In August 1947, Gerald Ford was introduced to Elizabeth (Betty) Bloomer Warren by mutual friends and a few months later they were engaged. The couple had to delay the wedding while Ford planned his first congressional campaign because they were unsure how voters would feel about him marrying a divorced ex-dancer. They were finally married on October 15, 1948 at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Betty wore a sapphire blue satin dress and a matching hat with a piece of lace from a parasol belonging to her husband-to-be’s grandmother, while Gerald had mud on his shoes from campaigning before the ceremony. “My mother was furious,” he recalled, “but Betty pretended not to notice.”
President and Mrs. Ford began their 1975 ten-day visit of Eastern Europe in Germany. President and Mrs. Walter Scheel of Germany greeted them at the Villa Hammerschmidt on July 27, 1975, and Mrs. Scheel presented this gift to the Fords.
This white china plate features gold etched edges and open lattice work around the rim. The center of the plate displays a hand-painted fruit design with four smaller fruits surrounding it. This elegant gift is housed in its original box.
While Betty Ford utilized her time as First Lady to fight for women’s equality and the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, German First Lady Mildred Scheel used her public role to advocate the fight on cancer. She raised awareness on different types of cancers, collected donations, and created the German Cancer Aid. Long-time friend Andy Warhol even created one of his signature silk-screen portraits of her to raise funds for her organization. Both women went above and beyond in their roles as First Ladies and made lasting public health and social impacts on their countries.
Image: German First Lady Mildred Scheel greets Betty Ford outside of the Villa Hammerschmidt in Bonn, Germany, prior to a luncheon on July 27, 1975 (A5911-26).
Betty Ford planted a tree on the North Lawn of the White House in commemoration of the American Bicentennial on October 20, 1975. The seedling had been specially cultivated from an American Elm tree planted by President John Quincy Adams, which was the oldest and tallest tree on the White House grounds.
Image: First Lady Betty Ford Planting a Seedling from the John Quincy Adams American Elm Tree on the North Lawn of the White House, 10/20/1975 (National Archives Identifier 30805907)
“The search for human freedom can never be complete without freedom for women,” Betty Ford told those gathered at the Greater Cleveland Congress of International Women’s Year on October 25, 1975.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 1975 as International Women’s Year and established its three purposes: to promote equality between women and men; to ensure the full integration of women into economic, cultural, and social development at national and international levels; and to recognize the importance of women’s contributions to the development of friendly international relations and world peace.
In her remarks Mrs. Ford also spoke about the importance for everyone to work towards equal rights for women. “The long road to equality rests on achievements of women and men in altering how women are treated in every area of everyday life,” she said. “That is why this conference is so important, because you are looking at the patterns of discrimination which must be ended before women are truly free.”
Betty Ford’s full address can be found here.: First Lady Betty Ford Making Remarks at the Greater Cleveland Congress of International Women’s Year (IWY) in Cleveland, Ohio, 10/25/1975 (National Archives Identifier 27575808) Post link
The Winter Olympics are starting today in Beijing.
Betty Ford met up with members of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team on the slopes in Vail, Colorado, on December 27, 1975. The 1976 Winter Olympics took place the following February in Innsbruck, Austria.
Betty Ford and Washington-area school children visited the Martin Luther King Memorial Library on January 14, 1976, in honor of Dr. King’s Birthday on January 15. Dr. Hardy Franklin, director of the DC Public Library System, guided their tour.
Betty Ford was discharged from Bethesda Naval Hospital on October 11, 1974, following her breast cancer surgery. She had undergone a mastectomy on September 28, just a few weeks after moving into the White House.
Once doctors began Mrs. Ford’s surgery the operation was announced to the press. President Ford told reporters the procedure had been successful later in the day, and the White House Press Office released “Hospital Bulletin” updates on a regular basis throughout her stay in the hospital. This openness continued after Mrs. Ford’s recovery as she used her position as First Lady to advocate for women to receive screenings for the early detection of breast cancer.
Mrs. Ford also spoke about the importance of a support network in her recovery from breast cancer. “Back in my hospital room I felt surrounded by love and support” from her family members, she noted in an article for the February 1975 issue of McCall’s magazine. “Later, when I was feeling better, the doctors and nurses were a great help in keeping my spirits up. We all did a lot of kidding, laughing and joking.” She encouraged everyone to assist those facing cancer deal with what she called the “emotional side effects” of the disease.
Mrs. Ford received a warm welcome back at the White House. About 200 staff members lined up along the South Portico to greet her when she returned from Bethesda Naval Hospital. The East Wing staff greeted her with signs reading “It was lonely without you” and “Welcome Home to our First Lady.”
