Second Gentleman of the United States
Current
Doug Emhoff
since January 20, 2021
StyleMr. Second Gentleman
Mr. Emhoff
AbbreviationSGOTUS
ResidenceNumber One Observatory Circle
Inaugural holderAbigail Adams
(as second lady)
Douglas Emhoff
(as second gentleman)
FormationApril 21, 1789 (1789-04-21)
WebsiteOfficial website

The second gentleman or second lady of the United States (SGOTUS or SLOTUS) is the informal title held by the spouse of the vice president of the United States, concurrent with the vice president's term of office. Coined in contrast to "first lady" – albeit used less commonly – the title "second lady" was apparently first used by Jennie Tuttle Hobart (wife of Garret Hobart, vice president 1897–1899) to refer to herself. The first second gentleman of the United States is Doug Emhoff, the husband of Kamala Harris, the current Vice President and first female in the position, since January 20, 2021.[1]

Twelve second ladies have gone on to become first ladies during their husbands' terms as president. The first to do this was Abigail Adams, who was married to John Adams, who was the first vice president from 1789 to 1797 and then the second president from 1797 to 1801. Thus, Abigail was the first second lady and the second first lady. The most recent to do this is Jill Biden, who is married to Joe Biden, the 47th vice president from 2009 to 2017 and then the 46th president since 2021.

Since the 1970s, the Vice Presidential official residence is One Observatory Circle.

History

The second spouse's visibility in the public sphere has been a somewhat recent development. Although the role of the first lady as White House hostess dates from the beginning of the republic (and was typically filled by another member of the president's family if the president was unmarried or a widower), with a few exceptions, it was generally not until the late 20th century and early 21st century that vice-presidential wives took on public roles that attracted significant media attention.

In one notable exception, Floride Calhoun, wife of Vice President John C. Calhoun, was a central figure in the Petticoat Affair, a social-political scandal which involved the social ostracism of Secretary of War John H. Eaton and his wife Margaret O'Neill Eaton, further damaging already-strained relations between Vice President Calhoun and President Andrew Jackson.

Second Lady Pat Nixon, with Vice President Richard Nixon, led a delegation to Ghana in 1957. One historian wrote that Pat Nixon "helped to define this nebulous role for an entire generation of women who would succeed her".

In 1978, Muriel Humphrey, wife of Vice President Hubert Humphrey, became the only former second lady to hold public office; after her husband, who had returned to the U.S. Senate after his term as vice president, died in office, she was appointed by Minnesota governor Rudy Perpich to continue her husband's term.

There have been 17 periods of vacancy in the role, the longest of which continued for 16 years between the service of vice presidential spouses Abigail Adams and Ann Gerry when there were three widower vice presidents and a one-year vacancy in the vice presidency. The most recent second lady vacancy was for 132 days in 1974, between the service of Betty Ford and Happy Rockefeller, when the vice presidency was also vacant.

12 second ladies went on to become first lady following their husbands becoming president, the first being Abigail Adams and most recent being Jill Biden.

Role in practice

The role of the second lady is unpaid and not formally defined.[2] The wife of the vice president of the United States was traditionally expected to serve as a hostess and appear at society functions.[3][4] Jennie Tuttle Hobart, wife of Vice President Garret Hobart (1897–1899) is often cited as the first woman to style herself as "Second Lady".[5][4] Hobart took over the hostess duties on behalf of First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley, who had chronic health issues including epilepsy.[4] Starting in 1917, the wife of the vice president took on the unofficial role of convener of the Red Cross Senate Wives, presiding over their lunches; the organization later became known as the Senate Spouses Club.[4] The question of the second lady's status became a topic of debate in 1929 when Dolly Curtis Gann, the sister of Vice President Charles Curtis (1929–1933), assumed the role of hostess on his behalf, since he was widowed.[6] Gann had waged a public "battle of precedence" against Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the wife of the late speaker of the House.[7]

Doug Emhoff (right), the first and only Second Gentleman of the United States, standing next to his wife, Kamala Harris (left), the first female American Vice President, during her inauguration.

