American History TV visited the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History for a look at the newly opened First Ladies exhibit. See inaugural and evening gowns, including those worn by Dolley Madison, Mary Lincoln, Jacqueline Kennedy, Pat Nixon and Michelle Obama. Curator Lisa Kathleen Graddy explains what these gowns have to tell us about the unofficial yet influential role first ladies play in presidential administrations – and about the politics and culture of their times.

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The first of three Texas conferences on America’s first ladies was held recently at the George Bush Presidential Library. The George W. Bush and Lyndon B. Johnson presidential libraries will host the next two conferences in 2012.

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The next “Lecture in History” is with University of Arkansas professor Peggy Scranton.  C-SPAN viewers may be familiar with Professor Scranton from her sixteen-week class on the Clinton Presidency which aired in 2003.  Today’s class focuses on the role of the modern First Lady.

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Barbara Bush and Laura Bush recently sat down for a conversation with historian Richard Norton Smith and talked about their unique family and historical relationships, the stereotypes perpetuated about the president’s spouse, how they handled political criticism, their experiences as wartime first ladies, and their advice to their successors. Held at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.

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First Lady Michelle Obama's onetime chief of staff joined other former senior advisors to Barbara Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Laura Bush for a wide-ranging conversation on their White House experiences -- and the working bonds between first ladies regardless of political party.

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Social Secretaries working for American First Ladies help set the tone of presidential administrations.  Bess Abell, Catherine Fenton and Laurie Firestone served First Ladies from Lady Bird Johnson to Laura Bush. In this conversation at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, they recall their duties and life inside the White House.

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In this program from our 1999 "American Presidents: Life Portraits" series we focused on James Garfield's life and career. Historians discussed Garfield's military service, his election as president and assassination shortly after his inauguration. Suzanne Miller, the site manager at Garfield's home in Mentor, Ohio, talked about several of the artifacts and documents that Garfield left behind. 

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C-SPAN’s Local Content Vehicles take American History TV on the road. Throughout the weekend of May 18-20 we feature the history of Columbia, South Carolina.

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Thousands of colonists rejected the War for American Independence and many fled to the British stronghold of New York City. San Jose State University History Professor Ruma Chopra discusses the situation in the city and the perspective of those who looked upon the British as natural allies in religion, language and blood and thought the violence of rebellion was unnecessary and unlawful.

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This is a look at President Eisenhower’s views and actions in the area of civil rights, including the desegregation of the armed forces, his appointments of pro-civil rights Supreme Court justices and the dispatching of the 101st Airborne division to assist in the integration of Little Rock High School in Arkansas.  This discussion was part of a conference titled, “Ike Reconsidered: Lessons from the Eisenhower Legacy for the 21st Century,” co-hosted by Hunter College, City University of New York, the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute & the Eisenhower Foundation.

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