The Sunday Story: America's first female president?
A portrait of former First Lady Edith Wilson hangs at the Wilson House in Washington, D.C. Keren Carrion/NPR hide caption
A portrait of former First Lady Edith Wilson hangs at the Wilson House in Washington, D.C.
Keren Carrion/NPR
On October 2, 1919, then President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke that left him blind in one eye, partially paralyzed and barely able to write his own name. He was in the midst of his second term. For the remainder of his presidency, some 17 months, his wife managed his duties, serving as a kind of de facto president.
Today, as we celebrate Women's History Month, Steve Inskeep joins us to share his interview with Rebecca Boggs Roberts, author of Untold Power: The Fascinating Rise and Complex Legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson.
A shorter version of this piece first aired on Morning Edition on March 8, 2023.
The audio portion of this episode was produced by Barry Gordemer, with help from Audrey Nguyen. It was edited by Olivia Hampton and Jennifer Schmidt.
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