- Née:
- Laura Lane Welch
- Title / Office:
- first lady (2001-2009)
Laura Welch Bush
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Who is Laura Welch Bush?
Laura Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) is an American first lady (2001–09) and the wife of George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States.
Welch graduated from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1968, and later got her master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas in 1973. She then worked as a librarian in Austin. After marrying George W. Bush in 1977, she volunteered and devoted her time to homemaking. After George Bush became governor of Texas in 1994, Laura Bush collaborated with her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, to improve literacy and raise funds for public libraries. She also initiated the Texas Book Festival and promoted breast cancer awareness and women’s health issues.
As first lady, she organized a national book fair, started the Laura Bush Foundation to raise funds for libraries, and comforted victims of the September 11 attacks of 2001.
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When did Laura Bush serve as First Lady of the United States?
Laura Welch Bush served as the First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009, during the presidency of her husband, George W. Bush. While in office, she supported literacy initiatives and founded the Laura Bush Foundation to raise funds for libraries. Although she was less politically active than her predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bush spoke publicly in support of the Afghan people and testified before a Senate committee on education.
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Who was Laura Bush married to?
Laura Welch Bush, born on November 4, 1946, is the wife of George W. Bush, the 43rd president of the United States, whom she married on November 5, 1977. Before her marriage, she worked as a public school teacher and librarian. After George W. Bush was elected governor of Texas in 1994, Laura focused on promoting literacy and supporting public libraries. As first lady, she continued to champion literacy, traveled to Europe, and supported the Afghan people. She also organized a national book fair and started a foundation to raise funds for libraries.
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What was Laura Bush's career before becoming First Lady?
Before becoming First Lady, Laura Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) had a career in education and library science. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Methodist University in 1968, she worked as a public school teacher in Dallas and Houston. Later, she earned a master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas in 1973 and subsequently worked as a librarian in Austin.
After marrying George W. Bush in 1977, Laura Bush dedicated her time to volunteer work and homemaking. She later raised her profile by working to improve literacy and raise funds for public libraries after George Bush was elected governor of Texas in 1994.
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What were some of Laura Bush's main initiatives as First Lady?
Laura Bush, as First Lady (2001–09), focused on promoting literacy and supporting education. She collaborated with Barbara Bush to improve statewide literacy and initiated the Texas Book Festival, which raised funds for Texas public libraries.
Bush also addressed global literacy as an honorary ambassador for the United Nations Decade of Literacy, hosting the Conference on Global Literacy in 2006. Additionally, she supported women's health awareness, comforted victims of the September 11 attacks, and started the Laura Bush Foundation to raise funds for libraries.
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How did Laura Bush influence education and literacy during her time as First Lady?
As First Lady, Laura Bush significantly influenced education and literacy through various initiatives. Partnering with her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, she worked to improve literacy statewide and raised funds for public libraries. She initiated the Texas Book Festival, which generated nearly $900,000 for Texas public libraries in its first four years.
Bush organized a national book fair featuring American authors and started the Laura Bush Foundation to raise funds for libraries. As an honorary ambassador for the United Nations Decade of Literacy, she hosted the Conference on Global Literacy in September 2006. She also agreed to testify before a Senate committee on education.
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Laura Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946, Midland, Texas, U.S.) is an American first lady (2001–09), the wife of George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States.
Laura Welch was the only child of Harold Welch, a home builder, and Jenna Hawkins Welch. Her parents placed a high priority on her education and fostered her interest in reading. She attended public schools in Midland, Texas, where in 1963 she was involved in an automobile accident that killed the driver of another car. The police report stated that Welch had run a stop sign, but no charges were filed. After graduating from high school in 1964, she earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Methodist University in 1968. She later taught in public schools in Dallas and Houston. She received a master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas in 1973 and later worked as a librarian in Austin.
Following her marriage to George W. Bush on November 5, 1977, Laura Bush devoted her time to volunteer work and homemaking. Twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, were born in 1981.
After George Bush was elected governor of Texas in 1994, Laura Bush raised her profile, working to improve literacy and raising funds for public libraries. Notably, she sought to raise statewide literacy in collaboration with her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush, and the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Laura Bush initiated the Texas Book Festival, which raised nearly $900,000 for Texas public libraries during its first four years. She also promoted breast cancer awareness and women’s health issues.
In 1999 George Bush announced his candidacy for the Republican Party presidential nomination. Although Laura Bush initially resisted giving public campaign speeches, she became an avid campaigner, even addressing the Republican National Convention in July 2000. When she was asked whether she would emulate the activist first lady model of Hillary Rodham Clinton or the more traditional model of her mother-in-law, Bush demurred, implying that she would define the role for herself. Shortly before entering the White House, she admitted in a televised interview that she opposed overturning Roe v. Wade, although her husband had advocated overturning it.
As first lady, Bush traveled solo to Europe, spoke on radio (in the president’s place) in support of the Afghan people, and agreed to testify before a Senate committee on education. In a more traditional vein, she also organized a national book fair featuring American authors, started the Laura Bush Foundation to raise funds for libraries, and won praise for her efforts to comfort victims of the September 11 attacks of 2001. She garnered some criticism in February 2003 when she canceled a poetry event at the White House after she learned that some of the invitees planned to make public their opposition to the forthcoming war against Iraq. Overall, however, her popularity remained high.
As an honorary ambassador for the United Nations Decade of Literacy, Bush hosted the Conference on Global Literacy in September 2006. In December 2008 she received the Freedom Award from the relief organization Christian Freedom International. Bush later wrote an autobiography, Spoken from the Heart (2010), in which she defended her husband and for the first time publicly discussed the 1963 car accident.
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