Historians talked about the role of the first lady of the United States and how it had evolved through history. They gave examples of the differences between various first ladies. The panelists responded to questions from members of the audience. Steve Scully moderated. The program opened with a video message from first lady Michelle Obama.
“Historical Perspectives on First Ladies” was the first panel of a preview of the C-SPAN series, “First Ladies: Influence and Image” at the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History in the historic Decatur House.