User:DerbyCountyinNZ/List of First Ladies of the United States

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. 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.

According to the White House and the National First Ladies' Library, there have been 45 First Ladies and 46 First Ladyships. This discrepancy exists because Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is counted chronologically as both the 22nd and the 24th president; his wife Frances Folsom Cleveland is also counted twice.

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 Jefferson, wife of Thomas Jefferson; Rachel Jackson, wife of Andrew Jackson;  Hannah Van Buren, wife of Martin Van Buren;  and Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur, wife of Chester A. Arthur. One woman who was not married to a President but who 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 is 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 will instead depict suffragette Alice Paul.

List of First Ladies
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 officially considered First Ladies by the First Ladies' Library but who died before being able to serve in that role. First Ladies who were not married to the incumbent appear in light gray boxes, while official First Ladies who did not serve in that role appear in dark gray boxes. The numbering follows the First Ladies' Library listing, which includes presidents' wives who predeceased their husband's entering office. First Ladies not recognized by First Ladies' Library listing are marked with a †, and First Ladies officially recognized by the First Ladies' Library listing who never served in that capacity are marked with a ‡.