Ep. 8 The Celebrity Status of a First Lady

When Frances Clara Folsom married President Stephen Grover Cleveland on June 2nd, 1886, the media descended upon Washington. Frances garnered attention and scrutiny that no first family had seen before. A few years later, Edith Roosevelt, with six-children in tow, drew the line between her private and public life. We chatted with White House Historical Association Senior Historian Dr. Matthew Costello to understand the evolution of public intrigue around first spouses.