mamie they absolutely could not expect any money from him. They would have to live on ikes military pay. And mamies response was, well, i didnt care about that. I just wanted that man. Susan it was probably quite a surprise, even with her fathers warning, to go from a debutantes life to a tiny military apartment. Marilyn irvin holt well, living a very comfortable life with plenty of money. I think it was quite a shock for her. But she had learned from her father about budgeting and how to spend money and how to save money. So, though i think it was difficult in the early days of their marriage, she always managed to live on ikes salary. Edith mayo and not only that, but in kind of a atypical rolereversal, mamie is the one that handled the familys finances. Marilyn irvin holt and later, she said that was the secret to a good marriage. If you wanted to keep within your finances was that the husband should turn the check over to his wife; that if he started purchasing things and opening accounts that, you know, everything would just go to hell in a hand basket. Susan well, its interesting because were going to talk about her as the epitome of the media creation of the 1950s woman, that women lived in all kinds of ways in the 1950s. But theres this stereotype of the 50s woman that she seems to embody. But she was handling the finances. He was domestic. He cooked the meals. Marilyn irvin holt he cooked the meals. Edith mayo yes, he did. She took a domestic science class when they became engaged, but because they moved their marriage date up to july the 1st, rather than in november after she turned 20, her domestic science classes were cut short. And im not sure she was that serious about them anyway. So, he really did the cooking. He knew how to do that. Susan i want to invite you, as we do each week, to be participants in our program as we learn more about American History through the lives of the first ladies. We have three ways you can be involved. Our phone numbers will be on the screen. You can dial us if you live in the eastern or central time zones at 2025853880. If you live out west, mountain pacific and farther west, 2025853881. Mountain pacific and farther west, 2025853881. You can tweet us using the twitter handle at first ladies. Or you can post on our facebook page, where theres already a number of comments and a good conversation going on. Weve mixed your comments in throughout our 90 minutes together. So they are married. How soon after their married is their first child born . Edith mayo im thinking its three years. Susan and he get the unusual nickname of icky. [laughter] Marilyn Irvin holt icky. Doud dwight. When i see it spelled, i want to pronounce it ikee, because it sounds better than icky. But doud dwight. And he was just the apple of their eye. And also, everybody on the post he wherever they were, he was like the little mascot that everybody just took to. And he died at the age of three. Scarlet fever. And it happened so quickly that and in that time period it sounds strange to say today, but couples could almost expect to have at least one child die of some childhood disease because the medical care there just werent the things that you could do about it. And the eisenhowers were absolutely devastated. Susan now, edie, you can verify cause youve been with us all along the way for this whole series that many of the president s and first ladies lost children. Edith mayo yes, yes. Its a recurring theme in most of the president ial families all the way from the beginning. Susan but even though its commonplace, its certainly never easy. Edith mayo no. Its always a horror story, no matter when it happens. You know, in an era before antibiotics and modern drugs susan mmhmm. Edith mayo you you have it happening frequently. Susan they did have another son. Excuse me. Marilyn irvin holt yes. Susan then their son, john, is born. And one of the things that john said and i think he said in several different venues is that his parents never made him feel as if he was a replacement for the child that they lost. That he was his own person, his own special self. I think that was the way the eisenhowers as a couple were. They took people as they were, but that didnt mean that they totally forgot the first child. They just made another place for another child in their lives. And mamie was, i would say, overprotective of john. Susan understandable, huh . Marilyn irvin holt with yes. Edith mayo yes, very much. Susan so, though their early years at was one of ike being gone a lot. So how often were they together . Marilyn irvin holt there there was one year in which they moved three times. And sometimes, when he was posted for a very short time, mamie might go back to denver and live with her family. And there was a period of time when ike was on a transcontinental convoy, which was a military exercise to take military trucks and other transport all the way across the country to test the roads, the bridges. And really, they found out how bad americas transportation road system was. But during that whole time months mamie was with her parents because she couldnt live on the post. So, they were back and forth. And thats something that every military wife faced at one time or another. You might live in who knew how many different posts in a very short period of time. You could expect multiple moves, and, really, sometimes long separations. Susan and this would carry to their white house years . They were always entertainers. Edith mayo yes, absolutely. They did a lot of entertaining on their various posts. And many times, the eisenhower home was called club eisenhower because of their entertaining of the troops and the military personnel. Marilyn irvin holt yes. Edith mayo and going back to, you know, how many moves they made over the period of years, i think thats why they they, number one, treasured their years in the white house, because it was a permanent home for eight years. And then, you know, purchasing the farm in gettysburg. I mean, that was their first home. Susan family home. Edith mayo i have a photograph to show the audience about of mamie in a jeep. Susan how at what point in their in his career did they become popularly known . Marilyn irvin holt i would say at well, in the 30s, certainly. Susan that early . Marilyn irvin holt but even even when they were first married, and they were at Fort Sam Houston, they very quickly became a couple that invited other military couples into their home. Theyd have, like, saturday or sunday night evenings, pot luck, play cards very social and they had a rented piano that mamie played, and they sang. This photograph was taken in 1944. The summer of 44, not too long after dday. And this is at camp lee in virginia. Mamies behind the wheel of the jeep as if she can actually drive it. By her own accounts, she had not driven an automobile since 1936. Susan oh, my. Marilyn irvin holt but they wanted a photo opportunity. And the two women who are in the jeep with her are also friends of hers, longtime military wives who had had the same kind of moving experiences, long separations. Marilyn irvin holt separations from their husbands. Susan so, the war comes, and Dwight Eisenhower, of course, as all of our viewers know, was tasked with leading the allies in europe. Where was mamie during the war . Edith mayo for the for most of the time, she lived in washington, d. C. In an apartment. She wanted to be in washington, hoping that there would be times that ike would be allowed to come back home, which he did a couple of times. And also, their son, john, was at west point. So, any opportunity that he had for time off vacation time, like in thanksgiving or christmas she wanted to be close at hand in order to see john. And it was only later in the war that for a period of time, she went to stay with a sister. Susan lets take our first phone calls from mark watching us in indianapolis. Susan hi, mark. Youre on the air. Mark yeah, hi. How are you doing . I just have a question for your guests. Im just wondering if any one of them could tell me what life was like in the philippines