>> Considering the nation's desire for calm and consistency.

One might expect it to have conducted herself as nothing but the most prim proper in an imposing first lady.

>> At first glance, the main area of the exhibit may suggest that Betty had always been that idyllic traditional woman, a graceful dancer and model, a blushing bride married just 2 weeks before Gerald Ford began his congressional term, a nurturing mother raising 4 children and eventually a gracious host and fashion icon, entertaining diplomatic guests as first lady.

But a closer look reveals that would allow the body to steal the hearts of countless Americans during Gerald Ford's presidency and beyond was not just how well she operated within traditional bounds, but also how comfortably confidently and tactfully she defied them.

Well, Betty unquestionably possessed the elegance of a dancer.

Her love of dance was ignited by the flappers of the 1920's who danced, drank and smoked, which was completely new behavior for the women in this era.

In part by these examples, Betty herself enjoyed social freedom and increased her independence as a girl and a young woman.

But he was inspired by self-assured, ambitious women and a strong mother who modeled independence by becoming a real estate agent to provide for their family after Betty's father passed away.

>> And in addition, she also had 2 older brothers.

So she was always striving to keep up with them.

She played hockey.

She played football.

She even when she was a great play on an all-girls sandlot.

Football teams are she was just very active as a child.

>> It also flourished under the professional to 2 inch of her highly esteemed dance instructor Martha Graham, when formally studying dance as a young adult at the Bennington School of Dance and for months and the Martha Graham dance company of New York City.

>> Martha Graham was a pioneer in the dance world.

And so that gave my mother a lot of hope that she, too, could be a pioneer.

When I when I go back and I look at her going to Bennington and working with Martha and and that sort of thing and then going to New York and doing being a dancer with the Martha Graham Company and then coming back to Grand Rapids and working at her pulse timers and teaching dance to the kids and Mary Free bed.

Martha was a huge example from my mother that you could do anything and you could be a pioneer.

>> But he knew what she wanted to experience in life and have the confidence to make it happen.

Even when that meant choosing to divorce her first husband, William Line and living in her own apartment which are both highly unconventional Francis for women in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

>> But even went so far as to work to support both herself and William, who is seriously ill at the time throughout the last 2 years of their marriage.

Once Pierre to Gerald Ford, Betty and Gerald had a family and that he chose to stay home with her children.

During her husband's congressional career.

She enjoyed doing things like selling Halloween costumes and hosting homemade into Christmas is just like the one she later held at the White House.

All of these activities would have been viewed as traditional interests of housewives in the 50's 60's.

>> And resonated with those in society who preferred tradition.

>> My mom taught Sunday school.

She was my brother's den mother.

So she did Cub Scouts.

I remember selling Girl Scout cookies and her supporting me during that.

I think probably the one thing that people would say is it.

My mother wasn't in the Alexandria Hospital emergency room once a week with her boys.

Something was wrong that the Florida House.

>> It was really important to her.

Also that her role as a housewife was was recognized.

And she talked about how important it was to value women's work in the home because by valuing that work, all women's work was devalued.

And so that was something that was very important to her as well.

>> In addition to taking on a traditional role and her family, but his role as a congressman's wife was also quite traditional.

>> So I think she had actually a fairly traditional congressman's wife experience when she first came to Washington, D.C., with her husband, Gerald Ford.

She met a number of otherwise of new young congressman, including the aerial Humphrey, Hubert Humphrey's wife and Pat Nixon, Richard Nixon's wife.

And so they along with all of their peers, do a lot of the things that congressman's wives did at the time such as giving constituents tours of Washington, D.C., when they came to visit.

She was also very involved in the Congressional Spouses Club where she helped to raise money through things like fashion shows she was involved in the Republican Women's Club as well.

And so she was very involved in a variety of different congressional wives organizations.

>> Embrace traditional rules for women, but she was also someone who maintains perspectives on topics like abortion, drinking and premarital sex that were not typical for a woman of her time.

When asked about the Supreme Court's recent ruling legalizing abortion, she said, quote, It was the best thing in the world because in her opinion, it was time to, quote, bring it out of the back woods and into the hospitals where it belonged.

>> Really had a great sense of self.

She said if they don't like me, they can kick me out and and she used this platform throughout her time in office.

She was the first first lady since Mamie Eisenhower to hold a press conference.

What she did on September 4th, just a month after her husband took office in this press conference she really laid out.

Some of the things that were important to her cause is that she wanted to champion his first lady, including speaking about her support for abortion rights, as well as the Equal Rights Amendment.

>> That he truly did not believe that there was any need to shy away from speaking her mind simply because her husband's political career, even when her views contrasted with her husband's perspectives by honoring and embracing both her roles as a traditional house wife and an outspoken feminist.

But he appealed to just about everyone to some degree without alienating anyone