The first lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House. 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 herself. The first lady is not an elected position; it carries no official duties and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. Traditionally, the first lady does not hold outside employment while occupying the office, although Eleanor Roosevelt earned money writing and giving lectures, but gave most of it to charity. She has her own staff, including the White House social secretary, the chief of staff, the press secretary, the chief floral designer, and the executive chef. The Office of the First Lady is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House, and is a branch of the Executive Office of the President. There have been total of fifty-three first ladies including forty-two official and eleven acting, within forty-five first ladyships. This discrepancy exists because some presidents had multiple first ladies. Following Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2017, his third wife, Melania Trump, became the 42nd official first lady, succeeding Michelle Obama, wife of former president Barack Obama. There are four living former first ladies: Rosalynn Carter, married to Jimmy Carter; Hillary Clinton, married to Bill Clinton; Laura Bush, married to George W. Bush, and Michelle Obama, married to Barack Obama. The first first lady was Martha Washington, married to George Washington. Presidents John Tyler and Woodrow Wilson had two official first ladies; both remarried during their presidential tenures. The wives of four presidents died before their husbands were sworn into office but are still considered first ladies by the White House and National First Ladies' Library: Martha Wayles Skelton, married to Thomas Jefferson; Rachel Jackson, married to Andrew Jackson; Hannah Van Buren, married to Martin Van Buren; and Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur, married to Chester A. Arthur. One woman who was not married to a president is still considered an official first lady: Harriet Lane, niece of bachelor James Buchanan. The other non-spousal relatives who served as White House hostesses are not recognized by the First Ladies' Library. In 2007, the United States Mint began releasing a set of half-ounce $10 gold coins under the First Spouse Program with engravings of portraits of the first ladies on the obverse. When a president served without a spouse, a gold coin was issued that bears an obverse image emblematic of Liberty as depicted on a circulating coin of that era and a reverse image emblematic of themes of that president's life. This is true for the coins for Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, and James Buchanan's first ladies, but not the coin for Chester A. Arthur's first lady, which instead depicts suffragetteAlice Paul.
This list included all persons who served as first ladies, regardless of whether they were married to the incumbent president or not, as well as persons who are considered to have acted as first lady and the White House Historical Association.
Certain spouses of presidents of the United States are not considered first ladies of the United States. Four presidents were widowed prior to their presidencies:
Thomas Jefferson was married to Martha Wayles from 1772 until her death in 1782.
Andrew Jackson was married to Rachel Donelson from 1794 until her death in 1828.
Martin Van Buren was married to Hannah Hoes from 1807 until her death in 1819.
Chester A. Arthur was married to Ellen Lewis Herndon from 1859 until her death in 1880.
Two presidents were divorced prior to their presidencies:
Ronald Reagan was married to Jane Wyman from 1940 until 1949.
One president was widowed and remarried prior to his presidency:
Theodore Roosevelt was married to Alice Hathaway Lee from 1880 until her death in 1884. He was subsequently married to Edith Carow from 1886 to his death in 1919.
