Category:First Ladies of the United States

This category is not for articles on characters who were First Ladies of the United States, but to group the OTL and Alternate Timeline First Lady categories for supercategorization purposes. Articles on characters who held the office of First Lady should still be put into one or both of those categories, not this one.

The First Lady of the United States is the official hostess of the White House, with ultimate responsibility for overseeing protocol at all White House functions. [In alternate history timelines where the seat of the Presidency is not the White House, we can assume that the First Lady performs the same function wherever the President does sit.] In recent years, it has also become customary for the First Lady to advocate on behalf of social initiatives, usually of a politically non-controversial nature. The position of First Lady is unpaid, and tradition prohibits a First Lady from being gainfully employed while she holds the post, for fear of an employer or contractor attempting to use her salary to influence the President.

Throughout American history, when the President has been married, his wife has held the position of First Lady, with one brief exception. However, contrary to popular belief, being the wife of a President and the office of First Lady are not one and the same. At several points in history, a President has spent part or all of his tenure in office as a bachelor or a widower. At these times, the position of First Lady is not vacant; it has been filled by a close female relative or friend of the President.

On January 3, 2001, Hillary Clinton had to give up the position of First Lady when she was inaugurated as a US Senator. Since US Senator is a paid position and the First Lady is traditionally barred from holding gainful employment, she turned the position over to Chelsea Clinton for the remaining two and a half weeks of her husband's administration.