Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson
The First Lady photographed in the White House Center Hall before an official dinner May 6, 1968. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence
First Lady of the United States
In office November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969
President	Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded by	Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy
Succeeded by	Pat Nixon
Second Lady of the United States
In office January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963
Preceded by	Pat Nixon
Succeeded by	Muriel Buck Humphrey
Born	December 22, 1912(1912-12-22) Karnack, Texas, United States
Died	July 11, 2007 (aged 94) West Lake Hills, Texas, United States
Spouse	Lyndon B. Johnson
Children	Lynda and Luci
Occupation	First Lady of the United States, entrepreneur

Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson (December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007)^[1] was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969, having been the wife of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. First Lady of the United States is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Thelma Catherine " Pat " Ryan Nixon (March 16 1912 &ndash June 22 1993 was the wife of Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Thelma Catherine " Pat " Ryan Nixon (March 16 1912 &ndash June 22 1993 was the wife of Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United Muriel Fay Buck Humphrey Brown ( February 20, 1912 &ndash September 20, 1998) was the wife of Vice President Hubert Humphrey Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Karnack is a rural unincorporated community in northeastern Harrison County near Caddo Lake in the eastern region of the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. West Lake Hills is a city in Travis County, Texas, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Lynda Bird Johnson Robb (born March 19, 1944) is the elder of the two daughters of United States President Lyndon Baines Johnson Luci Baines Johnson Turpin, formerly Nugent (born July 2, 1947) is the younger daughter of U First Lady of the United States is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. First Lady of the United States is the unofficial title of the hostess of the White House. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources, and made that her major initiative as First Lady. After leaving the White House in 1969 and her husband's death in 1973, Lady Bird became an entrepreneur, creating the $150 million LBJ Holdings Company, and was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honors. An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed Not to be confused with the Medal of Honor, sometimes called the "Congressional Medal of Honor" which is the highest military decoration of the United States

Early life

The Brick House, Lady Bird Johnson's birthplace and childhood home in Karnack, Texas.

Claudia Alta Taylor was born in Karnack, Texas, a town in Harrison County, near the state's border with Louisiana. Karnack is a rural unincorporated community in northeastern Harrison County near Caddo Lake in the eastern region of the U Harrison County is a County of the US state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 62110 The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Her birthplace was "The Brick House," a former slave plantation mansion on the outskirts of town, which her father had purchased shortly before her birth. Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco Nearly all of both her maternal and paternal forebears had arrived in the Virginia Colony during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony Her father was a native of Alabama and primarily of English ancestry with small amounts of Welsh and Danish while her mother was a native of Texas and of English and Scottish descent ^[2]. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry The term Dane may refer to People with a Danish ancestral or ethnic identity whether living in Denmark, emigrants or the descendants of emigrants Texas ( is a state geographically located in the South Central United States and is also known as the Lone Star State. The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland.

Though she was named for her mother's brother Claud,^[3] during her infancy, her nurse, Alice Tittle,^[4][5] commented, she was as "purty as a ladybird,"^[6][7] which is a brightly colored beetle commonly known as a ladybug in the United States^[4] That nickname virtually replaced her given name for the rest of her life. Beetles are the group of Insects with the largest number of known Species. Her father and siblings called her Lady,^[8] though her husband called her Bird, which is the name she used on her marriage license. During her teenage years, her schoolmates had called her Bird, though mockingly, since she reportedly was not fond of the name. ^[8]

Her father was Thomas Jefferson Taylor (August 29, 1874 – October 22, 1960), a sharecropper's son who became a poor businessman and the owner of 15,000 acres (61 km²) of oil and 25 general stores. Events 708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708) Year 1874 ( MDCCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "My father was a very strong character, to put it mildly," his daughter once said. "He lived by his own rules. It was a whole feudal way of life, really. "^[5]

A portrait of Lady Bird Taylor at about age three

Her mother was the former Minnie Lee Pattillo (1874–1918), an opera lover who felt out of place in Karnack and who was often in "poor emotional and physical health. "^[3] When Lady Bird was five years old, Minnie, while pregnant, fell down a flight of stairs and died of complications after miscarrying. ^[3] In a profile of Lady Bird Johnson, Time magazine described Lady Bird's mother as "a tall, eccentric woman from an old and aristocratic Alabama family, liked to wear long white dresses and heavy veils [. Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. . . and who] scandalized people for miles around by entertaining Negroes in her home, and once even started to write a book about Negro religious practices, called Bio Baptism. " Her unreconstructed husband, however, tended to see blacks as "hewers of wood and drawers of water," according to his younger son. ^[8]

Lady Bird had two elder brothers, Thomas Jefferson Jr. (1901–1959) and Antonio, also known as Tony (1904–1986). She also had two stepmothers, one whom her father divorced and Ruth Scroggins, who married Thomas Taylor in 1937. ^[9]

She was largely raised by her aunt Effie Pattillo, who moved to Karnack after her sister's death, although Lady Bird visited her Pattillo relatives in Autauga County, Alabama, every summer until she was a young woman. Autauga County is a county in the US state of Alabama. As of the 2000 census the population was 43671 As she explained, "Until I was about 20, summertime always meant Alabama to me. With Aunt Effie we would board the train in Marshall and ride to the part of the world that meant watermelon cuttings, picnics at the creek, and a lot of company every Sunday. "^[10] According to Lady Bird, her aunt Effie "opened my spirit to beauty, but she neglected to give me any insight into the practical matters a girl should know about, such as how to dress or choose one's friends or learning to dance. "^[8]

Lady Bird was a shy and quiet girl who spent much of her youth alone in the outdoors. "People always look back at it now and assume it was lonely," she once said about her childhood. "To me it definitely was not. [. . . ] I spent a lot of time just walking and fishing and swimming. "^[11] She developed her lifelong love of the environment as a child growing up in the tall pines and bayous of East Texas and watching the wildflowers bloom each spring. This article is about the tree For other uses of the term "pine" see Pine (disambiguation. A bayou (pronounced oʊ or uː is a small slow-moving Stream or creek or a lake or pool ( bayou lake) that lies in an abandoned channel of a stream East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U A wildflower (or wild flower) is a Flower that grows wild meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted ^[12]

Education

University of Texas Main Building

When it came time to enter high school (her brothers, however, had attended boarding schools in New York),^[11] Lady Bird moved away from home to live with another family during weekdays in the town of Jefferson, Texas,^[13] since there was no high school in the Karnack area. Jefferson is a city in Marion County, Texas, United States. The population was 2024 at the 2000 census Eventually she graduated third in her class at the age of 15 from Marshall Senior High School in nearby Marshall. Marshall High School is a public school in Marshall, Texas ( USA) Marshall is a city of the northeastern region of the US state of Texas. Despite her young age, she drove herself to school in her own car, a distance of 15 miles (24 km) each way, because, she said, "it was an awful chore for my daddy to delegate some person from his business to take me in and out. "^[11] During her senior year, when she realized that she had the highest grades in her class, she "purposely allowed her grades to slip" so that she would not have to give the valedictorian or salutatorian speech. Valedictorian is an academic title typically conferred upon the highest ranked student among those being graduated from an educational institution In the United States and Canada, the title of salutatorian is given to the second-highest graduate of the entire graduating class of an educational ^[4]

After graduating from high school in May 1928, Lady Bird entered the University of Alabama for the summer session, where she took her first journalism course, but being homesick for Texas, she did not return for the fall term at Alabama. Journalism is the profession of writing or communicating formally employed by publications and broadcasters for the benefit of a particular Community of people ^[14] Instead she and a high school friend enrolled at St Mary's College,^[15] a strict Episcopal boarding junior college for women in Dallas, where she "converted to the Episcopal faith", although she waited five years to be confirmed. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. ^[16]

Field of Bluebonnets in Texas

After graduating from St. Mary's in May 1930, Lady Bird toyed with the idea of going back to Alabama, but another friend from Marshall was going to the University of Texas, so she chartered a plane to go down to Austin to check it out. Prophetically, as the plane landed she was awed by the sight of a field covered with bluebonnets and instantly fell in love with the city. The bluebonnet, a name common to several North American species of Lupinus ' is the state Flower of Texas. ^[17] Lady Bird received a Bachelor's of Arts degree with honors in 1933^[18] and a second bachelor's degree in journalism Cum Laude in 1934^[19] — a time when women were hard pressed to have a career of their own, let alone a college education. Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an Academic degree was earned She was active on campus in different organizations such as Orange Jackets and believed in student leadership. Orange Jackets is the one of the oldest student organizations at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, founded Her goal was to become a reporter, but she also earned a teaching certificate. ^[4] The summer after her second graduation, she and a girlfriend traveled to New York City and Washington, D.C., where they peered through the fence at the White House. The City of New York Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence ^[4]

