Second Ladies And Gentlemen Of The United States: Spouse of the vice president of the United States
The second lady or second gentleman of the United States is the informal title held by hostess of the Number One Observatory Circle, usually the wife or husband of the vice president of the United States, during the vice president's term in office.
| Second Gentleman of the United States | |
|---|---|
| Style |
|
| Abbreviation |
|
| Residence | Number One Observatory Circle |
| Inaugural holder | Abigail Adams (as second lady) Doug Emhoff (as second gentleman) |
| Formation | April 21, 1789 (233 years ago) |
| Website | whitehouse.gov |
Doug Emhoff is the current second gentleman of the United States, in role since January 2021 as the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Twelve second ladies became the first lady of the United States after their husband became the president. The first woman was Abigail Adams and the most recent woman is Jill Biden.
Origins and Role
The second lady or gentleman is not elected by the people of the United States. There are no official jobs he or she is officially required to perform and they are not paid for being the second spouse.
They are often involved in political campaigns, managements of the Number One Observatory Circle, participating in social causes and representing the vice president at official and ceremonial occasions and accompanying the vice president on foreign summits and events.
List of second ladies and gentlemen of the United States
Abigail Adams · Ann Gerry · Hannah Minthorne Tompkins · Floride Calhoun · Letitia Christian Tyler · Sophia Dallas · Abigail Fillmore · Mary Cyrene Burch Breckinridge · Ellen Vesta Emery Hamlin · Eliza Johnson · Ellen Maria Colfax · Eliza Hendricks · Anna Morton · Letitia Stevenson · Jennie Tuttle Hobart · Edith Roosevelt · Cornelia Cole Fairbanks · Carrie Babcock Sherman · Lois Irene Marshall · Grace Coolidge · Caro Dawes · Mariette Rheiner Garner · Ilo Wallace · Bess Truman · Jane Hadley Barkley · Pat Nixon · Lady Bird Johnson · Muriel Humphrey Brown · Judy Agnew · Betty Ford · Happy Rockefeller · Joan Mondale · Barbara Bush · Marilyn Quayle · Tipper Gore · Lynne Cheney · Jill Biden · Karen Pence · Doug Emhoff
List of living former second ladies
As of 2024, there are only five living former second ladies.
-
Marilyn Quayle
served from 1989 to 1993 -
Tipper Gore
served from 1993 to 2001 -
Lynne Cheney
served from 2001 to 2009 -
Jill Biden
served from 2009 to 2017 -
Karen Pence
served from 2017 to 2021
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References
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