Lou Hoover
Born in Iowa in 1874, Lou Henry Hoover defied gender norms of her era, engaging in “masculine” outdoor pursuits and earning a degree from Stanford. With her husband’s work leading the family globally before his presidency, Lou honed homemaking, hosting skills, and fluency in multiple languages, epitomizing a consummate first lady. The Siena College study reflected average scores in categories like her own accomplishments, courage, and White House stewardship, yet her public image suffered, possibly due to her controversial nature in a traditional era. A proponent of physical fitness for girls, Lou, noted by the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, broke barriers as the first lady to speak on radio and stirred attention by inviting the Black wife of a U.S. congressman to the White House, challenging societal expectations.
Image Credit: Harris & Ewing, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons