09/08/2026

FLARE Announces Partnerships to Expand First Ladies Education

Pictured: David Lee, President &CEO National First Ladies Library and Museum; Anita B. McBride, FLARE Founder and Board of Directors; Rev. Nicholas Inman, Co-Founder, National First Ladies Day Commission; Andrew Och, FLARE Member; Diana B. Carlin, FLARE Founder and President; Massee McKinley, National First Ladies Day Commission Co-Founder.

Washington, D.C. --  The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) today announced agreements with two other organizations dedicated to advancing the knowledge and understanding of the lives and legacies of the extraordinary women who have served as America’s first ladies.

In a signing ceremony at the national headquarters of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, D.C., the leaders of FLARE and the National First Ladies Day Commission (NFLDC) agreed to work together to secure Congressional approval in designating the last Saturday in April as National First Ladies Day.  They will also jointly encourage every governor to issue proclamations recognizing the day in their states.

FLARE and NFLDC also recently entered into an agreement with Presidents For Kids to collaborate in expanding its already published activity books about the lives of 20 of America’s first ladies. The three organizations will work together to develop and edit content. FLARE members will also contribute forwards to the activity books. 

The women who have served as first lady have shaped the nation far beyond their ceremonial duties, acting as crucial advisors, political strategists, and policy advocates. Despite having no official Constitutional role, no salary, and constant public scrutiny, they, each in their own way, transformed American culture, politics, and history. 

Diana Carlin, FLARE president, said, “The extraordinary stories of the women who have served alongside America’s presidents are both inspiring and not widely enough known. These collaborations will help give both young people and the broader general public greater awareness of the contributions made by our first ladies.”

Jack “Massee” McKinley, a direct descendant of first lady Frances Folsom Cleveland and co-chair of the National First Ladies Day Commission, added, “We are thrilled to partner with FLARE and Presidents For Kids in our collective efforts to remember, honor, and celebrate these remarkable women – America’s first ladies. Their stories deserve to be as well-known as those of our presidents.”

Dan Scudder, founder of Presidents For Kids, observed, “We are very excited about our partnerships with FLARE and the NFLDC.  Working together, we can continue to expand our mission of bringing history education and the story of our leading First Ladies into the hands of eager young learners.”

First Lady Caroline Harrison served as DAR’s first president general in 1890.