Who was called 'the Secret President'?
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Edith Wilson Dedicates Her Husband's Birthplace |
When Woodrow Wilson was in his second term as President of the United States, he suffered a debilitating stroke. His wife, Edith Bolling Galt Wilson, took pains to make sure that the public didn't know the extent of his illness, and she took over the day-to-day routines of the office. Edith Galt was a widow when she met President Wilson, himself a widower. Their courtship was short; they married in 1915 at Edith's home in Washington, DC, before 40 guests. When the president was stricken in September 1919, Edith stepped in. She reviewed all papers and correspondence to determine what was important enough to have the president see. In her memoirs, Edith says she never made any decisions on her own except to decide what warranted her husband's attention. Because of her role during those years, Edith Wilson, born on this date in 1872, was often referred to as "the Secret President." President Wilson died in 1924. Edith died at the age of 89 on what would have been her husband's 105th birthday.
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From our Archives: Today's Highlights, October 15, 2010
