Lady Bird Johnson

Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson (1912-2007) was an American first lady (1963-69) and the wife of Lyndon Johnson, the 36th president of the United States. A strong believer in her husband's political talents, Lady Bird used her own inheritance to fund his early campaigns, and overcame her aversion to public speaking to become one of his most successful surrogates on the campaign trail. Johnson did much to create the role of the modern first lady: She hired her own chief of staff, press secretary and East Wing employees; she advocated on behalf of her husband's policies, including the "Head Start" early education program; and she actively lobbied Congress for legislation that would further her favored cause, the "beautification" of America's cities and highways.

More to Explore

People and Groups

Themes

Events

Related Topics

This Day in History

May 24

Presidential

Thomas Jefferson inquires about a former flame, 1797

On this day in 1797, future President Thomas Jefferson writes to his friend Angelica Church, inquiring casually about their mutual friend, Maria Cosway, a…

Recommended Articles

  • Lyndon B. Johnson

    Lyndon B. Johnson

    The 36th U.S. president, Lyndon B. Johnson took office in 1963 and is remembered for his social reform measures.

  • First Ladies

    First Ladies

    The first lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House, and is traditionally the wife of the president.

  • U.S. Presidents

    U.S. Presidents

    Get to know the leaders of the United States, from George Washington to Barack Obama.

Did You Know?

Lady Bird Johnson was a recipient of both the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, two of the U.S.' highest civilian honors.

Contents


Profile

US first lady (1963–9), born Claudia Alta Taylor, in Karnack, Texas, USA on December 22, 1912. As a child, a family nurse declared she was as "pretty as a ladybird." The nickname stuck. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in art followed and continued on there studying journalism, with the plan to become a newspaper reporter.In the summer of 1934 she met Lyndon Baines Johnson who was a Congressional aide. They married in November 1934, just seven weeks after their first date. She borrowed from her inheritance to help finance his first election campaign.As first lady, she supported the "war on poverty," the Headstart Program, and worked for the "beautification" of Washington, DC. Following the presidency, Lady Bird Johnson wrote the 800-page White House Diary which detailed her husband's life including the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. She also remained active in beautification projects. In the1960s, she planted bulbs and trees along roadsides to call attention to the growing crisis of habitat and species loss. Lady Bird Johnson created the First Lady's Committee for a More Beautiful Capital and her work became the first major legislative campaign launched by a first lady, the Highway Beautification Act of 1965. Her love for native wildflowers inspired her to create the National Wildflower Research Center in 1982 near Austin, Texas. It was renamed in her honor in 1998.Lady Bird Johnson also remained outspoken on women's rights issues, calling the equal rights amendment, "the right thing to do." She was honored with the country's highest civilian award: the Medal of Freedom in 1977, and was given the Congressional Gold Medal in 1988.The widow of former President Lyndon Baines Johnson, had suffered a stroke in 2002 that left her with difficulty speaking. She died on July 11, 2007 at the age of 94.


Biography courtesy of BIO.com

Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

Advertisement

Related Shows

  • America The Story of Us

    America The Story of Us

    America The Story of Us is an epic 12-hour television event that tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented.

Shop HISTORY

See More