First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical head of state or chief executive. … Some non-English speaking countries have a title, official or unofficial, can be translated as first lady.
Who coined the term first lady?
Americans did not start calling the president's wife the “First Lady” until some time in the middle of the 19th century. Some people say Zachary Taylor was the first to use the term in his 1849 eulogy on the death of Dolley Madison.
Does the first lady have to be the president's wife?
The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, but, on occasion, the title has been applied to women who were not presidents' wives, such as when the president was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president was unable to fulfill the duties of the first lady.
Which first lady did not change her surname?
Louisa Catherine Adams, the first of America's First Ladies to be born outside of the United States, did not come to this country until four years after she had married John Quincy Adams.
Is the first lady an official government position?
The position of the first lady is not an elected one and carries only ceremonial duties. Nonetheless, first ladies have held a highly visible position in American society. … She organizes and attends official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the president.
What would a male First Lady be called?
Variations. The male equivalent of the title in countries where the head of state's spouse has been a man, such as the Philippines or Malta, is first gentleman. While there has never been a male spouse of a U.S. president, “First Gentleman” is used in the United States for the husband of a mayor, governor, or president …
Who was the world's first woman president?
The first woman elected president of a country was Vigdís Finnbogadóttir of Iceland, who won the 1980 presidential election as well as three others to also become the longest-serving non-hereditary female head of state in history (16 years and 0 days in office).
Who was the longest living first lady?
Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. Bess Truman remains the longest-lived First Lady and Second Lady in United States history.
Has there ever been a president without a wife?
James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States (1857-1861), served immediately prior to the American Civil War. … Tall, stately, stiffly formal in the high stock he wore around his jowls, James Buchanan was the only President who never married.
What presidents wife died while in office?
The first President's wife to die in the White House, Letitia Tyler ended her days peacefully on September 10, 1842, holding a damask rose in her hand.
Who is the First Lady in India?
The position of First Lady of India is currently held by Savita Kovind, wife of President Ram Nath Kovind. She assumed the position after her husband took the oath of office to the post of president on 25 July 2017. The role should not be confused with the spouse of the prime minister of India.
Who is first woman President of India?
Chief Justice of India K. G. Balakrishnan administering the oath of office to new President Pratibha Patil. December 19, 1934, is the 12th President of India. She is the first woman and the first Maharashtrian to hold this post.
Which president served the longest term?
William Henry Harrison spent the shortest time in office, while Franklin D. Roosevelt spent the longest. Roosevelt is the only American president to have served more than two terms.
What was Eleanor Roosevelt's maiden name or the surname she was born with?
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884, in Manhattan, New York City, to socialites Anna Rebecca Hall and Elliott Bulloch Roosevelt. From an early age she preferred to be called by her middle name, Eleanor.