or panama for Mamie Eisenhower. And also, i just cant wait until next week when you guys finally talk about Jackie Kennedy. Thanks for your call. Thank you. Susan life in the philippines . Marilyn irvin holt life in the philippines and life in panama both of them were extremely uncomfortable for mamie. The heat and the humidity. Particularly in panama, it was somewhat primitive. The philippines physically where they lived was much more comfortable. They had a very nice apartment. It was airconditioned after a period of time. She really had a difficult time in terms of just the environment. She did not do well in the heat. And there were periods of time, especially in the philippines, that she suffered some health problems. Susan earlier in our history, there were a number of generals who were elected to the white house. In more modern times, how did the world prepare the first couple for life in the white house . Edith mayo well, i think particularly for mamie of course, with ike, there were all kinds of executive and administrative decisions that he was used to making as a general. But for mamie, the entertaining of heads of state while he was commander of nato really, you know, according to her own testimony, was something that really prepared her for entertaining in the white house. I mean, she knew how to do it. She was confident about doing it. She actually loved that part of the first ladys role. Susan jeffrey is in milledgeville, georgia. Hi, jeffrey, youre on. Jeffrey hey, there. Good evening. My question was about how politically involved mamie was before she entered the white house. Because i know ive read that the general Dwight Eisenhower was not political before he was elected president. And that, you know, before he was even elected in 1952, he didnt know which party he was a member of. So i was wondering if mamie was any more political than her husband. Susan did she ever express much interest in politics . Marilyn irvin holt no. Actually, she once said that she and ike were probably two people that knew less about politics than anybody else. Now, mamie did make comments about politics in terms of party, but that was with her father and letters back and forth. And her father was a pretty strong republican. And so mamie i think just out of politeness would sometimes commiserate with him in a letter that roosevelt had done something that her father didnt approve of. But mamie was not political in the least. Susan were at the world war ii years, and weve gotten questions from both facebook and twitter. And we knew we were going to get them. And thats about Kay Summersby. Brandon mccall asked on twitter did ike have an affair with Kay Summersby . And if so, did mamie know and how did she handle it . Who was Kay Summersby . Marilyn irvin holt Kay Summersby was often referred to as eisenhowers driver, but there were several people that drove ike around. Her primary job was to keep his appointments calendar, to make sure that the right people got in and out and to meetings. And she was at eisenhowers headquarters. She was engaged to an american officer who was tragically killed in the fighting in north africa. And she stayed on at the headquarters and rumors began that they were having an affair. The research i did and i think what other people are beginning to look at for example, the letter that truman said he had that eisenhower was going to ask mamie for a divorce. I think there have been a number of historians that have debunked that now. I dont believe that there was an affair because its hard, for one thing, i mean, theres other proof, but its hard to imagine that eisenhower, the allied commander of the european theater, is acting like a school boy, puppy love kind of, you know, following kay around, which is what she alleges in her book past forgetting. Did mamie know . Well, there wasnt anything for mamie to know except the rumors were extremely hurtful to her. And it was the kind of thing that went on and on, especially after summersbys book and there was the madefortv movie. And that was very hurtful for mamie. Susan edie, what do you have to say about the affair . Edith mayo i have not done that kind of research in any kind of primary sources. I, like everyone else, have heard the rumor. I know the family denies it very vehemently. But its interesting to hear somebody whos actually looked at the primary sources. Marilyn irvin holt and its not just the family. When summersbys book came out, and several people who were still alive and had been at the eisenhower headquarters, including one of summersbys roommates, just came out and said, no, this never happened. It was, like, the person who was saying this happened, they didnt even recognize. They couldnt explain why she would have decided to say this. Susan jane is watching us in killeen, texas. Jane thank you. A lot of military wives and wives of retirees are watching tonight. Thank you so much for the show. Much of this is still true. My question, were mrs. Eisenhower and mrs. Nixon friendly . Did they play bridge together . Their children were of different ages. How did that work out . Edith mayo they were friendly. And i think the friendship continued after the eisenhowers were out of the white house. But there was always a friendly relationship. The story goes that mamie liked pat immediately when she first met her. She said, oh, youre just the cutest little thing, the prettiest little thing. And i think it took off from there and the friendship continued. Susan bernard in albany, georgia. Youre on. Bernard hello, how are you doing this evening . Susan good evening. Bernard yes, oh how are you doing this evening . Susan yes, sir. Were fine. Whats your question for us . Bernard ok. I understand that during the inauguration ball, i cant remember if it was in 53 or 57, she wore a pink gown. And from that point on, that color was named mamie pink. Do you all know anything about that . Does that color still exist, mamie pink . Susan well, thanks. Were going to see a lot of it during this program, as a matter of fact. [laughter] you asked the right question of our guests. Our guest, edie mayo, has actually in her role at the smithsonian, was responsible for creating the very popular, still popular first ladies gowns exhibit. So what about her gown . Edith mayo yes, its mamie pink. It was a pastel peau de soie. And she decided that she wanted to have a little extra flair, is the way she put it. So she had nettie rosenstein, who was the designer, put 2,000 rhinestones, pink rhinestones on the gown so that it would sparkle and glitter. And mamie pink was a color that was very, very popular in the 50s, part of not only a wardrobe color scheme, but also a household color scheme. And she had, you know, charcoal gray and pink was also a big color combination in the 50s. And she had a number of gowns, formal gowns that were charcoal gray and pink. So i dont know whether the that particular shade still exists, but it certainly was popular in the 50s. Susan Dwight Eisenhowers career continued to be successful. Heres just a look at some of the important positions he held before the white house supreme allied commander during world war ii. After the war, he came back to washington and served in d. C. As the army chief of staff at the pentagon. He left the military and went to Columbia University in new york, where he served as president. And then president truman appointed him as supreme nato commander. It was around this time as he was at Columbia University in that late 1940s, 1950, where the two of them began to consider their retreat in gettysburg, pennsylvania. Were going to take you there in just a moment, but first of all were going to hear from mamie herself many years later as she at the farm and talking about how important it was for the eisenhowers. [video clip] have the welcome visitor on the porch with me. We sent so many happy hours and where we sit and look out at the cattlerees and grass and still appears in the fields. On your screen is the formal living room at the eisenhower farm in gettysburg, pennsylvania. Joining us is alice emonds. Eisenhowers came to gettysburg and why this property . When they begin to think about retirement, gettysburg was a natural choice. They have enter once before 1918 during the first world war. And general eisenhower was fascinated by the history of gettysburg. He was a civil war buff from childhood. He was very interested in farming. He wanted to find a farm that needed a little bit of help and i would keep them busy and retirement. It was a dairy farm. How many acres . 