Since George Washington made it clear that Martha was his partner in the presidency by providing her with her own schedule of meetings and having her serve as hostess and surrogate, first ladies have each defined the role as it best suited their backgrounds, personalities, the times, and their husbands’ views of the role. Some […]

Anyone asked to list the top first ladies usually draws on their own experience studying or knowing about the women during their lifetimes. A few first ladies were far more powerful than history classes typically reveal. This program centers on three of those women: Sarah Polk, Florence Harding, and Edith Wilson and the power they […]

Join us for A Conversation on Race with panelists Maryemma Graham, KU Distinguished Professor of English, and Shawn Alexander, Chair of African and African American Studies. The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Barbara Ballard, senior associate director of the Dole Institute. Maryemma Graham, University Distinguished Professor of English in the Department of English and […]

Abigail Adams was famous for her letter to John urging him to “remember the ladies” as a new country and government were developed. John and most of his successors ignored that plea until the early 20th century. This program looks at the women who supported women’s rights, those who could have supported but chose not […]

While the ERA did not pass, three first ladies—Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter all supported the amendment. These women also supported other women’s issues as did several of their successors. This program explores some of the little-known efforts of first ladies to move women’s rights forward. Moderated by Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman, […]

In the wake of events like September 11 and January 6, the United States government has fortified its system of surveillance for counterterrorism purposes. Questions of legality, privacy, and constitutional rights have swirled around the topic of national security for decades, especially in recent years. Laws such as the Patriot Act have become synonymous with […]