Former First Ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump Remember Rosalynn Carter — a Look Back at Each One’s Political Legacy

On Nov. 19, former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away at the age of 96. She is survived by her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, who fondly remembers his spouse as “[his] equal partner in everything [he] ever accomplished.” All five living first ladies appeared at Rosalynn Carter’s memorial service, paying their respects to the woman who forever altered the position of FLOTUS. Below, WWD recounts the legacies of Carter and the five most recent first ladies. Rosalynn Carter Portrait of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter in 1977. Carter greatly expanded the definition of what it means to be a first lady. She was the first FLOTUS to install her own chief of staff, a position that’s existed in the White House since. Unlike her predecessors, Carter was a frequent fixture at her husband’s cabinet meetings. She also took hints from Eleanor Roosevelt, using her status to champion important causes. Carter lobbied to pass the Equal Rights Amendment, and she frequently advocated for mental health awareness. “I don’t think there will ever be another first lady who will be just a hostess and pour tea,” Carter once told the New York Times. While Carter wasn’t known for her sense of style, she pioneered sustainable dressing

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