Anita McBride, former Chief of Staff to Laura Bush and director of the First Ladies Initiative at American University since 2011, examines how political spouses shaped U.S. history despite no constitutional role—until 1875. Partnering with the National Archives, Presidential Libraries, and White House Historical Association, her program publishes textbooks like Remember the First Ladies and hosts lectures, proving their impact on policy and diplomacy. The discussion underscores their overlooked but vital contributions to national survival, urging a more inclusive historical narrative. [Automatically generated summary]
So first, tell us about the First Ladies Initiative at American University.
unidentified
Oh, sure.
Delighted to tell you how we're very proud at American University is the only university in the country to actually have a center established to study the role of American First Ladies in their legacies, contributions to our politics, our policy, and to global diplomacy.
It was established in 2011.
We host a series of conferences around the country, mostly in partnership with National Archives, Presidential Libraries, White House Historical Association.
We have a lecture series that we do, classes that we've helped to develop on First Ladies.
And over the last couple of years, very thrilled that we were, along with two co-authors, I was able to publish the first ever textbook on U.S. First Ladies that we use now at American University, but also at other universities around the country.
And just to mention your co-author of two books, Remember the First Ladies, Legacies of America's History Making Women, and also U.S. First Ladies, Making History and Leaving Legacies.
And why, Anita, is it important to understand the role of First Ladies anyway?
unidentified
Well, I think we can't talk about inclusive history in our country if we don't include the role of these women and the contributions that they've made throughout the evolution of our country.
Even, you know, at the founding of our country and our founding mothers, even when these women did not have rights, they were not enshrined in our Constitution until well over 100 years after our country was founded.
But still, they found a way and an important way to ensure the survivability of our country and the ways that they're going to leave this to take you live to the House.