Over time, the spouse of the vice president started to become more visible as the Office of the Vice President itself gained power and influence, and assumed additional responsibilities.[4] In 2010, Marie Claire magazine described the role of second ladies as being "relegated to roast-chicken charity dinners and sit-and-smile political functions. They cherry-pick a cause or two...and pretty much stay out of the way."[8] Presidential historian Gil Troy noted that during the Kennedy Administration, one of Second Lady Lady Bird Johnson's roles was to replace First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy when she withdrew from public appearances, often at the last minute; Johnson replaced Kennedy on more than 50 occasions.[9]

Pat Nixon, wife of Vice President Richard Nixon, was the first second spouse to add a great deal of substance to the role of the vice president's wife. When Nixon assumed the position in 1953, the role's only official function was to preside over the once-annual Senate Ladies Luncheon.[10] Instead, Nixon launched her own initiatives, sensing great opportunities that her role provided. She established a schedule separate from that of her husband, which often consisted of solo activities. As second lady, Nixon traveled more than 125,000 miles around the world to six continents, including a two-month, 42,000-mile journey through Asia in 1953.[10] As she undertook missions of goodwill across the world, she insisted on visiting schools, orphanages, hospitals and village markets rather than attend tea or coffee functions. In this sense, Nixon essentially created the modern role of the second lady; historian Kate Andersen Brower wrote, "she helped to define this nebulous role for an entire generation of women who would succeed her."[10] Historian Cormac O'Brien says that Pat Nixon "may have well been the most extraordinary second lady in American history" because of her role in accompanying Vice President Richard Nixon on a tour of the world as a goodwill ambassador.[3] She also traveled independently of the vice president and attended events, including campaign tours, on her own.[6][4] According to O'Brien, Second Lady Nixon proved popular "as a paragon of graciousness, composure, and elegance", and made a conscious effort to travel to locations where local women were banned, to spread a subtle message for equal rights.[3]

During the Reagan Administration, Second Lady Barbara Bush hosted more than one thousand events and traveled over 1.5 million miles at home and abroad over eight years, and championed literacy, a cause she continued to support when she later became First Lady.[3]

Tipper Gore, former wife of Vice President Al Gore, was active in several campaigns to remove material she found objectionable from popular American entertainment like movies, television shows and music, starting when her husband was a senator. She challenged performers over their use of profane lyrics and often debated with her critics, such as Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra. Lynne Cheney, wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, championed education reform, citing specific failures of the American public education system during her tenure as second lady. She is a particularly outspoken supporter of American history education, having written five bestselling books on this topic for children and their families.[11] Jill Biden, wife of President Joe Biden, worked as an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College, and is thought to be the first second lady to hold a paying job while her husband was vice president.[8][12] She has been involved in various causes, including breast cancer awareness and literacy.

Douglas Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, became the first Second Gentleman of the United States when his wife was elected the first female vice president. He is the first attorney, the first Jewish person, and the first husband to assume this ceremonial role.[13] Emhoff is a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center;[14] he is thought to be the second person in American history to maintain a paid position while married to a serving vice president. His top priority in office has been to advocate for food security across the United States, fight antisemitism on the international stage, address climate change, and push for equal access to justice. He has traveled to several countries representing the United States, including: France, Germany, Poland, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Ghana, Tanzania, and Zambia among others, having met with heads of state and attended inaugurations and state dinners.

