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First Lady’s Library
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First Lady’s Library
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fle Fun ladies Library
First
United
States
Ladies
April 2, 1997
of Imerico
Library
First Ladi
Martha
Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton
First Lady of the United States
Martha
ARMAA
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Dolley Mail
MEBARAM
Washington, DC 20500
Elizabeth Marride
Louisa Adams
Dear Mrs. Clinton:
Rachel lackson
Nonorary Chairpersons
Hannah Var Buren
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
It is with great joy that the executive committee of the National
Anna Harrison
First Lady Barbara Bush
First Ladies' Library send you this report and future time schedule
First Lady Nancy Reagan
plans for the promotion and 1998 formal dedication of this unique
lulia Tyler
First Lady Rosalynn Carter
national resource.
Sarah Polk
First Lady Betty Ford
First Lady Claudia Lady Bird" Johnson
Margaret Taxior
We want to thank you for serving as honorary chair and tell you
Abigail Fillmore
how much we appreciate your continued interest and
lane Pierce
Executive Committee
encouragement of the last two years.
Go-Chairpersons
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Regula
Eliza Johnson
(Congressman Ralph Regula)
Carl Sferrazza Anthony has now completed a year's research, and
with the skilled volunteer help of technical professors at Stark State
lulia Grant
Suzanne Timken
(Mrs. W.R. Timken Jr.)
College of Technology, the first and only First Ladies' bibliography
Lucy Hayes
will be available via the World Wide Web.
Lucretia Garfield
Ellen Arthur
Janet Voinovich
Sarah Brown
The next fifteen months will be a monumental period of growth as
Frances Cleveland
Fran Selberling Bucholzer
the First Ladies' Library is introduced to the American people. As
Caroline Harrison
Mary Cain
our nation's First Lady, we hope that you will consider taking a
Dr. Carol Cartwright
Ida Saxton McKinle
Carolyn Rathburn Dix
visible role in the exciting events leading to the dedication that are
Edith Roosevelt
Lynne Dragomier
planned during this time period. Specifically, please consider the
Dr. Sheila Fisher
following items:
Helen Tart
Shirley Jones
Ellen Wilson
Martha Lottman
Cherrie Turner
1.
At the beginning of the school year in September, we hope
Edith Whiser
Jane Vignos
that you will introduce the National First Ladies' Library
Florence Harding
Bonnie Wheeler
at a news conference at the White House by accessing your
Grace Coolidge
own bibliography, which will be linked to the popular White
Lou Hoover
House home page.
Eleanor Received:
Bess Truman
Students in Canton, Ohio, the home of the library, as well as
students throughout the nation, would be simultaneously linked.
Mane "Mamie Elsentive
lacqueline Kenned
What a unique, historic experience this would be, not only for the
Claudia Lady Bird 711
thousands of students who would be accessing it, but hopefully for
Theima Pat Nixer
our First Lady, too.
Elizabeth "Betty Ford
Rosalynn Carrer
Nancy Reagan
Ida Saxton McKinley House
Barbara Bush
331 Market Avenue South
Hillary Rodham Christ
Canton, Ohio 44702-2107
First
United
States
Ladies
Hillary Rodham Clinton
of (merica
April 2, 1997
Library
First Ladies
Page 2
Martha
We would like you to have an active role in the program for
Abigan -
2.
the First Ladies' Salute to First Women Awards Gala in
Martha
LARMAA
June, 1998 on a date to be determined by you.
Dolley Mad
Elizabeth
This award celebration will be held in Washington, DC and will
Louisa Adams
honor five nationally recognized individuals who were the first
Rachel lackson
Nonorary Chairpersons
women to attain specific positions of leadership in their chosen
Hannah Var Euren
First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
field.
Anna Harrisch
First Lady Barbara Bush
First Lady Nancy Reagan
3.
We ask for your signature on a letter of invitation to the
lulia Tyler
First Lady Rosalynn Carter
women who would be honored at the First Ladies' Salute to
Sarah Polk
First Lady Betty Ford
First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
First Women Awards Gala.
Margaret Tay or
Abigail Fillatore
I have enclosed two vision statements that explain more fully the
lane Pierce
Executive Committee
mission of the library.
Go-Chairpersons
Mary Todo Lincoln
Mary Regula
Eliza lohnson
(Congressman Ralph Regula)
I remember meeting with you and sharing the importance of this
totia Grant
Suzanne Timken
great chapter of women's history. You inspired me at our first
(Mrs. W.R. Timken Jr.)
meeting and honored us by giving us your enthusiastic support.
Lucy Hayes
Lucretia Gatheld
We need your help with these special events that only you as our
Ellen Arthur
Janet Volnovich
Sarah Brown
nation's First Lady can dramatically accomplish. We hope you
Frances Cleveland
Fran Selberling Bucholzer
will embrace this project as one lasting legacy to offer America as
Caroline Harrison
Mary Cain
the forty-first First Lady of the United States.
Dr. Carol Cartwright
Ida Saxton McKinley
Carolyn Rathburn Dix
Edith Robsevelt
Lynne Dragomier
Sincerely,
Heien Tatt
Dr. Sheila Fisher
Shirley Jones
Cherrie Turner
Mary Mary Regula
Ellen Wilson
Martha Lottman
Edith
Jane Vignos
Florence Harding
Bonnie Wheeler
Co-Chair, Executive Committee
Grace Coderage
First Ladies' Library
Lou Hoover
Eleanor Robsevelt
Bess Truman
Marie Mamie" Eisenhower
lacqueline Kennedy
Claudia Lady Bird lohnse
Thelma Pat Nixon
Elizabeth Betty" Ford
Rosalynn Carter
Nancy Reagan
Ida Saxton McKinley House
Barbara Bush
331 Market Avenue South
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Canton, Ohio 44702-2107
FUTURE VISIONS OF THE
FIRST LADIES' LIBRARY
By: Carl Sferrazza Anthony
A national collection of audio recordings of all First Ladies, drawn from their books-on-tape,
the Museum of Broadcasting, radio interviews and speeches as available through the
Presidential Libraries.
