Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First Lady

Washington Historian Remembers Harriet Lane, the Greatest First Lady

WASHINGTON DC: She was the first White House Hostess to be called "First Lady." Enough said.

"Harriet Lane was a century ahead of her time," says Washington Historian and Biographer Milton Stern. "She used her intelligence, political skills, charm and beauty to push legislation through Congress when she was only twenty-seven years old."

She was the niece of America's Bachelor President and his official hostess in Lancaster, London and Washington. Anyone who met her was instantly enamored. Queen Victoria bestowed upon her the title "Honorary Ambassadress." The Washington press corps proclaimed her "Our Democratic Queen," and the Chippewa named her "the Great Mother of the Indians." U.S. Naval and Coast Guard ships were named after her and still are. Songs were written about her, and women dressed like her. She was the most admired woman in the country and established a style of entertaining never before seen in the White House. She was the first of her kind to be an advocate for social causes: hospital and prison reform and the plight of the American Indians. And only she could get away with beating the Prince of Wales at bowling, which she taught him in the first place!

Her world was guided by tragedy and death, yet she lived every day to the fullest. She conducted herself with grace and dignity and dedicated her life to the perpetuation of the memories of those dearest to her heart and the social welfare of all Americans, especially children.

Although no monument has been dedicated in her memory, her legacy and generosity live on in Baltimore and Washington through the establishment of the Johns Hopkins Pediatric and Teaching Hospital, St. Albans School for Boys, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the President James Buchanan Monument in Meridian Hill Park.

No Washington guest list was complete without her, as a society columnist wrote, "There is no more elegant figure in the official and social gatherings during the social season than the niece of President James Buchanan."

More than twenty years after her death, she was named one of the most memorable women in American History, but more than 100 years after her death, few remember America's greatest First Lady.

Milton Stern is the author of "Harriet Lane, America's First Lady" (www.harrietlane.net), the first extensive biography of President James Buchanan's niece. Due to his thorough research of Harriet Lane's life, he has been interviewed on numerous radio programs and is considered the definitive expert on the life of Harriet Lane.

"Unfortunately for Lane, she was the niece of a chief executive who was wrongfully blamed for events that had been unfolding since the drafting of the Constitution," Stern says. "His position as the fifteenth President, who was followed by America's greatest President, Abraham Lincoln, made him the scapegoat. Few realize that Lincoln supported Buchanan's policies in regard to South Carolina's secession from the Union until Fort Sumter was attacked, and Buchanan supported Lincoln's during the entire Civil War."

When asked why he wrote Harriet Lane's biography, Stern said, "She was an inspiration not only to American women, but also all Americans, as she devoted her entire life to social causes and for the betterment of this great country. Americans still benefit from her generosity."

Milton Stern is also the author of "America's Bachelor President and the First Lady" and the Executive Editor of "SelfPublisher News" (www.selfpublishernews.com). He resides in Washington, DC, with his toy parti-poodle, Serena Rose Elizabeth Montgomery. His next book, "On Tuesdays, They Played Mah Jongg" (www.mahjongg.us), will be released in the fall.

Harriet Lane, America's First Lady,
© 2005 ISBN 1411626087,
Milton Stern,
http://www.harrietlane.net,
miltonstern@harrietlane.net

____________________

Advertisement: Honest Riches - Click Here!

Advertisement: Lost AdWords - Click Here!

Advertisement: Get $1 Million A Month In Google Pay-Per-Click Ads Free! - Click Here!

Advertisement: Who Loves Money? - Click Here!

Advertisement: SEO Elite, the GrandDaddy of SEO Software - Click Here!

---

Living in Darkness - Book Review

Award winning author John Roynesdal, is a retired English teacher who has written for more than 15 years and produced 3 books for his Phillip Michael Carnegie... Read More

Jason Seeleys War - Book Review

"Jason Seeley's War" is centered in the heart of a small American town where two youth are deeply in love, and have been since high-school. Jason and... Read More

Book Summary: Networking For Professional Success

Book Summary:This article is based on the following book: Effective Networking for Professional Success: "How to Make the Most of Your Personal Contacts" by Rupert... Read More

Life Lines

Joyce Meyers has been inspiring Christians for decades with the pearls of inspirational wisdom which she has faithfully shared via her radio program and books. Now, her... Read More

Marone Memoirs: An Immigrant Story - Review By Amanda Evans

Marone Memoirs ? An immigrant Story by author Sarah E. Lingley is the story of her great grandparents Raffaele and Rosa Marone and their voyage to freedom... Read More

