Mary Todd Lincoln's Reputation Revisited in Lois Romano's New Biography
Lois Romano's new biography, "An Inconvenient Widow," seeks to challenge the unfavorable images of Mary Todd Lincoln that have persisted over time. Educated at Mentelle's for Young Ladies in Lexington, Kentucky, Mary married Abraham Lincoln on November 4, 1842, in Springfield, Illinois. During the Civil War, she was wrongfully labeled a Southern sympathizer, despite her efforts in Union hospitals. After her husband's assassination, Mary campaigned for a pension and suffered a period of confinement in an asylum. The book will be showcased at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., in February 2026.
Key facts
- Lois Romano's 'An Inconvenient Widow' aims to refute negative portrayals of Mary Todd Lincoln.
- Mary Todd Lincoln was educated at Mentelle's for Young Ladies in Lexington, Kentucky.
- She married Abraham Lincoln on November 4, 1842, in Springfield, Illinois.
- During the Civil War, Mary was accused of being a Southern sympathizer despite visiting Union hospitals.
- After Lincoln's assassination, Mary fought for a pension and was briefly confined to an insane asylum.
- The Broadway play 'Oh, Mary!' by Cole Escola was a finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for drama.
- Romano blames early historians for Mary's declining reputation as Lincoln's legend grew.
- The book will be performed at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., in February 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Mary Todd Lincoln
- Abraham Lincoln
- Elizabeth Hardwick
- Lois Romano
- Robert Smith Todd
- Eliza Todd
- Betsy Todd
- Stephen A. Douglas
- Robert Todd Lincoln
- Nancy Reagan
- Harriet Lane
- James Buchanan
- Elizabeth Blair Lee
- Jefferson Davis
- Varina Davis
- Charles Sumner
- Richard Yates
- Elizabeth Keckly
- Francis Bicknell Carpenter
- John Wilkes Booth
- Andrew Johnson
- Myra Bradwell
- William Herndon
- Ann Rutledge
- Ruth Painter Randall
- Ishbel Ross
- Jean H. Baker
- Catherine Clinton
- Michael Burlingame
- Julie Harris
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Sally Field
- Cole Escola
Institutions
- Washington Post
- Mentelle's for Young Ladies
- White House
- Executive Mansion
- National Republican
- General Post Office Department
- 7th New York Regiment
- Marine Band
- Ford's Theatre
- National Theatre
- Pulitzer Prize
Locations
- Lexington
- Kentucky
- Springfield
- Illinois
- Washington
- D.C.
- New York
- Philadelphia
- Oregon
- Europe
- Chicago