: First Lady Betty Ford Thanking Nurses Before Being Discharged from Bethesda Naval Hospital Following Her Breast Cancer Surgery, 10/11/1974 (White House photograph A1385-10 / National Archives Identifier 45644311, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/45644311)
: White House Staff Members Greeting Mrs. Ford at the South Portico Upon Her Return from Bethesda Naval Hospital, 10/11/1974 (White House photograph A1382-22)
“What is important in our lives is not so much what we have in the way of intelligence or talent, but what we do with these gifts.”
Betty Ford shared these words of wisdom with the newest graduates of Grand Rapids’ Central High School at their commencement ceremony on June 7, 1976. Her remarks touched upon her experiences since she herself had graduated from Central 40 years earlier. "You begin with your own hopes and talents and what happens is not always what you plan,” she told the Class of 1976, “but if you follow your heart and discipline yourself to be the very best you can, I believe you will find many rewards.“
Image: Betty Ford congratulates members of Central High School’s Class of 1976 at their commencement ceremony at George Welsh Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 6/7/1976 (White House photograph B0138-06)
Betty Ford * First Momma * 1970s * First Lady * What tags do you see?
We’re continuing our celebration of Betty Ford’s Centennial by tagging photos of her in the National Archives Catalog. Tagging photos is a fun and easy way to help make records more searchable and discoverable. By adding keywords, terms, and labels to photographs, you help identify and categorize records of Betty Ford based on different topics about her life.
New to the National Archives Citizen Archivist program? It’s easy to register and get started. Check out our Resources page where you can learn How to Tag and Transcribe Records, and What Makes A Good Tag. Already have a National Archives Catalog account? Start Tagging! http://bit.ly/BettyFordTagging
Image: On a Campaign Trip in Texas First Lady Betty Ford, aka “First Momma,” Greets the Crowd Gathered at San Jacinto Battlefield Park for a Bicentennial Celebration, 4/21/1976. @fordlibrarymuseum
Betty’s life changed dramatically once she became Mrs. Gerald Ford. They married on October 15, 1948, and her husband was elected to Congress 18 days later.
Within weeks they moved to Washington, DC. Betty immersed herself into understanding Capitol Hill. “I saw that I would have to grow with Jerry or be left behind. And I had no intention of being left behind,” she recalled. She met with other Congressional wives, attended sessions of Congress, studied how bills became law, and gave tours to visiting constituents. Betty also did work to benefit various charitable causes such as the Red Cross and the Hospital for Sick Children.
During the 1950s the Ford family grew and Betty devoted much of her time their four children, Michael, John, Steven, and Susan. She became a Den Mother, Sunday School teacher, PTA member, and managed their household with help from Clara Powell, who worked for the Fords for 20 years. She also remained involved in her husband’s career – attending White House and Congressional events, appearing in newspaper and magazine articles, and occasionally traveling abroad with Jerry.
All of these activities took a toll. In 1964, a pinched nerve in her neck sent Betty to the hospital. Arthritis soon set in. These health problems combined with the stress of a husband increasingly pulled away from home by his job caused her to seek psychiatric help. “I could talk out my feelings of frustration,” she later wrote. “I no longer believe in suffering in silence over something that’s really bothering you. I think you have to get it out and on the table and discuss it, no matter what it is.”
Together the family rallied around her and Betty resumed her active schedule. In 1972 Jerry raised the possibility of retiring at the end of his 1974 term. Betty was elated at the prospect of a life not driven by politics, but their lives would go in a much different direction than expected before they left Washington.
Betty Bloomer had a passion for dance from an early age. Every day after school she went to class at the Calla Travis School of Dance, and learned every type of dance that she could.
After graduating from Central High School in 1936, she attended the Bennington School of Dance in Vermont for two summers. While studying there she met choreographer Martha Graham, who would be one of the most influential people in her life. Betty continued her studies with Ms. Graham in New York City, becoming a member of her Auxiliary Performance Troupe and performing at Carnegie Hall.
In 1940 she returned to Michigan and formed her own performance group. She also worked with children with disabilities, helping them experience the joy of rhythm and movement in dance. During the summer she worked as a dance instructor at Camp Bryn Afon in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
Many years later as First Lady, Betty Ford continued to promote programs for children with disabilities and brought public attention to the importance of the performing arts. She encouraged her husband’s decision to present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to her mentor Martha Graham, the first dancer so honored. State dinners often ended with dancing that lasted late into the night. Betty never missed an opportunity to learn new steps, even kicking off her shoes to join ballet students in their rehearsal while visiting China!
A revelatory reframing of American leadership through the lens of the First Ladies. Starring Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt, this series delves deep into the Ladies’ personal and political lives. Exploring everything from their journeys to Washington, family life, and world-changing political contributions, the impact of the White House’s women is no longer hidden from view. Starring Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt.
Watch the premiere on Sunday, April 17 on SHOWTIME.
