After Woodrow Wilson Suffered a Stroke, His Wife Edith Secretly Served As President for a Year

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 6 April 2023

⏱️ 57 minutes

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Summary

The United States has yet to elect its first female president, but over a century ago, there was a woman acting as the leader of this nation—before women could even vote nationwide. Her name was Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson. When Woodrow was incapacitated by a stroke in 1919, this fact was hidden from the public, Congress, and nearly everyone but his closest allies. Edith ran the executive branch, while at the same time downplaying her own role and influence. Portrayals of Edith tended to cast her as either a naïve rube who was manipulated by sophisticated political strategists or a power-hungry climber who seized control for her own gratification. But she was far more complex than these caricatures. Edith was raised by Confederates who mourned their lost plantation lifestyle, then rose to social prominence in the glittering years of Gilded Age Washington, then was elevated of the role of First Lady, just as the U.S. was becoming an international superpower. Today’s guest is Rebecca Boggs Roberts, author of “Untold Power: The Fascinating Rise and Complex Legacy of First Lady Edith Wilson.” We look at her many contradictions – an independent woman of means (who owned her own business and was the first licensed female driver in DC), at once deeply invested in exercising her own power but also opposed to women’s suffrage.

Transcript

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0:00.0	The United States has yet to elect a female president.
0:07.8	But over a century ago, there was a woman acting as a leader of this nation before a woman
0:12.2	could even vote nationwide.
0:14.1	Her name was Edith Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson, and she effectively became the first
0:18.6	female president when Woodrow was incapacitated by a stroke in 1990.
0:23.2	This chapter of the Wilson presidency is fairly well known, but Edith herself has rarely
0:27.8	been examined, which is too bad because she has an interesting story.
0:30.9	She climbed her way out of Appalachian poverty, was the first lady to travel overseas and
0:35.7	be received by foreign dignitaries, and she was deeply invested in exercising her own
0:39.7	power while at the same time opposing women's suffrage.
0:43.1	Today's guest is Rebecca Bogue's Roberts, author of Untold Power, The Fascinating
0:47.6	Arise in Complex Legacy, a first lady Edith Wilson.
0:50.9	We look at to what degree she acted as president, how incapacitated Woodrow was, whether he
0:56.1	was just mildly affected or full on weak end at Bernays, and whether a conspiracy on that
1:00.2	scale could happen today.
1:01.5	We also look at the contradictions of Edith's life, that she was an independent businesswoman,
1:06.1	and interestingly enough, the first licensed female driver in DC, but didn't believe
1:09.7	it was prudent to give women the right to vote.
1:11.6	There's a lot to explore in her nuanced life, and I hope you enjoy this discussion
1:15.0	with Rebecca Bogue's Roberts.
1:16.6	In one more thing before we get started with this episode, a quick break for word from
1:22.8	our sponsors.
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