Barbara Bush
A sharp-witted and matriarchal First Lady who championed family literacy and became the bedrock of a political dynasty.
1925–2018 (age 93)·First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993·Birthday: June 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Barbara Pierce Bush carved a singular path through American public life, defined by a no-nonsense personality and a fierce commitment to family. Born in New York, she met George H.W. Bush at a dance when she was just 16, and their partnership would shape the nation. As Second Lady and then First Lady, she defied convention with her candidness and her signature strand of faux pearls, which became a symbol of her accessible grace. Her most enduring passion was literacy, which she viewed as the fundamental solution to societal problems. She launched the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, arguing that if more people could read, write, and comprehend, other issues would become more manageable. Her life was marked by profound personal moments, including the loss of a young daughter to leukemia, which deepened her empathy. She lived to see her husband and son occupy the Oval Office, a testament to her role as the family's resilient anchor.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Barbara was born in 1925, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barbara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1925
#1 Movie
The Gold Rush
Barbara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1925Born
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1930Started school
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1938Became a teenager
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Could drive
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1943Could vote
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Turned 21
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1955Turned 30
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
1965Turned 40
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 50
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 60
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 70
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 80
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
2018Died at 93
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in 1989, focusing on breaking the cycle of intergenerational illiteracy.
- Became one of only two women in U.S. history to be both the wife and mother of a president.
- Authored two best-selling books: a memoir and a story about her dog, Millie.
- Served as First Lady from 1989 to 1993, using the platform to advocate for volunteerism and literacy.
Did You Know?
She and Abigail Adams are the only two women to be married to one U.S. president and mother to another.
Her trademark white hair was a result of not dyeing it after her three-year-old daughter, Robin, died of leukemia.
She once joked that her epitaph should read, 'She's finally getting a good night's sleep.'
She was a distant cousin of the 14th U.S. president, Franklin Pierce.
““Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally give their life's blood. But everyone has something to give.””
