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Mamie Eisenhower Facts & Worksheets

Mamie Eisenhower served as First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961.

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Mamie Eisenhower served as First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961. She was the wife of the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

See the fact file below for more information on the Mamie Eisenhower or alternatively, you can download our 22-page Mamie Eisenhower worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

  • Mamie Geneva Eisenhower was born Mamie Geneva Doud on November 14, 1896 in Boone, Iowa.
  • She grew up in Cedar Springs, Iowa.
  • She was the second of four daughters born to John Sheldon Doud, a businessman, and Elivera Carlson Doud.
  • Her father was an executive of his own meatpacking company, Doud & Montgomery.
  • When Mamie was seven years old, her father retired and the whole family moved to Denver, Colorado.
  • She completed her education at a finishing school, the Wolcott School for Girls.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

  • In October 1915, Mamie’s family spent winter in San Antonio, Texas.
  • During that time, she met Dwight Eisenhower, an army lieutenant who was six years older than her.
  • On Valentine’s Day 1916, he gave her a miniature of his West Point class ring as an engagement gift.
  • They married on July 1, 1916, at the home of Mamie’s parents in Denver.
  • She gave birth to two sons: Dwight (1917) and John Sheldon (1922).
  • Only John Sheldon lived to adulthood because Dwight died of scarlet fever in 1921.
  • The Eisenhowers moved from one country to another depending on Dwight Eisenhower’s post in the military. They moved at least 27 times throughout his career.
  • They lived in the United States, in the Panama Canal Zone, in France, and in the Philippines.
  • During World War II, Dwight Eisenhower had to be separated from them due to military assignments. Mamie did not see him for three years but wrote letters to him regularly.
  • His replies were published in 1978, entitled “Letters to Mamie”.
  • The Eisenhowers purchased a farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania after Dwight Eisenhower became president of Columbia University in 1948.
  • Dwight became the Supreme Commander of NATO in 1950, so the family moved to France.

AS FIRST LADY

  • Mamie Eisenhower became First Lady of the United States when Dwight Eisenhower was inaugurated as President on January 20, 1953.
  • After the Second World War, diplomatic relations between countries were taken to a different level.
  • Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower entertained leaders of nations and foreign governments at the White House.
  • As First Lady, Mamie was a great hostess to White House guests. She was given the nickname “Hostess in Chief” by the White House staff.
  • Mamie gained much popularity, both with very important people and the public.
  • She was not one to deliver speeches, but kept a close eye on White House employees to make sure everything was accounted for.
  • Despite her husband being a Republican, Mamie showed no bias toward any particular political party. In 1952, she published an article entitled “Vote for My Husband or for Governor Stevenson, but Please Vote” in Good Housekeeping magazine.
  • She did a good job at keeping her own life separate from her husband’s.
  • Mamie kept a low profile by not interfering in political matters, thus little controversy was made about her, but she held her own convictions.
  • In 1955, Dwight suffered a major heart attack and Mamie took good care of him.
  • When it came to the 1956 election, Mamie encouraged Dwight to run for re-election. He did, and won.

WOMAN OF CONVICTION AND LEGACY

  • Mamie continued to be a woman with strong convictions. She personally disliked Senator Joseph McCarthy and did not invite the government official to social gatherings at the White House.
  • In a period where women had been given the right to vote, she showed public support to Ellen Harris, a Republican who ran for a seat in Congress.
  • At the onset of the Civil Rights movement, Mamie held events and tours at the White House which made sure to include African-American children.
  • She became an honorary member of the National Council of Negro Women and the first honorary chair of the Girls Clubs of America.
  • In 1958, she was reported to be the first First Lady to propose putting up Halloween decorations at the White House.
  • Mamie Eisenhower became famous for her hairstyle, called “Mamie bangs”, and her style in general was called “Mamie style”.
  • She was also fond of a specific hue of pink, which was called “Mamie Pink” or “First Lady Pink” and became a national trend.

RETIREMENT AND DEATH

  • When Dwight Eisenhower’s second term ended in January 1961, they moved to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where they had purchased a farm.
  • Mamie Eisenhower suffered a stroke and died 10 years after Dwight’s death in 1969.
  • She died on November 1, 1979 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC.
  • She is buried beside her husband in Abilene, Kansas, where the Eisenhower Library is located.

Mamie Eisenhower Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Mamie Eisenhower across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Mamie Eisenhower worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Mamie Eisenhower who served as First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961. She was the wife of the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Mamie Eisenhower Facts
  • Mamie’s Memoir
  • Correct Sequence
  • Describing the First Lady
  • True or False?
  • President Eisenhower
  • Preceding First Ladies
  • Similar or Different?
  • Ike’s Wife
  • Letter to Mamie
  • Interview with a Friend

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Link will appear as Mamie Eisenhower Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 17, 2020

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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