Laura Welch Bush—Born November 4, 1946 (Midland, TX)
White House Years: 2001-2009.
As first lady of Texas, Laura Bush raised funds for public libraries by organizing the Texas Book Festival.
Laura Bush was an Honorary Ambassador of UNESCO and created the Library of Congress’s National Book Festival.
As the first lady of the U.S., Laura Bush emphasized women’s health issues, created the Ready to Read, Ready to Learn initiative, and hosted a Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers conference at the White House.
By the end of her stay in the White House, Laura Bush visited seventy-five nations to address everything from education, health crises, and social issues to humanitarianism.
Laura Bush was the first first lady to substitute for the president during his weekly radio address speaking after 9/11 on the plight of women and children in Afghanistan..
Quotes:
“Waking the next morning, I had the sensation of knowing before my eyes opened that something terrible had happened, something beyond comprehension, and I wondered for a brief instant if it had all been a dream. Then I saw George, and I knew, knew that yesterday would be with us, each day, for all of our days to come," said Laura Bush the day after the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.