bush just remembers collaborating with the designer, michael faircloth. and wanted a pretty party dress. the first lady wants it to be beautiful. she wants it to be comfortable. she wants it to be appropriate. i think appropriate is the word when first ladies are dealing with clothes. they want to be appropriate for the occasion, appropriate for their age, appropriate for the circumstance, and think appropriate as a symbol of the united states because we still do look at the first ladies representing women in the united states, even when she's not functioning in duty hours, she represents the united states. >>> all day monday, american history tv is featuring american's first ladies. who do you think was our most influential first lady? vote and join the conversation with us on facebook at facebook.com/c-span. >>> each week on american artifacts we visit the center for education and leadership across the street from ford's theater where john wilks booth shot president lincoln as he enjoyed the play "our american cousin." the center is the newest addition

bush just remembering collaborating with the designer, michael faircloth, and wanted a pretty party dress. i think what women -- the first lady wants it to be beautiful. she wants it to be comfortable. she wants it to be appropriate. i think appropriate is the word when first ladies are dealing with clothes. they want to be appropriate for the occasion, appropriate for their age, appropriate for the circumstance, and i think appropriate as a symbol of the united states. because we still do look at the first lady as representing women in the united states. even when she's not functioning in duty hours, she represents the united states. >>> all day monday, american history tv is featuring america's first ladies. who to you think was our most influential first lady? vote and join the conversation with us on facebook at facebook.com/cspan. >>> next, william fowler on his book "american crisis: george washington and the dangerous two years after yorktown, 1781 to 1783." the author details general george washington's struggles as he dealt with an ineffective congress and continental army on the

bush just remembers collaborating with the designer michael faircloth and you wanted a pretty party dress. the first lady wants it to be beautiful and comfortable. she wants it to be appropriate. i think appropriate is the word when first ladies are dealing with clothes. they want to be appropriate for the occasion, appropriate for their age, appropriate for the circumstance and i think appropriate as a symbol of the united states pause we still do look at the first ladies as representing women in the united states. even when she is not functioning in duty hours, she represents the united states. >> let's take a look at some of the first ladies, about four of them, that you featured here at the exhibit and talk about their roles. >> wonderful. it's this way. before you walk into this room, though, you have a quote from first lady michelle obama. >> uh-huh. >> where she's talking about there's no formal job description for this unofficial role of the first lady. talk about that quote and how you think that impacts the first lady's decision of how they go about doing this job, if you will?