Biden stands on the shoulders of her predecessors as she redefines the role of first lady in American culture. Too often, first ladies have been relegated to the secondary stories of history, often perceived as serving a supportive yet subordinate role in the White House and their husbands’ presidential administrations. However, there were several 20th-century examples of first ladies who challenged accepted societal norms and modernized the position.
Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a daily newspaper column as first lady, donating her pay to charity. Her journalism only scratched the surface of the barriers she broke. Perhaps the most remarkable precedent was her ability to establish a voice independent from her husband’s on a controversial, contemporary topic. Mrs. Roosevelt’s thoughts on race changed dramatically over her lifetime. By the time she served as first lady, she had become an outspoken advocate for federal anti-lynching legislation. President Roosevelt did not want to ris