Guests talked about the life and influence of First Lady Dolley Madison, focusing on her role in Washington society, her years as first lady (1809-1817), and activities in Washington after her husband’s death. Locations for filming were the Red Room of the White House to hear the stories of her political parties, the Blue Room where she watched the smoke of British troops on the horizon as they advanced to the White House in 1814, her Virginia country estate of Montpelier, and the Dolley Todd house in Philadelphia. Guests also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications from viewers.
This was the third presentation in the C-SPAN series “First Ladies: Influence and Image.”