Grace Coolidge

Grace Anna Coolidge (née Goodhue; January 3, 1879 – July 8, 1957) was first lady of the United States from 1923 to 1929 as the wife of the 30th president of the United States, Calvin Coolidge. She was previously the second lady of the United States from 1921 to 1923 and the first lady of Massachusetts from 1919 to 1921. Coolidge was born and raised in Burlington, Vermont, and attended the University of Vermont where she co-founded the school's chapter of Pi Beta Phi. She moved to Northampton, Massachusetts, to teach at Clarke School for the Deaf. She met Calvin Coolidge in Northampton, and they married in 1905. They had two sons. She stayed in Northampton to raise their children while her husband's political career progressed in Boston. The family moved to Washington, D.C. when Coolidge was elected vice president in 1921, and into the White House after the death of Warren G. Harding, in 1923. Coolidge was active as first lady, hosting thousands of guests each year, and she made regular public appearances in the President's stead. She was popular and highly regarded for her ability to charm visitors. Her fashion choices were influential among American women as she wore a variety of hats and chose modest versions of contemporary designs. Coolidge distanced herself from the politically active first ladies who preceded her, though she quietly took interest in helping women's groups and the deaf. She felt restricted by the role of first lady; she believed that it took priority over her own interests, and she was subject to many rules imposed on her by her husband. She was much affected by the death of her younger son in 1924, though she interrupted her duties as the White House hostess only for a few weeks. In the final year...