Margaret Graves

* S2
* S1

 Basic Information

 Portrayal

**Margaret Lynn Davis Graves** (born April 21, 1956) is a former First Lady of the United States.

## Biography

### Early life

Margaret Lynn Davis Graves was born on April 21, 1956 in El Abilene, Texas, United States of America to Betty Eileen Benson, a tailor and a single mother.

She married Richard Graves in a small ceremony on his ranch in Gallup, New Mexico in 1981.

## Characters met

* Jeremy Graves
* Olivia Graves
* Richard Graves
* Isaiah Miller
* Lawrence Mills
* Christopher Sachs

## Behind the Scenes

Margaret Graves was portrayed by Sela Ward in Seasons 1 and 2 of *Graves*.

### Appearances

* *Graves* - "Evil Good and Good Evil" (First appearance)
* *Graves* - "You Started Everything"
* *Graves* - "Nothing Can Come from Nothing"
* *Graves* - "That Dare Not Speak"
* *Graves* - "Lions in Winter"
* *Graves* - "A Tincture of Madness"
* *Graves* - "The Careless Giant"
* *Graves* - "TV is the Shepherd"
* *Graves* - "Through a Glass Gravely"
* *Graves* - "Not Giants, But Windmills"
* *Graves* - "Half a World Gone Mad"
* *Graves* - "In His Labyrinth"

### Description

#### Season 1

"*Margaret Rose Benson Graves was born April 21st, 1956 in Abilene, Texas, the only child of Betty Eileen Benson, a hardworking tailor and single mother living paycheck to paycheck. As Margaret would later share in an interview with Barbara Walters, though her childhood was far from idyllic, those difficult early years taught her everything about the meaning of fortitude, determination and the power of finding joy in the most meager of circumstances. In 1974, Margaret graduated from Calhoun High School in Abilene with top honors and enrolled in Fairview Secretarial School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Four years later, Margaret found a job working for Graves’ gubernatorial campaign in Santa Fe. There the couple met and fell in love and after a long courtship, tied the knot in 1981. As the First Lady of New Mexico, Margaret focused her influence on policies supporting health, education, and women’s rights. During Graves’ presidential campaign, Margaret and Richard Graves rose to prominence as a powerhouse couple. Deviating from tradition, their popularity was not owed to inherited wealth or social privilege; they were popular because they struck a chord with everyday, middle-class Americans. They came from humble backgrounds, worked their way up, and maintained simple family values. Naturally shy and private, Margaret faced early challenges in dealing with the initial spotlight of her husband’s political career. She was adored but like many who have fame thrust upon them, didn’t know how to handle the rampant attention and public scrutiny. In due time, Margaret grew into her position of influence and developed a unique style and a confident, straight-talking attitude that was part Annie Oakley, part Martha Stewart. Her easy elegance would be imitated far and wide and she would become known for her grace under pressure, especially after the assassination attempt on her husband when the whole nation prayed with her for Graves’ recovery. Active in her husband’s presidential campaign, Margaret won overwhelming praise from the media and public for her stirring, heartfelt speeches in which she spoke candidly from her own experiences, forging a personal link with her audiences. As First Lady, Margaret used her influence to spearhead causes close to her heart, such as the Love to Learn campaign, a bill supporting education reform in the inner cities, and All Women On Deck, a measure supporting the advancement of women in the workplace. Beloved for her compassionate manner and trendsetting style, Margaret Graves is ranked by Time Magazine as the third most influential First Lady, after Eleanor Roosevelt and Jacqueline Kennedy.*"
―*Official description*

### Trivia

* Although her official description lists Margaret's full name as Margaret Rose Benson Graves, "TV is the Shepherd" lists it as Margaret Lynn Davis Graves.

## Links and references

### External links

* Margaret Graves - official site