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Political Partnerships, Political History

From John and Abigail Adams to Michelle and Barack Obama, Americans have always been fascinated with trying to unravel the dynamics of highly visible political marriages. Yet these political partnerships, and the question of how they have changed over time, pose challenges for historians and biographers. Should the primary political figure, so far the husband, drive the story with the wife relegated to the role of informal advisor or helpmate, or should these marriages be portrayed as full political partnerships where both members are granted large roles in shaping the historical context in which they operated? How has this dynamic changed over time, influenced by, among other factors, the monumental changes in women’s lives? What are the special dimensions when the political partnerships involve the White House? Looking at a range of political marriages from the early twentieth century to the 1970s provides a sampler of how power and influence are defined and wielded by couples very much in the public eye. These marriages also provide a window on the challenges of biography in the wider field of political history.