Martha Washington: First Lady
Who was this aristocratic and courageous woman who married the first president of The United States?
Who was the woman who married the very first President of the United States? What were her hopes, her dreams and her personal challenges?
The daughter of a wealthy Virginia planter whose estate is today Arlington National Cemetery, Martha's world revolved around plantation life and the extended use of enslaved labor to maintain it. Rumors abounded that her rich father, John Dandrige, had sired a daughter from one of his slaves and that Martha herself owned her own mulatto half sister! To further compound this travesty, Martha's own son may have been the father of one of his aunt's children. The lines of truth have been blurred over the years, but it is clear that Martha lived in a society gravely dichotomized by racial injustice and a severe double standard.
She was in her own way a remarkable woman who was not afraid to speak her mind and follow her husband onto the battlefield at Valley Forge. The troops loved her presence and it is said that she boosted their morale by being there. She also showed her displeasure about her husband's presidency by refusing to attend his inauguration without fear of reprisal from anyone.
Courage can be a quiet thing. Read on to learn more about this fascinating woman who married the "father" of our great country.
