First Ladies Association for Research and Education - FLARE

04/15/2026

Join us April 27 at 7pm ET for our latest virtual program: Jackie Kennedy & Brooklyn's Design Works. Scholar Phyllis Ross will explore a little-known chapter in Jackie Kennedy's post-White House life: her involvement in launching The Design Works of Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Register at https://flare-net.org/aws/FLARE/pt/sp/home_page

04/09/2026

Join us! In person or virtually.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DW63K93DRVJ/?igsh=eHdlYW92c2FybjNm

03/26/2026

Don't miss our new episode of American FLOTUS, featuring Colleen Shogan, 11th Archivist of the United States and CEO of In Pursuit, and Anita B. McBride, Director of the First Ladies Initiative at American University and Co-Chair of In Pursuit. Drawing lessons from the unique perspective of our nation's presidents and many first ladies, the authors of the In Pursuit essays provide great examples of our leaders' successes and failures, civic excellence, strong character, and ethical leadership. And the authors themselves are leaders in their fields, including former presidents and first ladies, acclaimed historians, and many others. Hear more about this important project that honors America's 250th birthday.

03/24/2026

Explore Montpelier, the home of Dolley and James Madison, through the eyes of the people who visited them in the 19th century. Many of the Madisons' visitors wrote insightful descriptions of the time they spent at Montpelier, and these accounts have been invaluable for re-furnishing the house in the 21st century. In this presentation, Montpelier's Senior Research Historian Hilarie M. Hicks will pull from visitors' letters and diaries to paint a vivid picture of the Madisons at home.

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03/23/2026

📍Reminder! Tune in tomorrow at 7:00 PM EDT for "Visiting the Madisons: What Guests Saw at Montpelier," featuring Hilarie M. Hicks, Senior Research Historian at Montpelier. Explore firsthand accounts of life at Montpelier and gain insight into the home of President James Madison and Dolley Madison.

👉Join us live on Facebook and YouTube! Don't miss out—mark your calendars!

03/12/2026

On our new episode of American FLOTUS, author Myra Gutin joins host Alan Lowe to discuss the life and legacy of Barbara Bush. With her book, “Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch” as a guide, Dr. Gutin recounts Bush’s remarkable story, from the fateful dance where she first met a young George Bush, to her years as Second Lady, First Lady, and mother of a President. (Podcast can be found on our website.)

03/12/2026

What was it like to visit Dolley and James Madison at Montpelier? In the early 19th century, many guests who visited the Madisons recorded their experiences in letters and diaries. Their descriptions provide vivid glimpses inside one of America’s most famous homes.

Join us on March 24 at 7pm EDT for our next program, Visiting the Madisons: What Guests Saw at Montpelier, featuring Montpelier’s Senior Research Historian Hilarie M. Hicks. She’ll share how these firsthand accounts help historians understand — and even help restore — the Madison home today.

Watch live right here on Facebook or on our YouTube channel.

03/12/2026

Excellent piece by one of our esteemed members and Gould Award recipient, Catherine Allgor.

Democracy works best when political rivals see one another as human beings

10/13/2025

FLARE’s 1st online auction fundraiser, A Curated Auction of Exceptional Experiences and Finds, opens today! The auction link is bit.ly/FLARE2025

There’s something for everyone, including:

A deluxe vacation house in New York on the Finger Lakes for two nights
Exclusive tour packages for Mount Vernon, the National First Ladies Library, the Gerald R. Ford Museum, the Barnes and Calder Museums, the American Museum of Science and Energy, Sherwood Forest, and more
Cocktail parties, teas, and curated events at memorable and historic homes
One-on-one virtual conversations with noted authors, editors, and writers
Unique customer services, including designing a logo
Designer scarves by Hermes, Ann Hand, and the White House Historical Association
Fine jewelry, including a beautiful bracelet, pendants, and a pin
We invite you to start your bids today. Don’t forget to tell your family and friends, too. Everyone is invited to participate!

All profits will go to FLARE’s general fund. FLARE is a non-profit tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its mission is to promote and publicize research and education about the contributions, impact, and lasting legacy of U.S. first ladies.

The auction runs through November 7, 2025, with additional donations being added throughout the auction.

07/29/2024

The program Dolley Madison and the War of 1812 will only be shown on YouTube. Please go to our YouTube channel at

The mission of FLARE is to create and sustain a network to promote and publicize research and education relevant to the contributions, lives, impacts, and la...

06/03/2024

FLARE wishes First Lady Dr. Jill Biden a happy birthday today, June 3.
"Education is possibility set in motion." Dr. Jill Biden, Stanford University, 2018.

09/18/2023

Our updated stream will go live at 7:15 where we will present our Gould Award, which is presented to a member of FLARE who has, in the course of his or her other noteworthy career, made distinguished contributions to the field of first lady research and education. Nominees demonstrate Dr. Gould’s unwavering commitment to excellence while encouraging and furthering the study of American first ladies.