Causes and initiatives

List of second ladies and gentlemen of the United States

Image Second Lady or Gentleman Vice President
Marriage date		 Tenure Date of birth Date of death (age) Tenure as First Lady
Abigail Adams (née Abigail Smith) John Adams
October 25, 1764		 April 21, 1789 – March 4, 1797 November 22, 1744 October 28, 1818 (73 years, 340 days) 1797–1801
Vacant; Thomas Jefferson was a widower. March 4, 1797 – March 4, 1801
Vacant; Aaron Burr was a widower. March 4, 1801 – March 4, 1805
Vacant; George Clinton was a widower. March 4, 1805 – April 20, 1812
Vacant; no vice president after Clinton's death. April 20, 1812 – March 4, 1813
Ann Gerry (née Ann Thompson) Elbridge Gerry
January 12, 1786		 March 4, 1813 – November 23, 1814 August 12, 1763 March 17, 1849(1849-03-17) (aged 85)
Vacant; no vice president after Gerry's death. November 23, 1814 – March 4, 1817
Hannah Tompkins (née Hannah Minthorne) Daniel D Tompkins
February 20, 1798		 March 4, 1817 – March 4, 1825 August 28, 1781 February 18, 1829(1829-02-18) (aged 47)
Floride Bonneau Calhoun (née Floride Bonneau Colhoun) John C. Calhoun
January 8, 1811		 March 4, 1825 – December 28, 1832 February 15, 1792 July 25, 1866(1866-07-25) (aged 74)
Vacant; no vice president after Calhoun's resignation. December 28, 1832 – March 4, 1833
Vacant; Martin Van Buren was a widower. March 4, 1833 – March 4, 1837
Vacant; Richard M. Johnson was a widower March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841
Letitia Tyler (née Letitia Christian) John Tyler
March 29, 1813		 March 4, 1841 – April 4, 1841 November 12, 1790 September 12, 1842(1842-09-12) (aged 51) 1841–1842
Vacant; no vice president after Tyler assumed presidency. April 4, 1841 – March 4, 1845
Sophia Dallas (née Sophia Chew Nicklin) George M. Dallas
May 23, 1816		 March 4, 1845 – March 4, 1849 June 24, 1798 January 11, 1869(1869-01-11) (aged 70)
Abigail Fillmore (née Abigail Powers) Millard Fillmore
February 5, 1826		 March 4, 1849 – July 9, 1850 March 13, 1798 March 30, 1853(1853-03-30) (aged 55) 1850–1853
Vacant; no vice president after Fillmore assumed presidency. July 9, 1850 – March 4, 1853
Vacant; William R. King was unmarried. March 4, 1853 – April 18, 1853
Vacant; no vice president after King’s death. April 18, 1853 – March 4, 1857
Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge (née Mary Cyrene Burch) John C. Breckinridge
December 12, 1843		 March 4, 1857 – March 4, 1861 August 16, 1826 October 8, 1907(1907-10-08) (aged 81)
Ellen Hamlin (née Ellen Vesta Emery) Hannibal Hamlin
September 25, 1856		 March 4, 1861 – March 4, 1865 September 14, 1835 February 1, 1925(1925-02-01) (aged 89)
Eliza McCardle Johnson (née Eliza McCardle) Andrew Johnson
May 17, 1827		 March 4, 1865 – April 15, 1865 October 4, 1810 January 15, 1876(1876-01-15) (aged 65) 1865–1869
Vacant; no vice president after Johnson assumed presidency. April 15, 1865 – March 4, 1869
Ellen Maria Colfax (née Ellen Maria Wade) Schuyler Colfax
November 18, 1868		 March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1873 July 26, 1836 March 4, 1911(1911-03-04) (aged 74)
Vacant; Henry Wilson was a widower. March 4, 1873 – November 22, 1875
Vacant; William A. Wheeler was a widower. March 4, 1877 – March 4, 1881
Vacant; Chester A. Arthur was a widower. March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881
Vacant; no vice president after Arthur assumed presidency. September 19, 1881 – March 4, 1885
Eliza Hendricks (née Eliza Carol Morgan) Thomas A. Hendricks
September 26, 1845		 March 4, 1885 – November 25, 1885 November 23, 1823 November 3, 1903(1903-11-03) (aged 79)
Vacant; no vice president after Hendricks's death. November 25, 1885 – March 4, 1889
Anna Morton (née Anna Livingston Reade Street) Levi P. Morton
February 12, 1873		 March 4, 1889 – March 4, 1893 May 18, 1846 August 14, 1918(1918-08-14) (aged 72)
Letitia Stevenson (née Letitia Green) Adlai Stevenson I
December 22, 1866		 March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897 January 8, 1843 December 25, 1913(1913-12-25) (aged 70)
Esther Jane "Jennie" Tuttle Hobart (née Esther Jane Tuttle) Garret Hobart
July 21, 1869		 March 4, 1897 – November 21, 1899 April 30, 1849 January 8, 1941(1941-01-08) (aged 91)
Vacant; no vice president after Hobart's death. November 21, 1899 – March 4, 1901
Edith Roosevelt (née Edith Kermit Carow) Theodore Roosevelt
December 2, 1886		 March 4, 1901 – September 14, 1901 August 6, 1861 September 30, 1948(1948-09-30) (aged 87) 1901–1909
Vacant; no vice president after Roosevelt assumed presidency. September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1905
Cornelia "Nellie" Cole Fairbanks (née Cornelia Cole) Charles W. Fairbanks
October 6, 1874		 March 4, 1905 – March 4, 1909 January 14, 1852 October 24, 1913(1913-10-24) (aged 61)
