Bev Perdue
A trailblazing Southern governor who broke the state's highest political glass ceiling while steering it through a severe economic recession.
Born 1947 (age 79)·Governor of North Carolina from 2009 to 2013·Birthday: January 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bev Perdue's political career was built on a foundation of challenging expectations. A former teacher and healthcare administrator from Virginia, she moved to North Carolina and entered politics, serving in the state House and then as Lieutenant Governor. In 2008, she shattered a major barrier by being elected the state's first female governor. Her tenure, from 2009 to 2013, was defined by the global financial crisis, forcing her to manage deep budget shortfalls and high unemployment. She focused on education, championing early childhood programs and a controversial sales tax increase to fund schools, and pushed for economic development in renewable energy and biotechnology. Her governing style was often described as hands-on and determined, though political gridlock with a Republican-led legislature marked her single term. Perdue chose not to seek re-election, leaving a complex legacy as a pioneer who governed during profoundly difficult times.
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.
Bev was born in 1947, 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 Bev Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Bev's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
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
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
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
1968Turned 21
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!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Elected as the first woman to serve as Governor of North Carolina in 2008.
- Established the 'Race to the Top' education initiative in North Carolina, which won federal funding for school reforms.
- Created the state's first-ever tax credit for film and television production, boosting a major industry.
- Vetoed a bill requiring ultrasound procedures before abortions, a veto that was later overridden by the legislature.
Did You Know?
Her birth name is Beverly Marlene Eaves.
She worked as a public school teacher and a director of geriatric services early in her career.
She was the first female Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina before becoming governor.
After politics, she founded a consulting firm focused on education and healthcare.
“I didn't run for governor to be a caretaker. I ran to make tough decisions.”