A national collection of still pictures of First Ladies, drawn from the collections of the Library
of Congress, Presidential homes and Libraries.
Eventually, copies of reels of microfilm of First Ladies' papers (mostly from the pre-
Presidential Library era) might be purchased from organizations such as the Ohio Historical
Society, Massachusetts Historical Society and the collections of Presidential Papers, owned by
the Library of Congress, along with microfilm viewers and copiers placed in the research
room.
Some of the above material - particularly that from the presidential libraries - will fall into
public domain; the rest, material for which the copyright is held by others, can be at the
Library for reference use only, and it would be the responsibility of those seeking copies of
such material to first obtain the written permission from the holder. In this way, the First
Ladies' Library can be a national reference center without restraint about its collecting
process.
Eventually, perhaps an exhibit room can be established at the Library and each year a special
in-depth exhibit can illustrate the life and achievements of an individual First Lady, with
lectures from historians not only on the First Lady, but the President and also the history of
American women of that particular era.
Future Visions of the First Ladies' Library
Page 2
Perhaps, too, with the on-line capacity to be available at the First Ladies' Library two
activities can be ongoing and also serve national purposes:
a)
a national dialogue of opinions about the proper and best roles of not only a
First Lady, but unelected women in politics;
b)
various national polls can be taken on-line, seeking generalized views and
reactions to events, controversies, speeches, etc. of incumbent First Ladies.
THE FIRST LADIES' LIBRARY -
A UNIQUE NATIONAL RESOURCE
By: Dr. Carol Cartwright, President
Kent State University
As the first and only facility of its kind, the First Ladies' Library will serve as a unique,
national resource for patrons from school children to serious scholars. As a national archive
devoted to the lives and legacies of America's First Ladies, the Library's holdings will fill an
informational void that has long frustrated academicians and armchair history buffs alike.
Presidential spouses, who hail from virtually every part of the country and represent a
diversity of economic and social backgrounds, are fascinating in their own right. However,
the study of First Ladies holds enormous potential for generating knowledge of a far broader
scope. The changing roles of the First Lady - from social hostess to social activist and from
silent partner to full partner - mirror the changing roles of all American women. Thus, the
availability of comprehensive data about First Ladies is likely to spark research in disciplines
including U.S. history, sociology and women's studies.
The Library's scholarly centerpiece will be a comprehensive, annotated bibliography of books,
manuscripts, journals, diaries and other materials about and by the First Ladies.
Commissioned by the Library Executive Committee, the bibliography was compiled by the
respected historian, Carl Sferrazza Anthony, who devoted more than a year to this ambitious
project.
Modern technology will allow unprecedented access to this one-of-a-kind database. The
1,000-plus-page bibliography will be available via the World Wide Web on the First Ladies'
Library Internet home page, which will be linked electronically to the popular White House
home page. Eventually, the Library's home page will offer units of study that teachers and
school librarians anywhere in the world can use to provide or enrich social studies curricula
at all levels.
The First Ladies' Library - A Unique National Resource
Page 2
Those who are able to travel to Canton, Ohio, in person will have access to the Library's own
computer facilities and to its growing collection of books, newspaper and journal articles and
audio and video tapes. Visitors also will be able to glimpse a bygone era as they tour the
home of America's 23ʳᵈ First Lady, Ida Saxton McKinley, which has been restored with great
attention to historical accuracy.
In addition to its primary function as a repository of historical data, the First Ladies' Library
will serve a vital public-service mission as the sponsor of year-round educational and cultural
activities and events. For example, short-and longer-term outreach activities will include:
Celebrating an annual "Mrs. President's Day," held in conjunction with
President's Day, during which lectures about the life and times of First Ladies
are presented at local schools and books are donated to school libraries.
Developing units of study about First Ladies that encourage centers to use and
enjoy libraries and computers.
Sponsoring guest lectures at public libraries and community centers by
authorities on the Presidency and First Lady.
Coordinating and connecting all presidential sites and presidential libraries via
the Internet.
Developing workshops for K-12 classes that demonstrates the wide range of
research materials and methodologies, including electronic sources,
documentaries and other films and oral histories.
Sponsoring a major film festival featuring First Ladies at theaters throughout
Ohio and beyond.
Organizing displays, receptions and musical performances at cultural sites
such as art and history museums and symphony halls.
Enlisting high school and college students to bring history alive for audiences
from schools to social clubs.
Holding seminars on and by First Ladies about their unique role in American
history.
The First Ladies' Library - A Unique National Resource
Page 3
Encouraging women's leadership roles through workshops and study groups
focusing on First Ladies.
Providing assistance with a proposed television documentary about the First
Ladies.
Creating an information center on the history and influence of First Ladies for
dissemination to the nation's presidential homes and libraries.
The First Ladies' Library project has captured the imagination of the Canton, Ohio-area
community and has generated enormous excitement among the community of scholars. Since
its inception, the project has also received the enthusiastic endorsement of the nation's First
Ladies, each of whom is an honorary project chairperson and many of whom have expressed a
desire to attend the official opening in June 1998.
As the First Ladies' Library takes shape, so, too, does the promise of valuable, new knowledge
about untold chapters in American history. And so, too, does the promise of inspiring
Americans, people the world over, for generations to come.