Barbara Bush 1925–2018

Born New York City First Lady 1989–1993

Following Abigail Adams, Barbara Pierce Bush is only the second woman to have been the wife of one president and the mother of another; she also shared a common ancestor with President Franklin Pierce. A strong supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment, Bush was pro-choice and fought to destigmatize AIDS. She used her platform as first lady to combat illiteracy, writing several books and hosting a radio program with celebrity guests called “Mrs. Bush’s Story Time.”

In 1989, the first lady created the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy to improve access to educational opportunities. It was funded in part by the proceeds of Millie’s Book, in which her pet dog “describes a day in the life of [President] George Herbert Walker Bush and family, discussing morning briefings, deliberations in the Oval Office, and short breaks for squirrel hunting.” This portrait shows Barbara Bush with one of the family’s beloved English Springer Spaniels.

The White House