189 acres. When do they serve living here . Shortly after they purchased the farm he went overseas to work with nato. You he came back in 1952 to run for the presidency. It was not inhabitable until 1955. During his pregnant test presidency, how many days did they stay at the farm . We documented 365 days. After the presidency . This was their primary residency. This is the only home the own in 50 years together. Until both of their deaths this was their primary residence. After jfks inauguration in january of 1962, what happened . They got in the car and went up in this terrible snowstorm. A secret service car followed behind him. They had to open the gate themselves. The secret service waved them off and they started their retirement life together. We are here in the entryway. Weve been hearing about the color pink. I want to start pointing out a very pink room. The dining room shows her love of color. The dark pinkred there. It is decorated for thanks giving right now. Thanks giving right now. This is a mentality she had towards holidays. She loved having friends and Families Together on important days. The house is 90 original. We have very few reproductions. This was their dining table. And you have the place settings. You see mamie on the right in the president of the left. And you have dick and mrs. Nexen. Yes. Especially after became apparent that the families would be united in marriage with David Eisenhower dating julie nixon and the engagement announcement, they were close to the next ands. Xons. Ni nio how much decorating did she do . Arden who elizabeth consulted with this was really mamies tastes. Periodlly, just to put a on the conversation they were having in washington. Meet kie eisenhower ever summersby . She did once at a formal meeting in washington after the war. Butwas aware of the rumors she very graciously met her and then went off with her life. We will be back to the eisenhower farm in gettysburg later. It was around the time of the purchase of the farm to the eisenhowers began to be drafted by both Political Parties and they were not partisan. Toh parties that they were be recruited. How were the republicans ultimately successful . Marilyn irvin holt there is this grassroots movement. Citizens for eisenhower. Little groups of people all over pushingtry forming and for eisenhower to run for president and he run as a republican. And when he was in nato, they were people flying, including Jackie Cochran to see ike and try to talk them into running on the republican ticket. Not he does not come out and say what he will or will not do because of his position and what he is doing at nato. One of the stories that mamie tells his they are in france. Its about christmas time. People are singing christmas packages from the United States. They open a package from a group , citizens for eisenhower. Little hatsl these and ties. They all say i like ike. And therethe library is a phone call. They all the paraphernalia on. When he comes back in the room, there they are. He took one look in his face turned red with anger and he burst out laughing because i also all looked so ridiculous. Susan the president thought that perhaps eisenhower was a democrat. What was the tension between the germans in the eisenhowers . Edith mayo i dont know much about that. Marilyn irvin holt there has been a great deal set in britain and written about how truman and eisenhower came to dislike each other. And how did they feel and how cold where they. But mamie and mrs. Truman were good friends. Mamie went to mrs. Trumans spanish classes. Bess is a photograph of showing around the white house and it would like to girlfriends giggling in a corner. You regardless of what somebodys political affiliation was, she could get along with them. Theirthe case husbands were having problems that dont affect how mamie and bess truman we get along. Susan how hard that wholeheartedly did mamie throw herself into the campaign . Edith mayo wholeheartedly. I think she loved the attention. Im that sure her part of the campaign was scripted. I think he sort of herself into it and it turned out to be a watershed for president ial wives and political campaigning. Great boon tos a the Republican Party. They like the fact she connected with the women of america. And people started asking for her on the eisenhowers campaign train. They did a whistle stop across the country. People would, at the end of ikes speak say we want mamie and there was a lot of clapping and calling for mamie to come out onto the rear of the train. Saying, mamie and now would you like to meet my mamie . This is a wonderful photograph of them. She was a tremendous hit. She would court local politicians. She would give interviews. She turned up to the quite an asset. Susan we visited the eisenhower president a library in abilene, kansas. His hometown. You can go visit. You were seen pictures on the screen right now and they showed us some of the campaign memorabilia that they have any collection that is related to Mamie Eisenhower. 1952 campaign is significant because for the first time in American History women outnumber men in the electorate. The eisenhowerits an campaign cater to this new demographic with all kinds of fashion accessories, including the eisenhower official campaign half designed by one of mamies favorite hat designers, sally victor. All kinds of rhinestone jewelry, including earrings and heartshaped pendants. Ike buttons on hearings for the ladies. s name comes first on the charm bracelet. Cere is a Mamie Eisenhower omb. I like mamie buttons. And no lady is not complete without a corsage. All of the success race wouldve been worn with this wonderful ike print dress wanted Campaign Rallies and conventions. Lets go to the museum to see even more campaign memorabilia and what mamie wore to the first inauguration. We have a number of drawers full of campaign memorabilia, including the wonderful i like ike gloves to go with the dress. Campaign buttons and stockings for the ladies. All of the heavy campaigning and her involvement leads to eisenhower winning the 1952 election. Mamie becomes first lady and proudly wears this suit to the inauguration. Its designed by hattie carnegie. The pillbox hat by sally victor. Susan this is really your area of specialty. Edith mayo we have a wonderful collection of campaign materials. Susan there has not been election since for there so many edith mayo not to that extent. The Republican Party would completely wild with putting up materials that promoted the campaign and mamie herself. That this resonated with people because of what the curator was saying. This was the first of the womens vote caught up in the number of men voting. Women had gotten the vote in 1920 but their voting participation at already lag behind until 1952. Ivy baker priest, the head of the Womens Division of the Republican Party, came up with three areas that would appeal particularly to women in the campaign. They emphasized bringing the boys home from korea, which was imaged in the sense of bringing your husband, your son, your boyfriend home. Ike was a great military hero who would do that. The second thing they emphasized was the socalled mess in washington. It was a scandal within the truman administration. It was imaged in the sense that any housewife to clean up a mess in her home. There were all kinds of cleaning pales and scrub brushes and brooms and lapel pins in the shape of brooms never put up by the eisenhower campaign. So that woman would identify with cleaning up the mess in washington. The third think was the economy. Everyone ged as every woman has a state her budget