By Eric Kvalsvick courtesy of Visit Alexandria
Authors of 'Remember the First Ladies' to discuss 250 years of history at The Lyceum in Alexandria.
As the nation marks its 250th year, an evening at The Lyceum in Old Town Alexandria will turn the spotlight on the women who shaped the White House from the inside.
The Twig, the Junior Auxiliary of Inova Alexandria Hospital, will host "250 Years of First Ladies Making History" on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the museum, 201 S. Washington St. The program features a panel discussion with the three co-authors of Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women, followed by a wine and cheese reception.
Susan Swain, former co-CEO of C-SPAN, will moderate. Swain knows the subject well. She is the author of First Ladies: Presidential Historians on the Lives of 45 Iconic American Women.
The Panel
The book's co-authors bring together scholarship, White House experience and decades spent with the nation's presidential records.
- Diana B. Carlin is professor emerita of communication at Saint Louis University and has taught courses on first ladies at three universities.
- Anita B. McBride directs the First Ladies Initiative at American University and served as chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush.
- Nancy Kegan Smith is the former director of the Presidential Materials Division at the National Archives and Records Administration.
The three are founding members of FLARE, the First Ladies Association for Research and Education, a national network that supports scholarship, classroom teaching and public programs on the lives and legacies of America's first ladies.
About the Book
Publisher photo
Authors will discuss their book, "Remember the First Ladies" at a TWIG fundraiser in Alexandria.
Published in 2024, Remember the First Ladies traces the role of first lady from its origins under Martha Washington. The book combines profiles of individual first ladies with chapters on themes such as civil rights, political campaigns, major speeches and life in the White House, showing how first ladies have influenced American society, policy and diplomacy.
Tickets
Tickets are $25 and include the panel and the reception. For an additional $20, guests can add a copy of the book signed by all three authors, to be picked up at the event. Signed copies are limited. The Twig is offering the book's first edition at a reduced price; an updated edition was published more recently.
Buy tickets online. If the site prompts for an email address, enter one to start the transaction. Questions can go to marketing@thetwig.org.
Seating at The Lyceum is limited, and all sales are final. The Twig asks ticket holders who can't attend to consider their purchase a donation. Proceeds benefit Inova Alexandria Hospital. The Twig is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and the portion of the ticket price covering the value of the reception is not tax-deductible.
Doors open at 6:45 p.m., and the conversation begins at 7. The evening includes the moderated panel, time for audience questions and the reception, wrapping up by 8:30 p.m.
The Lyceum sits at the corner of Washington and Prince streets in Old Town. Its parking lot is small and street parking is limited, so guests should plan on street spaces or nearby garages.
The museum's first- and second-floor public areas are wheelchair accessible. A light-duty passenger elevator to the second floor accommodates non-motorized wheelchairs only.
About The Twig
A group of 24 Alexandria women founded The Twig in 1933 to raise money for the local hospital. The all-volunteer organization has since raised more than $6 million for Inova Alexandria Hospital. It also hosts the annual Historic Alexandria Homes Tour and runs the Twig Thrift Shop at 106 N. Columbus St. in Old Town.
