Biography
Elizabeth Anne Ford (née Bloomer; formerly Warren; April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a politically active presidential spouse. Ford also was the second lady of the United States from 1973 to 1974 when her husband was vice president.
Throughout her husband's time in the office of the presidency, she maintained high approval ratings and was considered to be an influential first lady. Ford was noted for raising breast cancer awareness following her 1974 mastectomy. In addition, she was a passionate supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). As a supporter of abortion rights and a leader in the women's rights movement, she gained fame as one of the most candid first ladies in history, commenting on the hot-button issues of the time, such as feminism, equal pay, the Equal Rights Amendment, sex, drugs, and abortion. Surveys of historians conducted by the Siena College Research Institute have shown that historians regard Ford to be among the best and most courageous American first ladies.
Following her White House years, she continued to lobby for the ERA and remained active in the feminist movement. Soon after leaving office, she raised awareness of addiction when she sought help for and publicly disclosed her long-running struggle with alcoholism and substance abuse. After recovering, she founded and served as the first chair of the board of directors of the Betty Ford Center, which provides treatment services for women those suffering substance abuse and addiction. Ford also became involved in causes related to HIV/AIDS. For years after leaving the White House, Ford continued to enjoy great influence and popularity, continuing to rank in the top ten of Gallup's annual most admired woman poll every year through 1991.
Ford was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George H. W. Bush in 1991. She was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as a co-recipient with President Ford in 1998.
Filmography
all 9
self 7
Movies 6
TV Shows 3
Writer 1
The Presidents' Gatekeepers (2013)
Hubert H. Humphrey: The Art of the Possible (2010)
All the Presidents' Wives (2008)
Miracle (2004)
Days That Shook the World (2003)
The Betty Ford Story (1987)
Dynasty (1981)
The Dick Cavett Show (1968)
Dark Days at the White House: The Watergate Scandal and the Resignation of President Richard M. Nixon
Ratings
Information
Known ForActing
GenderFemale
Birthday1918-04-08
Deathday2011-07-08 (93 years old)
Birth NameElizabeth Anne Bloomer Ford
Birth PlaceChicago, United States of America
RelationshipsGerald Ford (1948-10-15 - 2006-12-26), William Warren (1942-01-01 - 1947-09-22)
ChildrenSusan Ford, Michael Gerald Ford, John Gardner Ford, Steven Ford
CitizenshipsUnited States of America
Also Known AsElizabeth Anne Ford, Elizabeth Anne Bloomer, Elizabeth "Betty" Ann Bloomer
AwardsNational Women's Hall of Fame, Congressional Gold Medal, Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Michigan Women's Hall of Fame
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
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