Second Lady of the United States

Second Lady of the
United States of America
Incumbent
Karen Pence
since January 20, 2017
Style Mrs. Pence (informal)
Madam Second Lady (formal)
Abbreviation SLOTUS
Residence Number One Observatory Circle
Inaugural holder Abigail Adams
Formation April 21, 1789 (1789-04-21)
Website WhiteHouse.gov

The Second Lady of the United States (SLOTUS) is the informal title held by the wife of the Vice President of the United States, concurrent with the vice president's term of office. This title is less commonly used when compared to the title of First Lady of the United States.

The term "Second Lady", coined in contrast to the First Lady (who is almost always the wife of the President), may have been first used by Jennie Tuttle Hobart (whose husband, Garret Hobart was Vice President from 1897 to 1899) to refer to herself.

The title later fell out of favor, but was revived in the 1980s.[1][2] During the 1990s the title was again abandoned, in favor of "wife of the Vice President", but was later resurrected during the administration of Barack Obama.[2] Its use was continued by the administration of Donald Trump,[3], although Donald Trump himself said, during his presidency, that he had never heard the term.[4]

Fourteen Second Ladies have gone on to become First Lady of the United States during their husband's terms as President. The first to do this was Abigail Adams, who was married to John Adams, who was the first Vice President from 1789 to 1797 and then second President from 1797 to 1801. The last to do this was Barbara Bush, who was married to George H. W. Bush, who was the 43rd Vice President from 1981 to 1989 and then 41st President from 1989 to 1993.

The current Second Lady is Karen Pence, who is married to Mike Pence, who has been the 48th Vice President in Donald Trump's administration since January 20, 2017.

There are four living former second ladies: Marilyn Quayle, wife of Dan Quayle; Tipper Gore, wife of Al Gore; Lynne Cheney, wife of Dick Cheney; and Jill Biden, wife of Joe Biden.

History

The second lady's visibility in the public sphere has been a somewhat recent development. Although the role of the First Lady as White House hostess dates from the beginning of the republic (and was typically filled by another member of the president's family if the president was unmarried or a widower), with a few exceptions, it was generally not until the late 20th century and early 21st century that vice-presidential wives took on public roles that attracted significant media attention.

In one notable exception, Floride Calhoun, wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun, was a central figure in the Petticoat Affair, a social-political scandal which involved the social ostracism of Secretary of War John H. Eaton and his wife Margaret O'Neill Eaton further damaging already-strained relations between Vice President Calhoun and President Andrew Jackson.

Second Lady Pat Nixon, with Vice President Richard Nixon, led a delegation to Ghana in 1957. One historian wrote that Pat Nixon "helped to define this nebulous role for an entire generation of women who would succeed her."

Pat Nixon, wife of Vice President Richard Nixon, was the first Second Lady to add a great deal of substance to the role of the Vice President's wife. When Nixon assumed the position in 1953, the role's only official function was to preside over the once-annual Senate Ladies Luncheon.[5] Instead, Nixon launched her own initiatives, sensing great opportunities that her role provided. She established a schedule separate from that of her husband, which often consisted of solo activities. As Second Lady, Nixon traveled more than 125,000 miles around the world to six continents, including a two-month, 42,000-mile journey through Asia in 1953.[5] As she undertook missions of goodwill across the world, she insisted on visiting schools, orphanages, hospitals and village markets rather than attend tea or coffee functions. In this sense, Nixon essentially created the modern role of the Second Lady; historian Kate Andersen Brower wrote, "she helped to define this nebulous role for an entire generation of women who would succeed her."[5]

In 1978, Muriel Humphrey, wife of Vice President Hubert Humphrey, became the only former Second Lady to hold public office; after her husband, who had returned to the U.S. Senate after his term as vice-president, died in office, she was appointed by Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich to continue her husband's term. Tipper Gore, wife of Vice President Al Gore, was active in several campaigns to remove material she found objectionable from popular American entertainment like movies, television shows and music, starting when her husband was a senator. She challenged performers over their use of profane lyrics and often debated with her critics, such as Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra. Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, championed education reform, citing specific failures of the American public education system during her tenure as second lady. She is a particularly outspoken supporter of American history education, having written five bestselling books on this topic for children and their families.[6] Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, works as an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College, and is thought to be the first second lady to hold a paying job while her husband was vice president.[7] She has been involved in various causes, including breast cancer awareness and literacy.

At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Dr. Jill Biden said, "Let me start by thanking you for allowing me to serve as Second Lady of the United States for the past eight years. It has been an honor." This was the first time the informal title was used by an incumbent at a national convention. The term remains an unfamiliar and uncertain one even when it is used.[8]

There have been 17 periods of vacancy in the role, the longest of which continued for 16 years between the service of vice presidential spouses Abigail Adams and Ann Gerry. The most recent second lady vacancy was for 132 days in 1974, between the service of Betty Ford and Happy Rockefeller.

