First Ladies of the United States: Betty Ford

As a young woman, Betty Ford pursued a career in dance, attending the Bennington School of Dance (summers, 1936 and 1937) and joining Martha Graham's auxiliary dance troupe in New York (1938–41). When she returned home to Michigan, she became a department store buyer. She married (1942) and divorced (1947) William C. Warren, before meeting Gerald R. Ford. The two married in 1948, dividing the wedding day between his congressional campaign and their ceremony.

Just weeks after she became First Lady, Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer. On September 26, 1974, doctors discovered a lump in her breast during a routine medical examination. She underwent a mastectomy two days later. Breaking with social conventions of the time, Betty Ford shared her cancer diagnosis with the public.

The website provides a chronology of significant events in the life and career of First Lady Betty Ford. If you are interested in learning more about the Library’s holdings on a specific topic listed in the timeline, please contact the Library’s reference staff.

Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Ford was First Lady from 1974 to 1977 as the wife of President Gerald Ford. She was noted for raising breast cancer awareness and being a passionate supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.