Dolley Madison

Dolley Madison (1768–1849) was the wife of President James Madison and served as first lady from 1809 to 1817. She shaped Washington political life through hospitality and helped preserve objects from the White House during the British invasion of 1814.

James Madison: James Madison was the fourth president of the United States and a principal architect of the Constitution. Her husband’s presidency framed her public role and their shared political life.
Burning of Washington: The Burning of Washington was the British capture and destruction of public buildings in the U.S. capital in August 1814. The invasion forced her evacuation from the White House and defined her best-known act of preservation.
First lady of the United States: The first lady of the United States is the customary title for the president’s spouse or other designated White House host. Her social and political leadership became a durable model for the role.
Slavery in the United States: Slavery in the United States was a system that held people of African descent in hereditary, legally enforced bondage. The Madison household depended on enslaved labor, complicating celebratory accounts of her hospitality.
Thomas Jefferson: Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and a principal author of the Declaration of Independence. She served as a prominent White House hostess during his widower presidency before becoming first lady.
Gilbert Stuart: Gilbert Stuart was an American portrait painter best known for portraits of George Washington. The unfinished Washington portrait she helped save became the emblem of her 1814 evacuation.
White House China: White House china is the collection of tableware used by U.S. presidents and their households for official occasions. Her use of an American-made service helped associate presidential entertaining with national identity.
Montpelier: Montpelier is the Virginia plantation home of James Madison and the site of the Madison family’s enslaved community. The estate connects her family history to the people enslaved by the Madisons.
George Washington: George Washington was the first president of the United States and commander of the Continental Army. Her early political circles included Washington, whose model of presidential hospitality shaped the office.
White House: The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Her entertaining and the 1814 evacuation made the presidential residence central to her legacy.

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