Carrie Babcock Sherman (née Carrie Babcock) James S. Sherman
January 26, 1881		 March 4, 1909 – October 30, 1912 November 16, 1856 October 6, 1931(1931-10-06) (aged 74)
Vacant; no vice president after Sherman's death. October 30, 1912 – March 4, 1913
Lois Irene Marshall (née Lois Irene Kimsey) Thomas R. Marshall
October 2, 1895		 March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921 May 9, 1873 January 6, 1958(1958-01-06) (aged 84)
Grace Coolidge (née Grace Anna Goodhue) Calvin Coolidge
October 4, 1905		 March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923 January 3, 1879 July 8, 1957(1957-07-08) (aged 78) 1923–1929
Vacant; no vice president after Coolidge assumed presidency. August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1925
Caro Dawes (née Caro Dana Blymyer) Charles G. Dawes
January 24, 1889		 March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929 January 6, 1866 October 3, 1957(1957-10-03) (aged 91)
Vacant; Charles Curtis was a widower. March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933
Mariette Elizabeth "Ettie" Garner (née Mariette Elizabeth Rheiner) John Nance Garner
November 25, 1895		 March 4, 1933 – January 20, 1941 July 17, 1869 August 17, 1948(1948-08-17) (aged 79)
Ilo Wallace (née Ilo Browne) Henry A. Wallace
May 20, 1914		 January 20, 1941 – January 20, 1945 March 10, 1888 February 22, 1981(1981-02-22) (aged 92)
Bess Truman (née Elizabeth Virginia Wallace) Harry S. Truman
June 28, 1919		 January 20, 1945 – April 12, 1945 February 13, 1885 October 18, 1982(1982-10-18) (aged 97) 1945–1953
Vacant; no vice president after Truman assumed presidency. April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1949
Vacant; Alben W. Barkley was a widower. January 20, 1949 – November 18, 1949
Jane Hadley Barkley (née Elizabeth Jane Rucker) Alben W. Barkley
November 18, 1949		 November 18, 1949 – January 20, 1953 September 23, 1911 September 6, 1964(1964-09-06) (aged 52)
Pat Nixon (née Thelma Catherine Ryan) Richard Nixon
June 21, 1940		 January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961 March 16, 1912 June 22, 1993(1993-06-22) (aged 81) 1969–1974
Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson (née Claudia Alta Taylor) Lyndon B. Johnson
November 17, 1934		 January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963 December 22, 1912 July 11, 2007(2007-07-11) (aged 94) 1963–1969
Vacant; no vice president after Johnson assumed presidency. November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1965
Muriel Humphrey Brown (née Muriel Fay Buck) Hubert Humphrey
September 3, 1936		 January 20, 1965 – January 20, 1969 February 20, 1912 September 20, 1998(1998-09-20) (aged 86)
Elinor "Judy" Agnew (née Elinor Isabel Judefind) Spiro Agnew
May 27, 1942		 January 20, 1969 – October 10, 1973 April 23, 1921 June 20, 2012(2012-06-20) (aged 91)
Vacant; no vice president until Ford's confirmation under the 25th Amendment. October 10, 1973 – December 6, 1973
Elizabeth "Betty" Ford (née Elizabeth Anne Bloomer) Gerald Ford
October 15, 1948		 December 6, 1973 – August 9, 1974 April 8, 1918 July 8, 2011(2011-07-08) (aged 93) 1974–1977
Vacant; no vice president until Rockefeller's confirmation under the 25th Amendment. August 9, 1974 – December 19, 1974
Margaretta "Happy" Rockefeller (née Margaretta Large Fitler) Nelson Rockefeller
May 4, 1963		 December 19, 1974 – January 20, 1977 June 9, 1926 May 19, 2015(2015-05-19) (aged 88)
Joan Mondale (née Joan Adams) Walter Mondale
December 27, 1955		 January 20, 1977 – January 20, 1981 August 8, 1930 February 3, 2014(2014-02-03) (aged 83)
Barbara Bush (née Barbara Pierce) George H. W. Bush
January 6, 1945		 January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 June 8, 1925 April 17, 2018(2018-04-17) (aged 92) 1989–1993
Marilyn Quayle (née Marilyn Tucker) Dan Quayle
November 18, 1972		 January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 July 29, 1949 Living
74 years, 165 days
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore (née Mary Elizabeth Aitcheson) Al Gore
May 19, 1970		 January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001 August 19, 1948 Living
75 years, 144 days
Lynne Cheney (née Lynne Ann Vincent) Dick Cheney
August 29, 1964		 January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009 August 14, 1941 Living
82 years, 149 days
Jill Biden (née Jill Tracy Jacobs) Joe Biden
June 17, 1977		 January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017 June 3, 1951 Living
72 years, 221 days		 2021–present
Karen Pence (née Karen Sue Batten) Mike Pence
June 8, 1985		 January 20, 2017 – January 20, 2021 January 1, 1957 Living
67 years, 9 days
Douglas Craig Emhoff Kamala Harris
August 22, 2014		 January 20, 2021 – present October 13, 1964 Living
59 years, 89 days

