First ladies and gentlemen of Arkansas

First Spouse of Arkansas
Incumbent Bryan Sanders since January 10, 2023
Style	First Lady or First Gentleman
Residence	Arkansas Governor's Mansion
Inaugural holder	Martha Ferguson
Formation	March 10, 1821 (204 years ago) (1821-03-10)
Website	governor.arkansas.gov/administration/the-first-gentleman/

The first spouse of Arkansas is the title held by the host of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, usually the spouse of the governor of Arkansas, concurrent with the governor's term in office.

A governor's mansion was built during Anne McMath's tenure and overseeing it became a responsibility of the First Lady. ^[1] McMath wrote a book about the state's first ladies. ^[2] Peggy Jacoway earlier book, First Ladies of Arkansas. Kinsport was published in 1941. ^[2] Bryan Sanders is the current first gentleman of Arkansas, assuming the position on January 10, 2023, as the husband of 47th and current Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, with whom he has three children. ^[3]

To date, only one person has served as the first gentleman since statehood: Bryan Sanders from 2023 to present.

The exhibition "First Ladies of Arkansas: Women of Their Times" was held at the Old State House Museum. ^[4]

Role

The position of the first spouse is not an elected one, carries no official duties, and receives no salary. However, the first spouse holds a highly visible position in the state government. The role of the first spouse is the host of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion and organizes and attends official ceremonies and functions of state either along with, or in place of, the governor.

It is common for the governor's spouse to select specific, non-political, causes to promote.

First Spouses of Arkansas

• Frances Watkins Walton Pope (1829-1835) ^[5]
• Mary Kavanaugh Eagle (1889-1893), husband of James Philip Eagle
• Elizabeth Little (1907-1909), lived from April 3, 1861 and died on September 15, 1953 ^[6]
• Louvenia Wallace Donaghey (1909-1913)
• Ewilda Robinson (1913) ^[7]
• Ida Virginia Yarborough Hays (1913–1917)
• Anne Brough (1917-1921) ^[8] (Anne Wade Roark Brough)
• Eula Terral ^[4]
• Mabel Martineau (1927-1928) ^[9]
• Anne McMath (1949-1953) ^[10] , wife of Sid Sanders McMath
• Margaret Cherry (1953–1955) ^[1]
• Alta Faubus (1955-1967), wife of Orval Faubus ^[11] (Celia Alta Faubus)
• Jeannette Rockefeller (1967–1971)
• Betty Bumpers (1971–1975)
• Barbara Pryor (1975–1979)
• Hillary Clinton (1979–1981, 1983–1992)
• Gay White (1981–1983)
• Betty Tucker (1992–1996)
• Janet Huckabee (1996–2007)
• Ginger Beebe (2007–2015)
• Susan Burrell Hutchinson (2015–2023), wife of Asa Hutchinson ^[12]
• Bryan Sanders (2023–present)

Gallery

• 
  Hillary Clinton
• 
  Janet Huckabee
• 
  Betty Bumpers
• 
  Ginger Beebe
• 
  Mary Kavanaugh Eagle

See also

• List of current United States first spouses

References

1. "First Spouses". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
3. "The First Gentleman". Arkansas Governor - Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
4. "First Ladies of Arkansas: Women of Their Times". DAH Site.
5. "First Spouses".
6. "Brooch, Decorative - Elizabeth Little". collections.oldstatehouse.com.
7. "From Small Town Girl to the Leader's Lady: Ewilda Gertrude Miller Robinson (First Lady, 1913)". DAH Site.
8. "Gloves, Anne Brough". collections.oldstatehouse.com.
9. "Keeper of the Governor's Public Image: Mabel Martineau (First Lady of Arkansas, 1927-1928)". DAH Site.
10. "First Lady of the People's House: Sarah Anne Phillips McMath (First Lady 1949-1953)". DAH Site.
11. "Faubus, Alta".
12. "Susan Burrell Hutchinson (1950–)".