and why cant the government do the same . They put up all kinds of enormous grocery bags that said dick on them. It would indicate that any woman could balance for home budget and therefore the government should do the same. The grocery bags were going to be extra large because this was how much more your budget was going to go if you elected ike and dick. Susan about 50 of american televisions homes had televisions. And the rise of Public Relations profession in the United States. Edith mayo there were a lot of advertising men that migrated into the campaign. They imaged ike and mamie as a product that could be sold to mrs. American consumer. Susan adelaide stevenson was divorced . Marilyn irvin holt it was also a unitarian which many people thought was Something Like an atheist. Dick weree and imaged as family, godfearing men. That was going to be the bulwark against what was then called godless communism. Susan the great war hero against the cerebral . Edith mayo exactly. Marilyn irvin holt even the you have these campaign managers, image makers, she is someone that the image makers are not making her who she is. She is being herself. That is why i said earlier if she had not come along and done what she did, be herself, she would have to have been invented. Marilyn irvin holt because she is so natural in that situation. Edith mayo yes. Susan how much influence did mamie have on ikes relationships . Marilyn irvin holt we dont know for sure. I have wondered but i dont think theres any discussion that they make public about how they decided or he decided. And im not sure if her father being a republican, and he and ike being on good terms have any influence. I just dont know. Edith mayo it has more to do with who wouldve been running for president in the republican slot if not eisenhower. And eisenhower really agreed to run because when he looked at the other candidate he could not see them as especially if they were going to be isolationist in the world as it was after world war ii. Said iflmost as if he it has to be me, i can handle this better than these people can. Susan david is watching in san francisco. David hi. Susan go ahead please. What i was curious as to eisenhowers stance or position was on the civil rights issue in the 1950s. Susan we will talk about that more later but briefly . Marilyn irvin holt eisenhower is beginning to recognize by historians for his contribution in the civil rights era. Brown and little rock and sending troops in, but eisenhower integrated washington, d. C. Susan in what way . Marilyn irvin holt in every way. Washington had been segregated. Going back to wilson. Eisenhower, they simply integrated the city. Susan how do you integrate the city . What were they doing . Edith mayo i think they were inviting blacks to attend white house functions. Dismantledw how they the segregation of the government positions, but that also was something that went on during the Eisenhower Administration. It was a desegregation of the federal workforce. Susan people wearing the ike dresses. Edith mayo yes, africanamericans. I think he never really until recently got the credit for the very strong stand he took in little rock and sending federal troops. That was just a shocking thing, i think, in the 1950s. By the time to get to the 1960s and Everybody Knows about lyndon 1950s itut in the was quite a shocking move. Susan you made a point of the incredible entertainers that the couple were throughout their professional life together. Both military and into the white house. One of the things that really changed about the number of social events was the rise of air travel and postwar diplomacy. Visits of many more official people coming to washington during the eisenhower years been previous president s had seen. We will return to gettysburg to look at how the eisenhowers entertained to help us understand how to do this officially, much of it translated into their time at the white house. We are with alice evans. What are we seeing on the screen . This is mamie in her inaugural gown from 1953. Its a copy of the white house portrait done by thomas stevens. And below that is a p f . Piano . You can see her sentimentality of all the photographs. Alice, we are in the formal living room. A rather large room. How much entertaining was done here . Surprisingly not a lot. You would think in this gorgeous face they would want to use it. President eisenhower was not particularly a big fan of this remittance decor. It definitely shows mamie as first lady. Her understanding of etiquette and rules and regulations. Especiallyhem if so many took the time to present them with a gift. Decoratedis mostly with gifts given to them throughout the years from friends, family, and dignitaries. There are only five objects in the room that the purchased for themselves. How are they able to keep their gifts . President eisenhower was our last president allowed to keep all of his gifts. We are looking at a lot of tchotchkes . She liked porcelain. A lot of those gifts were presented to her. Forget too far i would estimate this portrait of Mamie Eisenhower. The one in the yellow dress. That was done before she was first lady. 1948 while he in was still at Columbia University. I think the portrait is really capturing her spirit. A live bit of her vitality and femininity in the portrait. To other items i would just about. Number one, the table in front of the couch. Is the of wall street on the couch, is this all original from the eisenhowers . The sofa is quite interesting. They purchased it in 1933. They had a slip cover made to match the new decor here. The coffee table is one of the most important pieces in the home. This is a gift from the wife of the president of south korea. They came on the oneyear anniversary of the ceasefire in korea, the end of the korean war. It was a gift to mamie. It says from the wife of the president of south korea to the wife of the president of the United States. Mamie maybe got a table at the end. The fireplace . It was a gift from the white house staff. It was actually in the white house at one point. Installed when frequent years was president. How are they able to get white house property . Because back to julia grant. She was redecorating the white house and the marble had fallen out of fireplace fashion. She had the marble fireplaces removed if you do put into storage. They were basically auctioned off. During the 50s the white house staff was able to track of the peace and presented it to the eisenhowers. It was in the Lincoln White house and he was very important to president eisenhower. How would the eisenhowers use this room . Is a big time of year it was used was christmas. Them their Christmas Trees in front of the fireplace. They would have presence for the grandchildren spread across the room. Mamie would be at the cano piano. That is really many room was used. When World Leaders were come to see president eisenhower here, he would not entertain them here . Even do it on the porch. We will see the ports the next time you come back to gettysburg. Host thanks to peter who was in gettysburg, pennsylvania at the eisenhower form. Farm. Notable. Taining was Queen Elizabeth came. How important evident was that . Marilyn irvin holt the eisenhowers entertained more heads of state, more foreign dignitaries, and had more state dinners than any previous administration. And certainly part of it has to do with the change in transportation. Edith mayo his position of leadership in europe. Marilyn irvin holt he knew he had met all these people and mamie had in nato. So when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip come to the united we haveeisenhower says just reacquainted ourselves. There they are. We reacquainted ourselves of old friends because they knew Queen Elizabeth when she was still princess. They felt that way about so many of the people that they had met. They were just repeating them again. And entertaining them in a different place. Is mamieo it eisenhower who returns largescale entertainment to the white house. Most people think of Jacqueline Kennedy is the person that