List of Second Ladies of the United States

Image Second Lady Date of birth Vice President
Marriage date		 Tenure Date of death (age) Tenure as First Lady
Abigail Smith November 11, 1744 John Adams
October 25, 1764		 April 21, 1789 – March 4, 1797 October 28, 1818(1818-10-28) (aged 73) 1797–1801
Vacant; Thomas Jefferson was a widower. March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801  
Vacant; Aaron Burr was a widower. March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1805  
Vacant; George Clinton was a widower. March 4, 1805 – April 20, 1812  
Vacant; no Vice President. April 20, 1812 – March 4, 1813  
Ann Thompson August 12, 1763 Elbridge Gerry
January 12, 1786		 March 4, 1813 – November 23, 1814 March 17, 1849(1849-03-17) (aged 85)
Vacant; no Vice President. November 23, 1814 – March 4, 1817  
Hannah Minthorne August 28, 1781 Daniel D Tompkins
February 20, 1798		 March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 February 18, 1829(1829-02-18) (aged 47)
Floride Bonneau Colhoun February 15, 1792 John C. Calhoun
January 8, 1811		 March 4, 1825 – December 28, 1832 July 25, 1866(1866-07-25) (aged 74)
Vacant; no Vice President. December 28, 1832 – March 4, 1833  
Vacant; Martin Van Buren was a widower. March 4, 1833 – March 4, 1837  
Vacant; Richard M. Johnson was unmarried. March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841  
Letitia Christian November 12, 1790 John Tyler
March 29, 1813		 March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 September 12, 1842(1842-09-12) (aged 51) 1841–1842
Vacant; no Vice President. April 4, 1841 – March 4, 1845  
Sophia Chew Nicklin June 24, 1798 George M. Dallas
1816		 March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 January 11, 1869(1869-01-11) (aged 70)
Abigail Powers March 13, 1798 Millard Fillmore
February 5, 1826		 March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 March 30, 1853(1853-03-30) (aged 55) 1850–1853
Vacant; no Vice President. July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853  
Vacant; William R. King was unmarried. March 4, 1853 – April 18, 1853  
Vacant; no Vice President. April 18, 1853 – March 4, 1857  
Mary Cyrene Burch August 16, 1826 John C. Breckinridge
December 12, 1843		 March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 October 8, 1907(1907-10-08) (aged 81)
Ellen Vesta Emery September 14, 1835 Hannibal Hamlin
1856		 March 4, 1861 – March 4, 1865 February 1, 1925(1925-02-01) (aged 89)
Eliza McCardle October 4, 1810 Andrew Johnson
May 17, 1827		 March 4, 1865 – April 15, 1865 January 15, 1876(1876-01-15) (aged 65) 1865–1869
Vacant; no Vice President. April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869  
Ellen Maria Wade July 26, 1836 Schuyler Colfax
November 18, 1868		 March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1873 March 4, 1911(1911-03-04) (aged 74)
Vacant; Henry Wilson was a widower. March 4, 1873 – November 22, 1875  
Vacant; no Vice President. November 22, 1875 – March 4, 1877  
Vacant; William A. Wheeler was a widower. March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881  
Vacant; Chester A. Arthur was a widower. March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881  
Vacant; no Vice President. September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885  
Eliza Carol Morgan November 23, 1823 Thomas A. Hendricks
September 26, 1845		 March 4, 1885 – November 25, 1885 January 3, 1903(1903-01-03) (aged 79)
Vacant; no Vice President. November 25, 1885 – March 4, 1889  
Anna Livingston Reade Street May 18, 1846 Levi P. Morton
1873		 March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893 August 14, 1918(1918-08-14) (aged 72)
Letitia Green January 8, 1843 Adlai Stevenson I
December 22, 1866		 March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 December 25, 1913(1913-12-25) (aged 70)
Esther Jane "Jennie" Tuttle April 30, 1849 Garret Hobart
July 21, 1869		 March 4, 1897 – November 21, 1899 January 8, 1941(1941-01-08) (aged 91)
Vacant; no Vice President. November 21, 1899 – March 4, 1901  
Edith Kermit Carow August 6, 1861 Theodore Roosevelt
December 2, 1886		 March 4, 1901 – September 14, 1901 September 30, 1948(1948-09-30) (aged 87) 1901–1909
Vacant; no Vice President. September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1905  
Cornelia "Nellie" Cole January 1852 Charles W. Fairbanks
1874		 March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909 October 25, 1913(1913-10-25) (aged 61)
Carrie Babcock November 16, 1856 James S. Sherman
January 26, 1881		 March 4, 1909 – October 30, 1912 October 6, 1931(1931-10-06) (aged 74)
Vacant; no Vice President. October 30, 1912 – March 4, 1913  
Lois Irene Kimsey May 9, 1873 Thomas R. Marshall
October 2, 1895		 March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921 January 6, 1958(1958-01-06) (aged 84)
Grace Anna Goodhue January 3, 1879 Calvin Coolidge
October 4, 1905		 March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 July 8, 1957(1957-07-08) (aged 78) 1923–1929
Vacant; no Vice President. August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1925  
Caro Dana Blymyer January 6, 1866 Charles G. Dawes
1889		 March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929 October 3, 1957(1957-10-03) (aged 91)
Vacant; Charles Curtis was a widower. March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933  
Mariette Elizabeth Rheiner July 17, 1869 John Nance Garner
November 25, 1895		 March 4, 1933 – January 20, 1941 August 17, 1948(1948-08-17) (aged 79)
Ilo Browne March 10, 1888 Henry A. Wallace
May 20, 1914		 January 20, 1941 – January 20, 1945 February 22, 1981(1981-02-22) (aged 92)
Elizabeth Virginia "Bess" Wallace February 13, 1885 Harry S. Truman
June 28, 1919		 January 20, 1945 – April 12, 1945 October 18, 1982(1982-10-18) (aged 97) 1945–1953
Vacant; no Vice President. April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1949  
Vacant; Alben W. Barkley was a widower. January 20, 1949 – November 18, 1949  
Elizabeth Jane Rucker September 23, 1911 Alben W. Barkley
November 18, 1949		 November 18, 1949 – January 20, 1953 September 6, 1964(1964-09-06) (aged 52)
Thelma Catherine "Pat" Ryan March 16, 1912 Richard Nixon
June 21, 1940		 January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 June 22, 1993(1993-06-22) (aged 81) 1969–1974
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor December 22, 1912 Lyndon B. Johnson
November 17, 1934		 January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 July 11, 2007(2007-07-11) (aged 94) 1963–1969
Vacant; no Vice President. November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1965  
Muriel Fay Buck February 20, 1912 Hubert Humphrey
September 3, 1936		 January 20, 1965 – January 20, 1969 September 20, 1998(1998-09-20) (aged 86)
Elinor Isabel "Judy" Judefind April 23, 1921 Spiro Agnew
May 27, 1942		 January 20, 1969 – October 10, 1973 June 20, 2012(2012-06-20) (aged 91)
Vacant; no Vice President. October 10, 1973 – December 6, 1973  
Elizabeth Ann "Betty" Bloomer April 8, 1918 Gerald Ford
October 15, 1948		 December 6, 1973 – August 9, 1974 July 8, 2011(2011-07-08) (aged 93) 1974–1977
Vacant; no Vice President. August 9, 1974 – December 19, 1974  
Margaretta Large "Happy" Fitler June 9, 1926 Nelson Rockefeller
May 4, 1963		 December 19, 1974 – January 20, 1977 May 19, 2015(2015-05-19) (aged 88)
Joan Adams August 8, 1930 Walter Mondale
December 27, 1955		 January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 February 3, 2014(2014-02-03) (aged 83)
Barbara Pierce June 8, 1925 George H. W. Bush
January 6, 1945		 January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 April 17, 2018(2018-04-17) (aged 92) 1989–1993
Marilyn Tucker July 29, 1949 Dan Quayle
November 18, 1972		 January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Living
69 years, 76 days
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Aitcheson August 19, 1948 Al Gore
May 19, 1970		 January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 Living
70 years, 55 days
Lynne Ann Vincent August 14, 1941 Dick Cheney
August 29, 1964		 January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 Living
77 years, 60 days
Jill Tracy Jacobs June 3, 1951 Joe Biden
June 17, 1977		 January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017 Living
67 years, 132 days
Karen Sue Batten January 1, 1957 Mike Pence
June 8, 1985		 January 20, 2017 – present Living
61 years, 285 days

