America\'s Highly Private First Lady Bess Truman\'s Life Detailed In Signed Sketch For Sale

BESS TRUMAN (1885 – 1982) was the First Lady of the United States married to President Harry S. Truman from 1945 to 1953. She also served as Second Lady of the United States from January to April 1945. Mrs. Truman was fiercely private.

Offering an 8 1/2 x 11, typed copy of a biographical manuscript from The Harry S. Truman Library, signed at the top by Mrs. Truman, dated August 21, 1973. Interestingly, Mrs. Truman did not write an autobiography. The closest we could find is a biography written posthumously by her daughter Margaret. Thus, this biographical manuscript provides a rare glimpse into her life – and signed Bess W. Truman.

The manuscript includes small to large details. “Mrs. Truman moved to Washington, DC, when her husband, after serving his political apprenticeship in local politics, was elected United States Senator in 1934, a position he held for the next ten years. During most of this period, the Trumans stated in Washington from January through June, while Congress was in session, and in Independence during the remainder of the year...They lived in a succession of small apartments in which Mrs. Truman did all the housework...When her husband’s work as Chairman of the Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program (the Truman Committee) brought him into national prominence, Mrs. Truman joined his office staff as a clerk, answering his personal mail and editing committee reports.

“...When Mr. Truman became President on April 12, 1945, after serving only eighty-three days as Vice President, Mrs. Truman became First Lady...She was one of the hardest working of all White House hostesses. She reinstituted the formal White House social season, which had been interrupted by the war, and personally directed the detailed planning of all social events from the formal state receptions to teas and musicales...While she abolished Mrs. Roosevelt’s custom of holding press conferences, she was meticulous in answering large volumes of mail she received as wife of the President...

A fascinating look into this private First Lady’s professional and private life.

Folds, light toning. Small staple tear at the top, not affecting anything.

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