Alva Review-Courier -

When President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in 1961, he noted that he was the first president to have been born in the 20th century.

“The torch has been passed,” Kennedy said, “to a new generation” of leaders. In a way, that was also true of the wives of the presidents beginning with Kennedy.

In the past half century-plus since Kennedy gave his stirring speech, the First Ladies of the United States have taken it upon themselves to champion one of more causes designed to improve American society.

Jacqueline Kennedy, for example, stressed the arts. She brought music, dance and...