Eleanor Roosevelt White House Signed Engraving.

The position of the First Lady has evolved over the centuries, with her role, first and foremost, as the hostess of the white house and advisor to the President. With Eleanor Roosevelt’s tenure as the longest-serving First Lady the role became increasingly involved in social activism and patronage for the arts. Roosevelt was succeeded by Bess Truman, Mamie Doud Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy, and finally Lady Bird Johnson. With John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, Jacqueline Kennedy became the youngest First Lady of the United States at the age of 31 and redefined the role by hiring her own press secretary to strictly control her exposure to the media.