|
 |
Julia
Dent Grant
Date of Birth: Jan 26, 1826
Date of Death: Dec 14, 1902
Age at death: 76
Married: Aug 22, 1848 Ulysses Grant
Children: 4 |
 |
- After Ulysses asked for Julia's hand
in marriage, his parents told him they would not attend the ceremony
because the Dent's were slave owners
- Upon taking the Oath of Office, Grant
turned to his wife and said, "Now my dear, I hope you're
happy"
- There was no doubt she wanted him
to be president, and she First Lady
- One of her first duties was to issue
a press statement that she did not intend to become a fashion
trend-setter
- Julia was conscious of her appearance,
however, and asked her husband to allow an operation to help
her cross-eyed problem
- The president refused saying, those
were the eyes he married and they were good enough for him
- Because of unrest during the Civil
War, Blacks were discouraged from visiting the White House, a
policy she quickly changed
- Mrs. Grant also encouraged Blacks
in her employ at the White House to invest in real estate, and
often deducted money from their pay and opened savings accounts
for them
- As First Lady she wrote for many popular
magazines and publications on a variety of subjects, but always
ended with a "Vote Republican" message
- She was the first First Lady to write
her memoirs
|
|
|