Other spouses of U.S. vice presidents

Various other spouses of vice presidents of the United States are not considered as second ladies of the United States because their marriages were not during the vice presidential terms of their husbands.

Eight U.S. vice presidents were widowed prior to their vice presidencies:

Five U.S. vice presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their vice presidencies:

One U.S. vice president was divorced and remarried prior to his vice presidency:

One U.S. vice president was widowed before his vice presidency and remarried during his vice presidency:

One U.S. vice president was widowed before his vice presidency and remarried after his vice presidency:

Two U.S. vice presidents remarried after their vice presidencies:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Johnson, Ted (January 15, 2021). "Twitter Will Offer @SecondGentleman Account For Doug Emhoff; Outlines Plans For Transfer To Joe Biden's Administration". Deadline.
  2. ↑ Gore, Tipper (1996). Picture This: A Visual Diary. New York: Broadway Books. p. 1. ISBN 9780553067200.
  3. 1 2 3 4 O'Brien, Cormac (2005). Secret Lives of the First Ladies: What your teachers never told you about the women of the White House. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. pp. 184, 238, 271. ISBN 9781594740145.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Shogan, Colleen. "Second Spouses – Historical Development of an Official Role". The White House Historical Association. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  5. ↑ Hartmann, Margaret (July 5, 2017). "Trump Reveals That He's Never Heard the Term 'Second Lady'". Intelligencer. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  6. 1 2 Anthony, Carl Sferrazza (July 30, 1989). "The Second Ladies in the Shadows' Shadow". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Lamest Duck". TIME Magazine. December 5, 1932. Retrieved December 20, 2022 – via EBSCOHost.
  8. 1 2 Jacobs, Alexandra (July 2010). "Q. So What Does the Veep's Wife Do Anyway?". Marie Claire. Retrieved December 15, 2022 – via EBSCOHost.
  9. ↑ Troy, Gil (1997). Affairs of State: The Rise and Rejection of the Presidential Couple Since World War II. New York: Free Press. p. 120. ISBN 0684828200.
  10. 1 2 3 Brower, Kate Andersen (June 24, 2018). "Remembering Pat Nixon: A fearless first and second lady". The Hill. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Mrs. Lynne Cheney". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved October 13, 2008 – via National Archives.
  12. ↑ Abcarian, Robin Abcarian (February 2, 2009). "Hi, I'm Jill. Jill Biden. But please, call me Dr. Biden". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  13. ↑ Deliso, Meredith (November 7, 2020). "Vice President-elect Kamala Harris's husband Doug Emhoff set to become 1st second gentleman". US: ABC News. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Kamala Harris's Husband Named to Faculty at Georgetown Law". Bloomberg News. December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
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