#34: Lucy Hayes

“Woman’s mind is as strong as man’s — equal in all things and his superior in some.”

Lucy Hayes, the wife of Rutherford B. Hayes, emerges as a groundbreaking First Lady on multiple fronts. In an era when it was highly controversial, she ardently championed African American rights, particularly significant in post-Civil War America.

Furthermore, historian Emily Apt Geer underscores Hayes’ role as a staunch advocate for women’s rights, especially when considering the context of her time.