Lou Henry Hoover
First Lady of the United States
Died when: 69 years 284 days (837 months)Star Sign: Aries
Lou Hoover (née Henry;March 29, 1874 – January 7, 1944) was an American philanthropist, geologist, and First Lady of the United States from 1929 to 1933 as the wife of President Herbert Hoover.
She was active in numerous community organizations and volunteer groups throughout her life, including the Girl Scouts of the USA, of which she was the head from 1922 to 1925 and from 1935 to 1937.
Throughout her life, Hoover supported women's rights and women's independence.She was a proficient linguist, being fluent in six languages, and she was the primary translator of the complex 16th century metallurgy text De re metallica from Latin to English.
She was raised in California while it was part of the American frontier, and she attended Stanford University as the first female geology major in the United States.
She met fellow geology student Herbert Hoover at Stanford, and they married in 1899.She traveled widely with him while he worked as a mining engineer, assisting him in his work.
The Hoovers first resided in China, during which time the Boxer Rebellion broke out, and they were present for the Battle of Tientsin.
They moved to London where Hoover raised their two sons and became a popular hostess between their international travels.During World War I, the Hoovers led humanitarian efforts to assist war refugees.
Hoover organized refugee support and transportation in the United Kingdom and went on fundraising tours in the United States.The family moved to Washington, D.C. when Herbert was appointed head of the Food and Drug Administration, and Lou became a conservation activist in support of his work.
Hoover became the First Lady of the United States when her husband was inaugurated as president in 1929.She minimized her public role as White House hostess, dedicating her time as first lady to her volunteer work.
She refused to give interviews to reporters, but she became the first first lady to give regular radio broadcasts.Her invitation of Jessie De Priest to the White House for tea was controversial for its implied support of racial integration and civil rights.
Hoover was responsible for refurbishing the White House during her tenure, and she also saw to the construction of a presidential retreat at Rapidan Camp.
Hoover's reputation declined alongside her husband's during the Great Depression as she was seen as uncaring of the struggles faced by Americans.
Both the public and those close to her were unaware of her extensive charitable work to support the poor while serving as first lady, as she believed that publicizing generosity was improper.
After her husband lost his reelection campaign in 1932, the Hoovers returned to California, and they moved to New York City in 1940.
Hoover was bitter about her husband's loss, blaming dishonest reporting and underhanded campaigning tactics, and she strongly opposed the Roosevelt administration.
She provided humanitarian support with her husband during World War II until her sudden death of a heart attack in 1944.
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