Sorority women in the White House
 

The recent death of Margaret Truman Daniels brought to mind that she was the first to join a sorority while residing in the White House. She enrolled at nearby George Washington University and joined Pi Beta Phi. I am trying to ascertain how many other wives or daughters of presidents were Greek.

Eisenhower son, John, married a Kappa. One of the Johnson daughters joined Zeta Tau Alpha and lived in the Texas chapter house while her father was president. She or her sister married a Chi Phi. Barbara Bush was initiated into Pi Phi after they left the White House. Laura Bush and at least one of the twin daughters are Thetas.

Prior to the Truman administration the only sorority member I can find was First Lady Grace Coolidge, a Pi Phi.

That leaves many presidential wives, daughters, sons and in-laws. Cany anyone add to the list?

Here's the listing for one of Woodrow Wilson's daughter's on the Gamma Phi Beta website. I think that she was also married in the White House

Sayre, Jessie Woodrow Wilson,
Zeta Chapter - Daughter of President Woodrow Wilson

Both Bush twins are Thetas, one from the Yale chapter, one from the UT chapter.

Lucy Webb Hayes, wife of President Rutherford B. Hayes, was an honorary initiate into Kappa in 1880.

supplementing oldu's information
 

Grace Goodhue Coolidge was a charter member of the Vermont Beta chapter of Pi Beta Phi. In her official portrait (where she is wearing a red dress with a white dog), she is wearing her Pi Phi badge. According to a Time Magazine article dated September 3, 1923, she was in fact the first sorority woman to be First Lady.

That's kinda cool - all the Bush women in the White House right now are all in the same group :) I hope I have a daughter someday who pledges ZTA - then I can be like FSUZeta! :D

One of President Ford's daughters is a ZTA, but she was an Alumnae Initiate, so I don't know if that counts.

Incidentally, President Johnson's Zeta daughter was named Lynda.

AHH... lilzetakitten beat me to it! :)

Lou Hoover, wife of President Herbert Hoover, was a Kappa Kappa Gamma. She was initiated at Stanford.

I won't swear to it, but I thought that Luci Baines Johnson had been initiated into ZTA, and opened the door for Lynda to obtain ZTA alumnae initiation?

Why wouldn't it count? Are Alumnae Initates treated differently?

Gerald & Betty Ford only had one daughter, Susan.

Julia Gardiner Tyler, John Tyler's daughter, was one of the founders of Kappa Delta.

Lynne Cheney is a Kappa Alpha Theta. So are Laura and Jenna Bush.

From DG's website:

In 1881 Delta Gamma offered a bid of membership to the wife of President Garfield - however, the president was assassinated before she could reply.

Senator John Mccain who is currently vying for the republican presidential nomination, is married to a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, Cindy.

That means we could have another Theta first lady!

According to the ZTA website, Lynda was initiated into the Kappa chapter, and Luci isn't mentioned.

Because the OP was talking about sorority women in the White House. Susan Ford Bales was not initiated until well after her father left the Oval Office.

Julia was actually President Tyler's granddaughter. Thanks for remembering us though! :)

Eleanor Roosevelt - activist and wife of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt was an Honorary Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

I think ADPi has a 1st lady to claim, but I'm not for sure who. I may be mistaken

lynda byrd johnson was initiated as a collegian into kappa chapter of zta at the university of texas. she lived in the house and some rooms had to be set aside for secret service men to live in. luci is the younger of the two johnson girls and i am not certain, but i think that she might have only attended a junior college in the washington area.

susan ford bales was initiated at alpha upsilon chapter of zta at oklahoma state university in the early 90s as an alumna initiate. i was the ritual advisor for that chapter at the time and the officers performed the initiation ceremony flawlessly! i lived in tulsa at the time and picked up the (at the time) national president and a former national president and drove them to stillwater. what a wonderful experience that was!

Did this happen to the Bush twins or did they live out of the Theta house?

I don't think Yale has chapter houses. But from what I recall an ELC telling me, accomodations for secret service were made at Texas.

These photos show baby Lucinda Robb, granddaughter of Lyndon Johnson, celebrating her first Christmas (in the White House, no less!). Lucinda is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, initiated as an undergraduate at Princeton.

Well, Alpha Phi Omega might get to claim the first Greek First Man shortly. Although I'm really praying that doesn't happen.

I think Lynda's daughter is a Kappa (must be if Lucinda is a Theta).

I think it's interesting, whether Hillary or Barack wins, their spouses were both already APO Brothers. As stated by Sister Havana elsewhere, Michelle Obama was initiated as an Advisor at the U Chicago chapter in '97. Hillary was initiated as an honorary at some NY school after she was first lady.

The Zeta house at OSU is so beautiful!

FSUZeta, what was Susan's connection with ZTA at OSU that led to her initiation? Just curious...

i know that she isn't a first lady, but condoleezza rice was an alpha chi omega.

You sure got some cool stories!!! :)

to my knowledge there was no actual tie between zta at ok. state and susan ford bales. i believe that she was recommended for initiation for her work with breast cancer awareness and research. she was initiated at oklahoma state because that is the closest zta chapter to tulsa, where susan lived. the initiation was held in a chapel on or near campus-my memory is vague on the actual location.

to sister sthrnzeta, i've lived in several states and met many zetas(and other lovely sorority members) on all my journeys. even if they are not zetas, we share the general sorority experience and can find common ground in that.:)

Eleanor Roosevelt was an Honorary Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

RIF :)