Bella Kocharyan, Laura Bush, Lyudmila Putina and Zorka Parvanova – first ladies of Armenia, the United States, Russia and Bulgaria in 2003.

First Lady is a term applied to the wife of an elected male head of state.^[1] Development of the title is credited to the United States, where it was first used in 1849, when United States President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison "First Lady" at her state funeral.^[2] First Lady may refer to: First Lady of the United States First Lady of the Philippines First Lady of Iceland First Lady of Mexico First Ladies of Chile Category: ... ImageMetadata File history File links First_ladies. ... ImageMetadata File history File links First_ladies. ... Kocharyan, Laura Bush, Lyudmila Putina and Zorka Parvanova – first ladies of Armenia, the United States, Russia and Bulgaria respectively in 2003. ... Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States George W. Bush and is thereby the First Lady of the United States. ... Bella Kocharian, Laura Bush, Lyudmila Putina and Zorka Purvanova – first ladies of Armenia, the United States, Russia and Bulgaria respectively in 2003. ... Zorka Parvanova (born on 4 May 1958, Razlog, Bulgaria) is the first lady of Bulgaria. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... Year 1849 (MDCCCXLIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850)[2] was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. ... This article is about a U.S. First Lady (the wife of James Madison). ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Origin

In the early days of the United States republic, there was no generally accepted title for the wife of the President. Many early first ladies expressed their own preference for how they were addressed, including the use of such titles as "Lady," "Mrs. President," "Mrs. Presidentress" and "Queen."^[3] Dolley Madison was referred to as "first lady" in 1849 at her funeral in a eulogy delivered by President Zachary Taylor. However, no written record of this eulogy exists.^[4] The earliest known written evidence of the title is from the November 3, 1863 diary entry of William Howard Russell, in which he referred to "gossip about the First Lady in the Land." The title first gained nationwide recognition in 1877, when Mary C. Ames wrote an article in the New York City newspaper 'The Independent' describing the inauguration of President Rutherford B. Hayes. She used the term to describe his wife, Lucy Webb Hayes. Mrs. Hayes was a tremendously popular first lady, and the frequent reporting on her activities helped spread use of the term outside Washington.^{[citation needed]} This article is about a U.S. First Lady (the wife of James Madison). ... For other uses, see Funeral (disambiguation). ... Look up eulogy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850)[2] was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Categories: People stubs | 1821 births | 1907 deaths ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Mary Clemmer Ames (aka Mrs. ... Newspapers called The Independent include: The Independent — a United Kingdom compact newspaper published by Tony OReillys Independent News & Media The Independent Weekly — an alternative newspaper published in Durham, North Carolina The Independent — a newspaper published in Moab, Utah from 1896 to 1919 The Independent — a newspaper published in... An inauguration is a ceremony of formal investiture whereby an individual assumes an office or position of authority or power. ... Rutherford Birchard Hayes (October 4, 1822 – January 17, 1893) was an American politician, lawyer, military leader and the nineteenth President of the United States (1877–1881). ... Lucy Ware Webb Hayes (August 28, 1831 - June 25, 1889) was the wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes of the United States of America and one of the most popular First Ladies of the nineteenth century. ...

Variations

The entire family of the head of state may be known familiarly as the "First Family".^[5] Should a female hold the office, the term First Gentleman may be the alternative to First Lady, though First Consort or some other style may be used. A First Family is an unofficial title for the family of the head of state or head of government of a country. ... In situations where the head of state or government is a woman, the term First Gentleman is sometimes used to mirror the term First Lady. ...

The spouse of the second in command (such as a Vice President) may be known as the "Second Lady". Less frequently, the family would be known as the "Second Family". A vice president is an officer in government or business who is next in rank below a president. ... A Second Lady is a title sometimes used in reference to the wife of a vice president, styled relative to the title of First Lady, the wife of a president. ...

In some situations, the title is bestowed upon a non-spouse. Park Geun-hye, former head of the Grand National Party of Korea, has been referred to as the First Lady to South Korean President Park Chung Hee. Although she is President Park's daughter, the title was bestowed to her after her mother's death.^[6] Park Geun-hye. ... The Grand National Party is a conservative-leaning opposition political party in South Korea. ... Park Chung-hee (November 14, 1917 – October 26, 1979) was former ROK Army general and the president of the Republic of Korea from 1961 to 1979. ...

Occasionally another woman will fill the duties of First Lady, if the wife is unwilling, unable, or does not exist.

Non-political uses

It has become commonplace for the title of "First Lady" to be bestowed on women, as a term of endearment, who have proven themselves to be of exceptional talent, even if that talent is non-political. For example, the term has been applied in the entertainment field to denote the First Lady of Song (Ella Fitzgerald), the First Lady of American Soul (Aretha Franklin),^[7] the First Lady of the Grand Old Opry (Loretta Lynn), and the First Lady of the American Stage (Helen Hayes).^[8] Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella and the First Lady of Song, is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Loretta Lynn (born Loretta Webb April 14, 1934) is an American country singer-songwriter and was one of the leading country female vocalists during the 1960s and 1970s and overall is revered as a country icon. ... Helen Hayes (October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress whose successful and award-winning career spanned almost 70 years. ...

The term "first lady" is also used to denote a woman who occupies the foremost social position within a particular locality.^[9]

The spouse of the president of a university or college may also be styled its first lady. In some institutions this use is official, and in some unofficial. In many it is not used. University President is the title of the highest ranking officer within a university, within university systems that prefer that appellation over other variations such as Chancellor or rector. ...

The term is also used often in the religious setting. The wife of a senior pastor is sometimes called "first lady".

Footnotes

Dictionary. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 119th day of the year (120th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Dictionary. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Sellers, Maud (April 1894). "The City of York in the Sixteenth Century". The English Historical Review 9 (34): 275-304. 
• Russell, A. (1889). "Journal of the American Geographical Society of New York" 21: 494-515. 

See also

• First Gentleman
• First Lady of the United States
• First Lady of the Philippines
• First Lady of Malaysia
• Spouses of heads of states and governments