04/24/2026
FLARE Launches the Journal of First Ladies Studies
FLARE Launches the Journal of First Ladies Studies, expanding scholarship on America’s First Ladies.
The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) announces the launch of the inaugural issue of the Journal of First Ladies Studies, a new scholarly publication dedicated to advancing research on the lives, influence, and historical impact of America’s First Ladies.
The journal has been released online today in recognition of National First Ladies Day, observed annually on the last Saturday of April. The publication is available free of charge on FLARE’s website beginning today.
The Journal of First Ladies Studies represents an important milestone in a growing field of historical scholarship. While the American presidency has long been the subject of extensive research, historians in recent decades have increasingly examined the significant political, cultural, and social roles played by presidential spouses. FLARE created the journal to provide a dedicated scholarly forum for this emerging field.
“First Ladies have long shaped public life in ways that historians are only beginning to fully understand,” said Christopher J. Leahy, Ph.D., editor of the journal and Professor of History at Keuka College. “The Journal of First Ladies Studies provides a platform for scholars to explore their influence on American politics, culture, diplomacy, and social reform.”
“The presidency has been a partnership since Martha Washington arrived in New York and the new president handed her a list of duties and events to oversee,” said Diana B. Carlin, Ph.D., president of FLARE. “The wives of presidents have contributed to shaping the new country and have impacted our history since 1789. FLARE’s journal is a new way to recognize those contributions and make first ladies’ legacies better known.”
The inaugural issue includes two original scholarly articles examining the evolving public roles of First Ladies across American history. Both articles focus on First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, reflecting the growing scholarly interest in mid-twentieth-century women’s history and the development of the modern public role of presidential spouses.
- “Housepower: Mamie Eisenhower’s Hidden Hand Partnerships,” authored by Sharon Williams Leahy, explores Mrs. Eisenhower’s collaborations with entrepreneurs that shaped entire American industries. In particular, Leahy’s work reassesses the significance of “Mamie Pink.” Leahy is an independent scholar.
- “Making Mamie: How a Presidential Library Reinvented the Collective Memory of a First Lady,” authored by Teri Finneman, examines the 2018-2019 renovations at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, which made the first lady a central character in its story. Finneman maintains that a more modern version of Mrs. Eisenhower has begun to take shape in the collective memory. Finneman is a professor in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas.
“As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, historians are reexamining the many individuals who shaped the nation’s development,” Christopher J. Leahy said. “First Ladies were often influential participants in the political and social life of their time, and their stories deserve serious scholarly attention.”
The second issue of the Journal of First Ladies Studies is slated for fall 2026. FLARE also welcomes submissions for the 2027 issues of the Journal. Scholars, graduate students, and independent researchers working in fields including women’s history, political history, cultural studies, and public history are encouraged to submit articles based on original research.