Receiving an advanced education in her youth, Cleveland rejected traditional gender norms and sought a career for herself in a variety of literary and academic positions.

When her unmarried brother was elected president, she acted in the role of first lady until his wedding with Frances Folsom.

After leaving the White House, Cleveland authored several fiction and nonfiction works, many relating to women's rights.

[2]: 9  The Clevelands moved to Holland Patent, New York, in 1853, and their father died shortly afterward when Rose was seven years old.

[1]: 181  Besides teaching, Cleveland became a prominent lecturer in the state of New York, speaking at schools about things such as history and women's rights.

[6] When Cleveland's brother Grover became president of the United States, he had no wife to serve as first lady, so he asked her to fulfill the role.

[6] As was typical of first ladies of the time, she was responsible purely for domestic aspects of the White House, including the organization of social events.

[2]: 24  She grew bored with White House reception lines and once said that to pass the time she would conjugate Greek verbs in her head.

[7] Among the prominent guests that visited the White House, she was more interested in speaking to those such as historian George Bancroft.

[1]: 182  Her education served her well in the White House, where knowledge of history and foreign languages was an asset when speaking to dignitaries from around the world.

[2]: 22  Shortly after her time as acting first lady began, she published her first book: George Eliot's Poetry, and Other Studies.

[7] Despite this, her national renown as first lady helped sales, and she ultimately earned $25,000 (equivalent to $848,000 in 2023) in royalties across twelve published editions.

[4]: 266  She still held other prejudices common of the time, advising her brother not to appoint a significant number of Catholics to government positions.

[5]: 250  When her brother's bride, Frances Folsom, arrived in Washington in June 1, 1886, Cleveland met her and her mother at the train station and escorted them to the White House.

[3]: 141  She helped organize their wedding, and she left the White House after they were married, though she often returned in a social capacity.

[2]: 26 A month after Cleveland left the White House, she moved to Chicago to become the editor of the magazine Literary Life.

Cleveland felt betrayed by Simpsons' decision to marry, and she traveled to Europe for a year to escape the situation.

Her coffin was draped with the 13-star flag of the United States, and the mayor ordered all businesses closed for the day.