did that. But its really Mamie Eisenhower after several decades of curtail entertaining in the white house with the depression and world war ii, and in the truman renovation of the white house when they were living at the blair house and could not entertain in the white house. Its mamie who brings back largescale elegance and entertaining. The curator of exhibitions and firstly memorabilia. Why was the decision made at president after eisenhower can do q the gift that were given . Edith mayo i think they were afraid it would look like ofbery or some kind politicalof a return, favors for the gifts. That was made. Susan president s still get lots and lots of gifts. Edith mayo that you to go to the state department or they get to the national archive. Through the archive they often turn up at president ial libraries. But they are not owned by the president and first lady. Susan one statement of president and first lady can make is who they do not invite. One person they did not invite was senator joe mccarthy. Marilyn irvin holt mrs. Mccarthy was invited. She was invited to tea receptions but she did not attend. Susan was the significance . Marilyn irvin holt i think he was making a political statement on her husbands the half behalf not to susan some people done of the joe mccarthy is. [laughter] edith mayo he was the senator the socalledr communists in government positions. It was sort of like a salem witch hunt. They sell communists saw communists under every desk and chair. He went after all kinds of people that were supposed to have some affiliation with the communist party or a communist party front or somebody who lead towards the communist in the 1930s and 1940s. He did a great deal of harm to a great number of peoples careers and personal lives. The reason that mamie would not invite him to the white house entertainments was she disagreed with the methodology he used in the ruining of peoples reputations and careers. Susan this question is connected. I remember reading she was a big fan of i love lucy. If you try to help lucy in any way but loose was being investigated by the house of unamerican activities . Absolutelyin holt yes. When lucy was brought in front of the committee, and her and desi arnaz are terrified their careers are over with. It is ikes birthday. Its his birthday and mamie desi, and vivian vance and william probably froley to the white house and she says to entertain. They do a little bit of entertainment for ikes birthday then mamie makes a point of having lucy and desi sit with her and ike for the dinner portion of the evening. She is not saying anything about it. She is just making a very public who she invites and where they sit and how they are treated when they arrive. Susan Mamie Eisenhower rings a generals wifes sense to the white house. We learn more about how she approached life in the white house. As a young girl, she was diagnosed with a heart condition. In later years she was under Doctors Orders to stay in bed three days a week. That was a little too much for yed inty, rice and sta bed every day until noon. She would get up in the mornings, do her hair, and then where these lovely bed jackets the laid back down in bed. We have many notes from those meetings. While larry that jacket she would often be with her secretary to plan the days events. She ran the white house with military precision. Her schedules were often blocked out into as few as five minutes increments throughout the day. We have scheduled from every year she was first lady. That nothedule we see only did she have a diplomatic dinner, but the next morning she was planning to cut a ribbon at the Presbyterian Church bazaar. These are changes she would meet make when she met with her social secretary. They would discuss personal nature. She is shopping for Christmas Gifts for the grandchildren and she was to buy this doll for her granddaughter. She was particular about the budget and she kept her figures should she would never go over budget even shopping for family presents. Susan how many people lived with them in the white house . Marilyn irvin holt they sometimes had mamies mother lived there. The eisenhower grandchildren did not live there. They visited very often. And the press loved them, loved to photograph them playing in the front of the building or sometimes they would have photographs of them inside playing. But, basically, its ike and mamie and for long periods of time mamies mother. Edith mayo mamie also said that any day was a good day when her grandchildren were there. Marilyn irvin holt yes. Susan swain the someone asked us earlier and made the reference to the stereotypical 1950s woman. Heres one way that that stereotype plays out. It was documented that mamie visited the Oval Office Just four times during ikes presidency. So, will you talk a little bit about the separation of the wifes role versus the husbands role that was a stereotype of the 1950s . Edith mayo yes, very much a division of labor. The women would would handle the food, the entertainment, the family. The president would handle the country, the politics. But we had just had a Roosevelt Administration edith mayo that was such a departure that, and such an anomaly for the time that it didnt get institutionalized until much later. Marilyn irvin holt and part of that was mamies military background, too. She once made the comment that a wife never went near her husbands command post, his point of operations. It just simply wasnt done. And so again, that separation of their spaces. Susan swain and it was a busy eight years in the Eisenhower White house for the president. And we have a list of just some of the big things that were happening during the eisenhower presidency, to show you. And here were doing it while were looking at video, so if we can make the transition. The russia launches sputnik and the cold war really bursts onto the international scene, tension between the United States and russia; there was the red scare. And we heard earlier about senator joe mccarthy and the role that he played in the United States during the red scare; the rosenberg espionage trial; also the u2 spy plane shot down over russia. Here at home, rosa parks did her famous bus ride in montgomery, alabama. There was the Arkansas School desegregation case which both of our guests referred to; also, the creation of the interstate highway system. Nasa was established, and our two last states, number 49 and 50, came into statehood, alaska and hawaii. And Mamie Eisenhower was not involved in any of this. She wasnt an issues person at all. Marilyn irvin holt she did not discuss issues publicly. That was not her job, as she saw it. Privately, she was very opinionated; had some very strong ideas on a number of social issues, but she simply was not an activist the way that we think of women speaking out today. Edith mayo and in fact, she was probably the last president ial wife that didnt have a particular cause while she was in the white house. That was something that, you know, that Eleanor Roosevelt had done, but bess truman had not done. And so mamie her whole background would not have lent itself to her doing that. But shes shes the last first lady where thats the case. Marilyn irvin holt she had she launched lots of charity drives. She was a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. But you cant say that those were causes and projects the way that it became institutionalized. Edith mayo theyre totally unpoliticized. Very traditional. Marilyn irvin holt after with Jacqueline Kennedy, after her and mrs. Johnsons beautification projects, a first lady was expected to have a project. Edith mayo exactly. She wasnt considered a serious first lady if she did not have a cause or project. Susan swain 19 years after she left the white house, Mamie Eisenhower sat down with Barbara Walters to give her views on the role of the first lady. Lets watch. [video clip] Barbara Walters do you think president s today need their wives help . Eisenhower i dont know. Theyre getting it, but i dont know whether they want it. Maybe they dont want it. I dont think that