Edith Wilson
Edith Wilson, the second and younger wife of President Woodrow Wilson, entered their union after both experienced widowhood. Acknowledged as a vibrant and skilled hostess, her traditional first lady duties were eclipsed by the demands of World War I and ceased entirely when the U.S. joined the conflict. Submerging her own life to alleviate Woodrow’s stress during the war, she earned the moniker “Secret President” for managing routine government tasks following his disabling strokes. Redirecting major decisions away from him to his department heads, she scored low in integrity, reflecting her unconventional role. While her personal accomplishments ranked modestly, she fared better in Siena’s evaluations of courage and her value to the president, underscoring her pivotal but controversial influence during a critical period in U.S. history.
Image Credit: Harris & Ewing, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons