“Dolley Madison” Documentary Features UC-Riverside Historian

Most Americans know Dolley Madison as the first lady who saved the portrait of George Washington as the British marched on Washington City in 1814, eventually setting fire to the White House. It was Madison, however, who contributed greatly to creating a sense of nationality and unity in the fledgling United States, says Catherine Allgor, professor of history and UC Presidential Chair.

Allgor is one of several historians and authors who appear in a documentary, “Dolley Madison,” which premieres March 1 on PBS’s “American Experience.” The 90-minute film, produced by tpt National Productions in association with Middlemarch Films, examines the life of the woman who defined the role of the president’s wife and became known as America’s first “first lady.” The film was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, PBS and “American Experience.” Check local listings for air times....

Allgor is the author of “A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation” (Henry Holt and Company, 2006).