you can i think you have to do your husband has to a man has to be encouraged. I think i told ike every day that we lived how much i thought he was, how good i thought he was. You know, your ego has to be fed. Susan swain a little bit on the role of the first lady. Gary robinson wants to know what would mamie say is her greatest contribution to the role of first lady. Marilyn irvin holt i would think that she would say that it was giving ike a comfortable home life where he could relax and get away from the pressing issues of the day. I think her greatest contribution was in institutionalizing the first lady as the campaigner. I think thats the role that has has really carried on with later first ladies and in american political life. Susan swain what would your answer be . Marilyn irvin holt i would agree that privately, it would be creating that home. And when she said homemaker, she meant it in the truest sense making a home that was comfortable and welcoming and gave ike a place to escape, and for their friends and family to enjoy themselves and to be together. Publicly, i think her contribution as a first lady was projecting someone who really was interested in anyone and everyone without any consideration for their political, social, religious background. To say that she was nonpolitical, almost it sounds like, well, its too good to be true. But i think basically she was interested in people for who they were, and they they realized that in her and responded to her. Susan swain were their Public Opinion polls in politics at the time . Marilyn irvin holt there were Public Opinion polls, but but it was they really didnt ask those kinds of questions so you cant gauge it against today. Susan swain one of the things she did to preserve eisenhowers sense of peace, i guess, was the creation of camp david, named after their grandson. We now hear about it all the time in politics. There was something there before called shangrila. So how did how did it become an official president ial retreat . Edith mayo there had been previous president ial retreats. The hoovers had set up camp rapidan on the Rapidan River in virginia. But that had sort of been unused because it was a rocky, hilly kind of terrain that Franklin Franklin roosevelt couldnt use. And so roosevelt had set up this president ial retreat called shangrila. And then when eisenhower was in office, he renamed it camp david after his grandson. Susan swain regina crumkey wants to know did mamie invite any former or future first ladies to the white house . Pat nixon probably doesnt count. [laughter] were they friends with the reagans, for example . I know they traveled to california frequently. Marilyn irvin holt they really didnt know the reagans. They knew the reagan they new nancy davis reagans parents and socialized with them in california. And nancy reagan did meet them and actually in the collection at the eisenhower president ial library, there is a notice of ronald and Nancy Reagans marriage, but its a marriage announcement. Its not an invitation to the wedding. So, they really knew each other more different generationally because ike and mamie were better friends with her parents. But as for first ladies, yes, mamie was friends with bess truman, although bess didnt often come to the white house afterwards; with edith wilson; and certainly all the, well, mrs. Kennedy, mrs. Johnson would have come to the white house as senate wives when their husbands were in congress because they would have been invited to those functions. Luncheons. Susan swain while were talking about family life and how mamies job was really to preserve and encourage it, were going to return to their farm at gettysburg and learn a little bit more about family life. [video clip] alyce evans is with the National Park service, a park ranger and a mamie expert here at the gettysburg eisenhower house. First of all, how much square feet does this entire property have i mean, inside . Inside, its about 14,000 square inches sic . About 14,000. Ok. What room are we in now . Were in the porch. I think its one of the most important rooms in the home. Why . This is really where they lived, and thats what mamie said that, you know, we lived on the porch. This room was really the private life of the eisenhowers here, and the Family Center of the home. And it was set up with some couches and chairs, and over here a tv. Yes, a sign of, you know, the family of the 1950s is going to be spending time here, the television. They were our first president ial couple to really watch television together in the white house. So what would be a typical evening here on the porch . Well, the eisenhowers would have their dinner here on tv trays, watching Walter Cronkite on the evening news; depending, you know, what time of year, what time it was, watching i love lucy or the Lawrence Welk show. Ike liked westerns like bonanza or gunsmoke. And where would the president sit . The president would sit in that chair facing the television, that rocking chair. This rocking chair, and thats his actual chair. Yes, that is the actual chair he sat in. And then theres an Old Fashioned or an early version of a remote. Yes, there is. That was, of course, the president s sort of territory there. Mamie used to joke that he used to flip all the time through all three channels looking to see what was on. And where would mamie be sitting . Mamie would sit across from him. Off to the left. What kind of conversation would they have . Would they talk . Oh, yes. The eisenhowers were great conversationalists, and thats certainly a skill that mamie had not just as first lady, but as a hostess. She loved people and she loved socializing. When ike was president and after the presidency, what kind of what kind of guests would come and be here on the porch with them . All guests came to the porch here in the house, be it their grandchildren, you know, visiting and coming in to see grandma and grandpa. I think also very equally important, dignitaries came to this room to talk to the president. And if the first lady was here, of course, shed be involved in those conversations. Who were some of those dignitaries . Lots of bigwigs from that time period winston churchill, of course; charles de gaulle, and i think probably most famously, Nikita Khruschev and his visit in 1959 to the United States. And khruschev sat here and sort of had a little thaw in the cold war here with the president and his family. Well, moving on down, there seems to be a little breakfast room here. Is that this what this is . Yeah. This was yeah, sort of an area that would the couple would play cards here. The ladies would play here and the gentlemen would sometimes play at the other end of the room or in ikes den. I like this area because i think its really mamie here in this part of the room. The president liked to paint here on the the porch. And she they spent so much apart in their married life but especially in their retirement years. If ike was here painting, she would be at this table playing cards, solitaire or reading a book, doing crossword puzzles. She said she just liked to be in the same room with him because they had spent so much time apart in their married lives. Now alyce evans, in this little space here with the wicker chairs, et cetera, i counted 12 ashtrays and four lighters. Yes. This is the 1950s and 1960s. Both the president and first lady smoked. Ike actually gave up cold turkey though after the war, which is amazing for a man who smoked four packs of cigarettes a day during the war. Mamie smoked for a little bit longer than her husband did. Now behind us, its all covered up now but what is behind these screens and these drapes . The eisenhowers had a beautiful view of their cattle fields where eisenhower raised black angus here on the farm and also portions of the Gettysburg National military park. What kind of security would they have . Of course, they had secret service during the eight years that he was president. And then after kennedys assassination, they had secret service again until both of their passings, mamie until 79. Well, one