Dont Eat This Book by Morgan Spurlock: Lightweight But Convincing Expose of the Fast Food Industry

For those of you who've been on another planet for the past year or so, Morgan Spurlock is a filmaker who spent an entire month eating nothing... Read More

Primal Leadership - A Book Summary

Primal leadership takes center stage in this book. This concept goes beyond the set of conventional competencies on the making of a leader. Beyond bottom line figures,... Read More

Be the Captain of Your Lifes Ship

In his book, "Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity," author David Whyte explores the concept of work from an internal perspective and how... Read More

Book Review: Karmic Relationships

Karmic Relationships: Healing Invisible WoundsCharles Richards, Ph.D. Jodere Group P.O. Box 910147, San Diego, CA 92191, 800-569-1002 September 2002, ISBN: 1588720195 350 pages, $23.95 http://www.KarmicRelationships.comDr.... Read More

Book Review: Money Without Matrimony

MONEY WITHOUT MATRIMONY: The Unmarried Couples Guide to Financial Security, Sheryl Garrett and Debra Neiman, Dearborn Trade Publishing. Paperback $21.95 (248p) ISBN 1-4195-0688-9)Who knew? If you were... Read More

Book review on Finite Capacity Scheduling, Part III

With this all possible the price could be lowered to a back breaking competitive level giving lower prices to consumers who voted with their dollars while retaining... Read More

FISH! Tales - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

FISH! Tales: Real-Life Stories to Help You Transform Your Workplace and Your Life by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen, Philip StrandIf you're reading this book... Read More

Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry Book Review

Author: Thomas C. Oden Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco; 1st ed edition (May 1, 1983) Language: English ISBN: 0060663537Book Content:Introduction: What is Pastoral Theology?I.... Read More

Book Summary: Effective Networking For Personal Success

We are all "self-employed" now.Today there is absolutely no job security. We are living in an age of corporate downsizing, and freelance consultants, or self-employed workers are... Read More

Dragon Tales - Book Review

Dragon Tales by Mary C. Fairbanks is truly and entertaining book, chock full of twenty-four dragon stories. Perfect for youth from the age of five to fifteen,... Read More

The Isaiah Effect, by Greg Braden

Why do some prayers seem to be answered while others not? "The secret of prayer lies beyond the words of praise, the incantations, and the rhythmic chants... Read More

Book Summary: First, Break All The Rules

Based on a mammoth research study conducted by the Gallup Organization involving 80,000 managers across different industries, this book explores the challenge of many companies - attaining,... Read More

The Global Wolf Pack

Description:Intense action and gripping suspense characterize the seemingly real story about tax evation, money-laundering, intrigue and murder in corporate world.Book DescriptionThe fast-paced story about tax evasion, money-laundering,... Read More

Amazing Holy Grail Discovery

In a profound and provocative work of scholarly detection, best-selling UK author Philip Gardiner shakes the foundations of modern belief by at last revealing the true origins... Read More

Book Review - Manners That Sell: Adding The Polish That Builds Profits

This beautifully laid out trade paperback has a gorgeous and practical design both inside and out. I recommend you read this book with a highlighter and a... Read More

The Rich Jerk Review: New Agressive and Effective Internet Marketing Methods for All

The Rich Jerk "Making Money on the internet is Easy" e-book Review1)The value proposition The Rich Jerk claims:* To reveal the unorthodox marketing methods that brought him... Read More

How Would You Move Mount Fuji? - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

For a number of reasons, today's hiring managers from Wall Street to the Silicon Valley are totally restructuring their approach to interviewing job prospects. Few will admit... Read More

Execution - A Book Summary

You've got the bright ideas and the smart people, and the market is just ready for you. But why hasn't your business taken off as you predicted?... Read More

Russ Whitney: Journey To Greatness

Teenage years for Russ Whitney were not filled with opportunity, stability and financial security. He, as a teenager, was described as youth with no future prospects.He, at... Read More

Albany, NY Family History Reference Now Available Thanks To Author Joseph Yakel

"Personal research references, especially for families who once lived in the South End area of Albany, are very difficult to come by", said Yakel. "Lower Albany had... Read More

Create Your Own Future - AchieveMax® Top Ten Book Review

Create Your Own Future: How to Master 12 Critical Factors of Unlimited Success by Brian TracyCreate Your Own Future is another example of what Brian Tracy does... Read More