Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny (born 17 September 1930)[1] is the former First Lady of Ivory Coast. Her husband was Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the first President of Ivory Coast from 1962 to 1993.
Marie-Thérèse Houphouët-Boigny | |
|---|---|
 Marie and her husband Félix Houphouët-Boigny at the White House attending a state dinner with U.S. President John F. Kennedy and his wife First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1962 | |
| First Lady of Ivory Coast | |
| In role 3 November 1960 – December 7, 1993 | |
| President | Félix Houphouët-Boigny |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Henriette Konan Bédié |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Marie-Thérèse Brou September 17, 1930 near Abidjan, Ivory Coast, French West Africa |
| Political party | Democratic Party of Ivory Coast – African Democratic Rally |
| Spouse | Félix Houphouët-Boigny (1952–1993; his death) |
She was born Marie-Thérèse Brou in 1930 in a suburb of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, French West Africa.[2] She was one of her parents' six children. When Brou was 16 years old, she and nineteen other Ivorian girls were chosen to attend private school in France.[2] While living in France, she met her husband, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, when she was 21 years old.[2] Houphouët-Boigny was more than 25 years older than her. Brou and Houphouët-Boigny married in 1952, shortly after he divorced his first wife that same year.[3]
Houphouët-Boigny caught the eye of the media during 1962 visit to the Kennedy White House, and was dubbed "Africa's Jackie" or 'Black Jackie Kennedy" by the media.[2][4] In 1987, Houphouët-Boigny founded the N'Daya International Foundation, dedicated to improving the health, welfare, and education of children in Africa. As the Foundation's president, she led numerous projects in support of children.[5] In 1990, she helped create and produce Kimboo, a cartoon series aired on BET, to offer cartoon heroes to African children.[5]
Houphouët-Boigny was the first lady of the Ivory Coast for 33 years, until her husband's death in 1993. Félix and Marie-Thérèse did not have any biological children, but adopted three children together.[6]