#15: Ellen Wilson

Ellen Wilson’s legacy was steeped in her artistic and imaginative spirit, with a strong educational background in the arts. Her tenure as First Lady was marked by her notorious dedication to creative pursuits—spending hours sketching, painting, and maintaining her own White House studio. Remarkably, she generously donated much of her artwork to charitable causes.

Ellen skillfully navigated the D.C. social scene, hosting unpretentious yet engaging gatherings. One of her primary advocacies centered on improving housing conditions in Washington, especially for Black Americans. Tragically, her time in the White House was cut short by her untimely passing in 1914. History, however, remembers her warmly, ranking her 16th in the Siena Research Institute’s 1982 survey.