Alberto Gonzales
A Texas lawyer who rose to become the nation's first Hispanic Attorney General, his tenure was defined by post-9/11 legal controversies.
Born 1955 (age 71)·American lawyer·Birthday: August 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Alberto Gonzales's story is a quintessential American political ascent that became mired in Washington conflict. The son of migrant workers, he joined the U.S. Air Force, earned a law degree from Harvard, and climbed the ranks in Texas politics as a close advisor to then-Governor George W. Bush. As White House Counsel, he was at the President's side during the frantic hours after the 9/11 attacks. His promotion to Attorney General in 2005 made history, but his time at the Justice Department was soon overshadowed by fierce debate. He became the public face of the administration's legal framework for the War on Terror, defending policies on the treatment of detainees and the warrantless surveillance program. His management of the dismissals of U.S. attorneys sparked allegations of political interference, leading to a loss of confidence in Congress and his eventual resignation. Gonzales's legacy remains a complex chapter on the intersection of security, law, and politics in a crisis era.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Alberto was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alberto Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Alberto's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 80th U.S. Attorney General, the first person of Hispanic heritage to hold the office.
- Appointed as the first Hispanic White House Counsel in U.S. history in 2001.
- Served as a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court, appointed by then-Governor George W. Bush.
- Previously held the position of Secretary of State for Texas.
Did You Know?
He was one of eight children born to parents who built their home in Houston without indoor plumbing.
He and his wife, Diane, have three sons.
After leaving government, he served as the Dean of the Belmont University College of Law.
He is a recipient of the Horatio Alger Award.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served my country and the President during such a critical time in our history.”