Living Second Ladies

As of October 2018, there are four living former Second Ladies, as identified below.

The most recent second lady to die, and most recent serving (1981–89) who died, was Barbara Bush on April 17, 2018.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Purcell, Edward (2010). Vice Presidents: A Biographical Dictionary. InfoBase. p. 237. ISBN 1438130716.
  2. 1 2 Safire, William (2008). Safire's Political Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 249. ISBN 0195343344.
  3. ↑ "Mrs. Karen Pence". whitehouse.gov. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Hartmann, Margaret (July 2017). "Trump Reveals That He's Never Heard the Term 'Second Lady'". New York magazine. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Brower, Kate Andersen (June 24, 2018). "Remembering Pat Nixon: A fearless first and second lady". The Hill. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Mrs. Lynne Cheney". whitehouse.gov. The White House. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  7. ↑ Abcarian, Robin Abcarian (2 February 2009). "Hi, I'm Jill. Jill Biden. But please, call me Dr. Biden". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  8. ↑ Hannity & Colmes (16 September 2008). "Second Lady Lynne Cheney on Her New Book, Media's Treatment of Sarah Palin". Fox News. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  • "Karen Pence". Retrieved March 21, 2018.  – The Official White House site for the Second Lady
  • "Wives of Vice Presidents". Vice Presidents.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2005. Retrieved October 7, 2005.  – List of the wives of Vice Presidents
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