Marriage and family

Her goal of a career in media was deferred when a friend in Austin introduced her to Lyndon Baines Johnson, a young up-and-coming political hopeful^[20] working as an aide to Congressman Richard Kleberg. Richard Mifflin Kleberg Sr (1887-1955 was a seven-term member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 14th congressional district over the period ^[4]

On their first date, which was breakfast the next morning at the Driskill Hotel and a long drive in the country, Johnson proposed. The Driskill Hotel, a Romanesque style building completed in 1886, is the oldest operating Hotel in Austin, Texas, USA Lady Bird did not want to rush into marriage, but Lyndon Johnson was persistent and did not want to wait. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** Lady Bird accepted his proposal 10 weeks later. ^[4] The couple married on November 17, 1934 at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Texas. Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. St Mark's Episcopal Church, is an historic church in San Antonio, Texas, United States, that was added to the National Register of Historic Places

After three miscarriages,^[4] the couple had two daughters, Lynda (born in 1944), whose husband Charles S. Robb went on to become governor of Virginia and a U. Lynda Bird Johnson Robb (born March 19, 1944) is the elder of the two daughters of United States President Lyndon Baines Johnson Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb (born June 26, 1939) is an American politician The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state S. Senator, and Luci, born in 1947,^[21] who first married Pat Nugent and later married Ian Turpin. Luci Baines Johnson Turpin, formerly Nugent (born July 2, 1947) is the younger daughter of U The couple and their two daughters all shared the initials LBJ. At the time of her death, Johnson had seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. ^[4]

Early politics

When Lyndon decided to run for Congress from Austin's 10th district, Lady Bird provided the money to launch his campaign. She took $10,000 of her inheritance from her mother's estate to help start his political career. ^[22] The couple settled in Washington, D. C. after Lyndon was elected to Congress. ^[23] After he enlisted in the Navy at the outset of the Second World War, Lady Bird ran the congressional office. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[23]

Johnson sometimes served as a mediating force between her willful husband and those he had encountered; on one occasion, after Lyndon had clashed with a young Houston reporter, Dan Rather, Lady Bird followed Rather in her car and invited him to return and have some punch, explaining, "That's just the way Lyndon sometimes is. Daniel Irvin "Dan" Rather Jr (born October 31, 1931) is a journalist and former news anchor for the CBS Evening News "^[24]

Business career

In 1943, Johnson spent $17,500 of her inheritance to purchase KTBC, an Austin radio station that was in debt. 590 KLBJ AM is a talk radio station broadcasting out of Austin TX, USA. She served as President of the company, LBJ Holding Co. , and her husband negotiated an agreement with the CBS radio network. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. Lady Bird decided to expand by buying a television station in 1952 despite Lyndon's objections, reminding him that she could do as she wished with her inheritance. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic ^[4] The station, KTBC-7 (then affiliated with CBS as well), would make the Johnsons millionaires as Austin's monopoly VHF franchise. KTBC channel 7 is the Fox owned-and-operated Television station in Austin Texas. In Economics, a monopoly (from Greek monos, alone or single + polein, to sell exists when a specific individual or enterprise has sufficient Very high frequency (VHF is the Radio frequency range from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. ^[25] Eventually, Johnson's initial $41,000 investment turned into more than $150 million for the LBJ Holding Company. ^[26] Johnson remained involved with the company until she was in her 80s. ^[4]

Lady Bird Johnson in 1962

Second Lady of the United States

John F. Kennedy chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate for the 1960 election. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of At Kennedy's request, Lady Bird took an expanded role during the campaign, due to Jacqueline Kennedy's pregnancy. Over 71 days, she traveled 35,000 miles (56,000 km) through 11 states and appeared at 150 events. ^[4] Kennedy and Johnson won the election that November, with Lady Bird helping the Democratic ticket carry seven Southern states. ^[4]

As the Vice-President's wife, Lady Bird often served as a substitute for Jacqueline Kennedy at official events and functions. The Johnsons were accompanying Kennedy in Dallas when he was assassinated, and Lyndon was sworn in as President two hours later. The assassination of John F Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, took place on Friday November 22 1963 in Dallas Texas

First Lady of the United States

Official White House portrait of Lady Bird Johnson, painted in 1968 by Elizabeth Shoumatoff

