ANITA MCBRIDE (CO-AUTHOR, “REMEMBER THE FIRST LADIES”): As the country was evolving, first ladies played a role to help move the nation forward. 

TEXT ON SCREEN: PRESIDENTIAL LESSONS AT 250

ANITA MCBRIDE: Even though there are no words about the first lady’s role in the Constitution, it is an automatic, powerful platform. In the 20th century we think about the activist model of first lady. Eleanor Roosevelt established a model for first lady activism that was tough to follow. 

ARCHIVAL (UNIVERSAL NEWSREEL, 5-22-40):
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT: If we turn away from the needs of others, we align ourselves with those forces which are bringing about this suffering, and which we must eventually try to defeat.

ANITA MCBRIDE: So throughout the life of the White House, different first ladies have taken on this role very seriously. 

ARCHIVAL (OBAMA WHITE HOUSE, 2-19-10):
MICHELLE OBAMA: Let’s move to ensure that all families have access to healthy, affordable food in their own communities.

ANITA MCBRIDE: They feel the responsibility surrounded by the history of those that have gone before them.

ARCHIVAL (CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, 3-17-93):
HILLARY CLINTON: It’s time to bring about fundamental change, control our nation’s soaring health care costs, and provide security for American families again. 

ANITA MCBRIDE: Each of them gets to develop it and do what they want with the role, and they’re best at it when they draw from their own experiences, and, which is very authentic for them.

ARCHIVAL (GEORGE  W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY, 4-25-07):
LAURA BUSH: Here in the United States, concerned citizens are spreading the word about our moral obligation to defeat malaria. 

ARCHIVAL (ST. GORAN HOSPITAL, 5-6-82):
ROSALYNN CARTER: Severe mental illness cripples the mind that is at the very heart of the human condition. 

ANITA MCBRIDE: We really can no longer look at the arc of American history and not include the stories of these women and their contributions and their legacies, their impact on our politics as it’s evolved, our public policy and our diplomacy.

(END)