interesting story you told me about Mamie Eisenhower, t. V. And secret service. Oh yeah. Mamie came up with some unique tasks for her secret service men. She loved soap operas. Her soap opera of choice was as the world turns and as first lady and even in retirement, you know, sometimes she had to miss her daily episode of as the world turns. So guess whos watching it . A secret service man taking notes for her. And he would have to present oh yes. Hed have to present so she wouldnt miss any of those important plot twists. After Dwight Eisenhowers death in 1969, she stayed here. What kind of visitors did she have on her own . Mamie tried to continue, you know, entertaining to a degree. I mean, it was much more quiet when mamie was here. But of course, friends and family were always welcome. Mamie was very lonely, of course, after the president died so she very much welcomed friends and family to come here and keep her company. Did she have livein help . Yes. There were three Staff Members that lived in the house. Mamie had a series of maids that assisted her. And then there was sergeant moaney and his wife. Sergeant moaney had been assigned to ike during the war and his wife, dolores, came here with him and became the cook, he was the valet and they were very close to the eisenhowers. And dolores is still living . Yes, dolores is still living. She lives in washington, d. C. She still keeps very close contact with the eisenhower family. Well, we have one more stop on our tour. And well be upstairs the next time you come back to the eisenhower farm. Susan swain thank you, peter slen. And we were all wondering about the secret Service Agents who got the duty to transcribe the soap operas during the Eisenhower Administration. Well, Mamie Eisenhower was enormously popular but she really was shielded from the press. She gave only News Conference in 1953. Shed been asked by the New York Herald tribune to write a regular column. She declined. This was all the advice of their of the eisenhowers p. R. But she always made it onto the best rest list. Next, were going to show a little bit of mamies style. Get ready to talk about this when we come back. Were going to return to abilene and the Eisenhower Library for a look at mamies style. [video clip] im surrounded by just a few of the items that kept mamie on the 10 best dressed list every year she was first lady. She often worked with mollie parnis, one of her favorite designers for her suits and dayware outfits. This is the outfit she wore to the formal opening of the Saint Lawrence seaway where she and ike met Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Another custom design dress is this that is referred to as the eisenhower toile. This is a printed cotton fabric with many of the houses that the eisenhowers lived in during their marriage. It also includes the fivestar symbol for the fivestar general eisenhower. These are a few examples of mamies day dresses. She was very fond of the color pink and wore it in many different shades and styles. Many of the dresses you see are sleeveless. She always said that her arms were ikes favorite feature and so she chose to show them off. This is a handmade dress that shows mamies attention to budget. This one has an exceptionally long hem in it that she would raise and lower so that the hem line was always in fashion. Jackie kennedy is well known for the little black dress. And here are two examples of mamies favorite little black dress. Mamie always said she would never dress like an old lady. These gowns that she wore well into her 70s and 80s show her love of bright colors and wild fabrics. Like any highfashion lady of the day, mamie loved hats. This is just a small sampling of some of them that we have in the collection and one of the favorite designers was sally victor. No outfit is complete without a fabulous pair of shoes and no one knew that better than mamie. As a matter of fact, many of the shoes we have in the collection say, made expressly for mrs. Dwight eisenhower. Mamies love of fashion did not begin in the white house. This dress and undergarment from the mid1920s shows her love of fashion. She was about 30 years old, too old to be considered a flapper but still very stylish for the day. Lets go take a look at some of the exhibits that focus on mamies style. Mamie was well known for her trademark hair style. these special bangs were called the mamie look and you could even purchase fake bangs to clip into your hair into your hair at all of the drug stores during the 1950s. Mamie often would go to the Elizabeth Arden salons to get her hair done and Elizabeth Arden had one of her hair stylists create these drawings so that mamie could take them with her so that if she had to go to another stylist, her hair would always be perfect. Susan swain ok, edie mayo, you are on. This series is called influence and image. How much did she influence american womens looks in the 1950s . Edith mayo oh, she was extremely popular. She, you know, set off a rage for pink. She set off a rage for bangs. Everybody wanted to look like mamie. She was it seems a little strange to us postJacqueline Kennedy but she really epitomized the best in in taste and dresses and and accoutrement, if you will, for the 1950s and everybody tried to copy her look. And the the interesting thing about the bangs was that they she first started wearing bangs in the 1920s after the death of their son, icky, had sort of resulted in the eisenhowers growing somewhat apart. And when they were sent to panama, his Commanding Officers wife sort of took her under her wing and said, you have to do something to rescue your marriage. And one of the things she decided to do was to take a renewed interest in her personal appearance. And thats when she had her bangs done. And so that was a a sort of symbol to both of them of the rapprochement in the marriage. Later when she was in paris, when when ike was the head of nato, she started frequenting the Elizabeth Arden salon in paris run by elizabeths sister, gladys. And then when she came to new york, she frequented the new york salon of Elizabeth Arden. And after the inauguration, the first inauguration, Elizabeth Arden wrote to her and said, now that youre in the public eye, i noticed that when you first came back, your hair looked absolutely beautiful but it hasnt been quite the same since. So i asked our stylist to render these structural drawings which you saw in that film clip, which are now at the Eisenhower Library of the steps that a hair stylist must take in order to achieve the mamie look and the bangs. And therefore you, you know, in your travels across the country and around the world, you can take these structural drawings with you and go into any Elizabeth Arden salon and have your hair turn out beautifully susan swain and heres a connection with our current who made waves with her bangs. First lady and with her sleeveless gown. Harkening back to Mamie Eisenhower. We have a list of the things that Mamie Eisenhower was created first for. One was they were the first first couple to kiss at the inauguration and has been a historical trend, as women werent even invited to early inaugurations and then there was a splash the first time a woman rode in the inaugural parade. Edith mayo yes. Mrs. Taft. Susan swain so they actually went so far as to kiss one another after the inauguration to demonstrate their affection for one another. She completed the white house china collection, created the vermeil room at the white house, invited the first to invite t. V. Actors to the white house weve talked about the i love lucy group there and used first to use camp david as an official retreat for the president. And edie mayo would add establish the role of the first lady as a campaigner. We have really were running out of time pretty quickly here. Im going to go to robert watching us in portsmouth, new hampshire. Robert, youre on. Your question. Caller hi. my question is Jackie Kennedy has been mentioned a few times tonight and im curious how the eisenhowers viewed the kennedys and in particular, how mamie viewed jackie and the