3 First Ladies who harnessed the power of writing
ISSUE NO. 34 // WRITING AS A TOOL FOR LIFE
Hi there!
I’m excited to introduce my friend Melanie Obitz-Bukartek. We met at a Book Proposal Blueprint course last year and I’m glad our paths crossed. (The internet can be so lovely!)
The three influential First Ladies we’re talking about today were prolific writers who harnessed the power of writing, leaving lasting legacies. To prepare for this issue, Melanie read six books — two for each of the First Ladies featured here [gasp!]. As if that wasn’t enough, she also prepared a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting them [double gasp!].
Presidential Doodler
3 First Ladies who harnessed the power of writing
For these First Ladies, writing about both personal and professional things was incredibly helpful to their mental health, following their aspirations, and the U.S.
We now understand–thanks to peer-reviewed research–that people who regularly engage in writing experience…
improved mental clarity and self-discipline,
a method of processing complex experiences,
the ability to see multiple perspectives,
structure to their thoughts, and
clearer communication of complex ideas and emotions.
Abigail Adams
Advocated for women’s rights and education.
Provided political counsel to her husband.
Her letters offer historians detailed accounts of the American Revolution.
Her writing is an example of what current-day peer-reviewed studies have also found: there is no correlation between using correct conventions–spelling, capital letters, & punctuation–and intelligence. Abigail’s writing is riddled with misspellings, yet it shows an incredibly compelling depth of thinking.
She used writing to articulate, discuss and develop her views on women's rights and governance, advocating for equality in letters to her husband, John Adams, during the formation of the American government.
Her letters to him contained affection and profound discussions on governance and equality.
Her full quote:
“You know my mind upon the Subject. I wish most sincerely there was not a slave in the province. It always appeared a most iniquitous scheme to me – fight ourselves for what we are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have.”
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Abigail wrote more than 1,100 letters to John between 1762 and 1801.
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Their correspondence was a partnership that enriched their mutual understanding and respect for each other’s viewpoints. He respected her perspectives deeply, considering her advice in his political decisions and writings, which enriched his viewpoint and approaches to building the American government.
Abigail cautioned him, “In the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands.”
Some called her “Mrs. President.”
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ADDITIONAL QUOTES
“If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.”
“If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Her “My Day” columns exemplify how writing can extend one's influence and articulate social concerns to a broader audience.
Helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Received more than 175k letters and sent out more than 45k letters while FLOTUS.
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Through 8,000 newspaper columns, 27 books, over 1,000 speeches, and speaking on more than 300 radio/TV programs, reached millions.
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Doodle inspired by Roosevelt Sweeps Nation: FDR's 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal by David Pietrusza
FDR valued Eleanor’s insights, which helped shape the New Deal policies and advanced human rights, showcasing a dynamic partnership that significantly impacted American society.
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ADDITIONAL QUOTES
“I’ll just have to go on being myself, as much as I can. [...] I dare say I shall be criticized, whatever I do.”
“Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive.”
“I believe that anyone who is constantly giving themselves new goals, who is training themselves to improve, will never lose the happiness of living.”
Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird started her diary days before she moved into the White House “as a form of therapy—to help me over the shock and horror of the experience of President Kennedy’s assassination.”
Lady Bird gave 4 reasons for why she chose to record her time:
I stood in a unique position [...] Nobody else would live through the next months in quite the way I would and see the events unroll from this vantage point.
I wanted to see if I could keep up this arduous task. In a way, I made myself a dare.
I like writing—fearful labor though I sometimes find it—I like words.
I wanted to share life in this house, in these times. It was too great a thing to have alone.
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Wrote 1.75 million words in her diary during her 5 years+ as First Lady
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The impact of Lady Bird's diary on her partnership with President Lyndon B. Johnson was significant. It not only helped her support her husband's political career by documenting and reflecting on their shared experiences but also solidified her role as a key advisor and confidante. Her writings offer insights into the dynamics of their relationship and her influence within the political sphere. LBJ appreciated Lady Bird's counsel, which played a critical role in the passage of several key legislative measures, including those related to the environment and urban renewal.
Doodle inspired by First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies by Kate Andersen Brower
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ADDITIONAL QUOTES
“And sometimes I think the greatest courage in the world is to get up in the morning and go about a day’s work.”
“A little stress and adventure is good for you, if nothing else, just to prove you are alive.”
“The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.”
“My heart found its home long ago in the beauty, mystery, order and disorder of the flowering earth.”
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Dr. Melanie Obitz-Bukartek is the founder of a non-profit EdTech company, an award-winning educator, published writer, and custom sneaker enthusiast who once moved to an island for six weeks. She wants everyone to understand that writing is a tool for life and experience its benefits, so she’s chosen to dedicate her work to making this happen. Find her on Instagram, LinkedIn, or at obitz-bukartek.com.
Click any of these ladies to learn more [it’s a work in progress]…
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