Anita McBride at MVCC
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Mount Vernon Country Club Announces Special America250 Event Featuring Anita McBride, Internationally-Recognized Expert on American First Ladies

Evening Talk & Book Signing Takes Place Tuesday, April 28

Alexandria, Va. - As the Mount Vernon Country Club (MVCC) continues its celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial, MVCC announced another signature event in its ongoing America250 series. On Tuesday, April 28, MVCC will welcome sought-after speaker Anita McBride, whose expertise spans the First Ladies and White House history and operations for an evening talk and book signing.

McBride’s expertise has been shaped by two decades of senior service in the White House and U.S. Department of State under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush, making her one of the longest‑tenured women in White House history. As Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush, McBride oversaw initiatives in education reform, literacy, women’s health, historic preservation, arts and culture, and stewardship of our national parks. She also directed the First Lady’s travels to 67 countries, helping advance U.S. diplomacy, global health, democracy, education, and women’s empowerment.

“This highly relevant book talk from a White House expert and founding member of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education is another powerful event hosted by Mount Vernon Country Club honoring America’s Semiquincentennial”, said Drew Smith, MVCC Board President. “MVCC is grateful to be the first country club in the United States to become an America250 Supporting Partner and the only club that sits on one of President George Washington’s original five farms - Union Farm.”

“America’s 250th anniversary invites us to reflect not only our nation's founding principles, but also on the leaders who have helped sustain them across generations,” said Anita McBride. “First Ladies have played a crucial role in that story, using their platform to champion causes, influence policy, and bring Americans together. I’m honored to be invited by the Mount Vernon Country Club to share the stories about these remarkable women in our history and what they have taught us about leadership, service, and civic responsibility.”

In 2024, McBride co-authored the acclaimed book Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women. The book illuminates the evolving role of the First Lady and the position’s profound influence on the American presidency, policy, politics, and global diplomacy. The book was recently updated in 2026 to include the second term of President Donald J. Trump.

In 2024, she co-authored with her daughter a children’s book, First Ladies Make History, published by the White House Historical Association. Also updated in 2025, this award-winning book is the first book of its kind, taking young readers beyond the typical fashion and hospitality topics associated with first ladies to the important contributions they have made to society and culture throughout American history.

McBride serves as a member of the Government Affairs committee of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission (America 250), the congressional entity established to help plan the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. McBride is also a member of the Committee of Scholars of the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and serves on the National Advisory Board for the National First Ladies Library and the White House Historical Association. She is the Co-Chair of In Pursuit, a landmark civic education initiative highlighting key lessons in leadership from the unique lens of our nation’s presidents and first ladies.

The book event featuring McBride offers MVCC members and their families an enriching opportunity to hear firsthand from one of the nation’s top experts on First Ladies and White House history. Members are encouraged to register early and bring children, grandchildren, and friends who will be inspired by the leadership, resilience, and historic contributions of America’s First Ladies.

The event will include a cocktail hour and displays of America250 commemorative gifts and clothing as well as McBride’s books, followed by her presentation and a book signing.

About Anita McBride

Anita B. McBride serves as Executive-in-Residence at American University’s Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies where she directs the First Ladies Initiative (american.edu/firstladies). Additionally, she serves as an advisor to American University’s Sine Institute for Policy and Politics and as club advisor to the American University College Republicans