differences between them. Marilyn irvin holt well, i would say that jackie and mamie got off to a very rocky start and that was never righted. Part of it is the the difference in age but it really beginning with a misunderstanding and it was just very rocky when mamie took jackie through the white house for her tour before the inauguration. And mrs. Kennedy was telling mamie already the plan she had for renovations and that didnt really sit very well with mamie and it went on from there. But i have to say that later, when they were trying to raise funds for whats now the kennedy center, the Eisenhower Administration had already been planning for a Cultural Center in washington, d. C. And when the kennedys were continuing the plan for that, ike and mamie, as retired first couple, did a lot of public speaking and appearances on television to promote the Cultural Center. Susan swain our guests talk about the fact that the eisenhowers were smokers and in 1955, eisenhower president eisenhower suffered a heart attack. He spent 19 days in walter reed hospital, presumed that at some point during that time, dick nixon took over the role, or was he able to carry on his duties the whole time . Marilyn irvin holt to no. Nixon they wanted things to carry on as normally as possible. Nixon continued to hold cabinet meetings. They wanted for the country to see that everything was moving along as it should be because when the first announcement came of eisenhowers heart attack, the stock market plummeted, there was almost a panic. And so to show people they were on an even keel, nixon stepped in. Susan swain and even despite this, eisenhower made the decision to seek reelection, and we have a very brief clip, a 1956 campaign ads, looking at, again, how mamie appealed to women during the 1956 election. [video clip] so much of our future rests with the women of our country. Theyre the homemakers. The whole family unit revolves around them. Everything that affects the familys welfare affects them first. And everything in the familys life benefits from their influence. They do the family buying. They see that everybody in the Family Circle is wellclothed and wellfed. But beyond this, they are the custodian of its values and aspirations for the future. In their hands lies the training of our young people to whom they pass on the Rich Heritage of our nation, its love of peace and justice, and its passion for freedom. The women of our country swept dwight d. Eisenhower into office four years ago. They will probably decide the election this time. And they like ike. And heres somebody else they like, too. Ikes beloved mamie, whose smile and modesty and easy, natural charm make her the ideal first lady. Lets keep our first lady in the white house for four more years. November 6, vote for dwight d. Eisenhower. Susan swain and keep the eisenhowers in the American Public did. The eisenhowers served out the next four years, and then, of course, the 1960 election brought john kennedy into the white house, where he campaigned against eisenhowers Vice President , richard nixon. The eisenhowers went back to public or private life, back to gettysburg. Were going to go back there again soon. Right now. [video clip] and for 19 years, Mamie Eisenhower lived in this house and all of her life, nearly, she had this picture on every dresser in every house she lived in. Alyce evans, what is that . And thats ikes senior picture from west point, as he gave her that photograph while they were dating. It says, to the dearest and sweetest girl in the entire world. And she always had that on her dresser after that. And, of course, a pink phone and lots of pink things here in the dressing room. But now, to an explosion of pink, the master bedroom. Well, i think the decor in this room is very telling of their lives together. Every bedroom they ever lived in, mamie painted the walls this color green and then decorated in pink. They were their two favorite colors. So i think this is real dedication, a real love, that a fivestar general slept under the pinkest sheets here. The original bedspread. And this is where they shared until 1969, when ike died. Now, the breakfast set on the bed . Yes. Mamie, of course, spent most mornings in bed, sort of conserving her strength. She had suffered from rheumatic fever as a child. So she would have breakfast in bed. Shed have a cute pink tray brought up, with a special breakfast set, and she would have her breakfast her. Then she would answer letters, plan her agenda for the day, meet with Staff Members or the cook, whoever she needed to, to plan the day. 1979, she had a stroke, right there. Yes, yes. She had the stroke that would eventually end her life here. They found her and then she was taken to walter reed, where she would eventually pass away then in november. She had the stroke in september. Alyce evans, the eisenhower home, open to the public. Will they be able to see everything that weve seen today . Yes. If you come and visit us, youll see every room and much more. Hours . This is ours, the american no, hours . Sorry. And were open from 9 am until 4 pm is the last bus of the day. The site closes at 5o clock or 5 15. Just off the edge of the gettysburg civil war battlefield, this is the eisenhower farm in gettysburg, pennsylvania. Susan swain and our thanks to the staff of the gettysburg farm and also to the Eisenhower Library in abilene, kansas, this is the time when i want to tell you about this book that we have, for those of you who have been watching us, along the way in a series. We have worked with the White House Historical association to make available this special edition of their very popular first ladies biography book. And it is available, if you go to cspans web site at cpsan. Org, youll see a tab for first ladies and then a tab for shop. This is the only item available. And were selling it to you at cost, so that if you would like a memento of this series and to learn more about the first ladies, its available to you. Also, each week we have a special featured item from the first ladies, and this week it is Mamie Eisenhowers award from the American Heart Association i have to say, surprising as a big smoker as volunteer of the year for her work after eisenhowers heart attack. Well, we have just a couple of really a very short time left. Her final years and her legacy. How do we wrap this all up with what we should understand about Mamie Eisenhower . Marilyn irvin holt i think perhaps one of the things most telling, she didnt think about having a legacy. She thought about what she had done as a first lady as important job, her contribution to american life. And probably her legacy would be what she said to Barbara Walters in that one interview, that when asked, how do you want to be remembered . And she said, just as a good friend. Edith mayo and i think thats how she felt about the american people, that she was a good friend to them. Susan swain and it is a generational change. In our next program, we will be moving into the youngest couple moving into the white house with the kennedys. And we look forward to learning about how the country continues to change. Thats it for our Mamie Eisenhower program. Our special guests for tonight, we thank them so much for their work. And your biography is available if people are interested, marilyn holt, Mamie Dowd Eisenhower the generals first lady. And for folks who didnt get enough tonight and theyd like to learn more. Edie mayo, always great to have you on the program. Thank you so much for your time. Thanks to you for watching at home. Great to have you in the audience. I think every first lady should do something in this position to help the things that she cares about. I think it is good, in a world where there is quite a number to divide people, we should have a language and emotion that unites all. Jacqueline kennedys days as first lady were marked as a fashion icon and woman for the arts. Jacqueline kennedy, the sunday onht at 8 00 eastern cspans original series, from marthad image, obama. Ton to michelle recently American History tv was at the society