As First Lady, Johnson started a capital beautification project (Society for a More Beautiful National Capital) to improve physical conditions in Washington, D.C., both for residents and tourists by planting millions of flowers. Elizabeth Shoumatoff (1888-1980 was an American painter who was most well known for painting the Unfinished Portrait of Franklin D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ^[26] Her beliefs regarding the importance of national beautification can best be summarized in her statement that "where flowers bloom, so does hope. " She worked extensively with American Association of Nurserymen (ANN) executive Vice President Robert F. Lederer to protect wildflowers and promote the planting of them along highways. Her efforts inspired similar programs throughout the country. She was also instrumental in promoting the Highway Beautification Act, which was nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill"^[4] and sought to beautify the nation's highway system by limiting billboards and by planting roadside areas. In the United States, Highway beautification is the subject of the Highway Beautification Act, passed in the Senate on September 16, 1965 She was an advocate of the Head Start program. For the Australian television series see Head Start (TV series Head Start is a program of the United States Department of Health and Human

Johnson created the modern structure of the First Lady's office; she was the first to have a press secretary and chief of staff of her own and an outside liaison with Congress. A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the News media and using News management techniques helps ^[26] Her press secretary from 1963 to 1969 was Liz Carpenter, a fellow University of Texas alumna. Elizabeth "Liz" Sutherland Carpenter (born September 1, 1920 in Salado Texas) is a Writer, feminist, former reporter Carpenter was the first professional newswoman to be press secretary to a First Lady, and she also served as Lady Bird's staff director. Johnson's tenure as First Lady marked the beginning of the hiring of employees in the East Wing to work specifically for the First Lady's projects. ^[25]

Mrs. Johnson in front to the South Lawn of the White House

During the 1964 election, Johnson traveled through eight Southern states in her own train to promote the Civil Rights Act,^[26] at one point giving 45 speeches over five days. A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another ^[25] It was the first solo whistlestop tour of a First Lady. ^[24]

In 1970, Johnson published A White House Diary, her intimate, behind-the-scenes account of her husband's presidency spanning November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969. Events 498 - Kofi Aseidu- After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Beginning with Kennedy's assassination, Mrs. Johnson recorded the momentous events of her times, including the Great Society's War on Poverty, the national civil rights and social protest movements, her own activism on behalf of the environment, and the Vietnam War. The Great Society was also a 1960s band featuring Grace Slick, and a 1914 book by English social theorist Graham Wallas. The War on Poverty is the name for legislation first introduced by United States President Lyndon B The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Johnson was acquainted with a long span of fellow First Ladies, from Eleanor Roosevelt to Laura Bush, and was protected by the United States Secret Service for 44 years, longer than anyone else in history. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (ˈɛlɪnɔr ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 11 1884 &ndash November 7 1962 Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4 1946 is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States, George W ^[27]

Later life

A portrait of Lady Bird Johnson in the Texas Hill Country

The former First Lady in 1987

After former President Johnson died of a heart attack in 1973,^[25] Lady Bird remained in the public eye, honoring her husband and other Presidents. Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply

In the 1970s, she focused her attention on the Austin riverfront area through her involvement in the Town Lake Beautification Project. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. In 2007, Town Lake was posthumously renamed Lady Bird Lake after all to honor her efforts.

From 1971 to 1978, Johnson served on the board of regents for the University of Texas System. The University of Texas System comprises fifteen Educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are for academy universities and six are Health ^[28] She also served on the National Park Service Advisory Board and was the first woman to serve on National Geographic's Board of Trustees. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation Overview The NGS's historical mission is "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world's cultural historical and natural ^[25] President Nixon mentioned Johnson as a possible ambassador in a circulated memo, but nothing came of that proposal. ^[25]

On December 22, 1982 (her 70th birthday), she and actress Helen Hayes founded the National Wildflower Research Center, a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving and reintroducing native plants in planned landscapes, located east of Austin, Texas. Events 1790 - The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Helen Hayes ( October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was a two-time Academy Award -winning American Actress, whose This earned her the nickname of "Johnny Appleseed" of Wildflowers. Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman (September 26 1774 – February 18 1845 was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apples to large parts of Ohio The Center opened a new facility southwest of Austin on La Crosse Avenue in 1994. It was officially renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in 1998 in honor of Johnson, who raised $10 million for the facility. ^[26] On June 20, 2006, the University of Texas at Austin announced plans to incorporate the 279-acre (1. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 1 km²) Wildflower Center into the University. ^[29]

For 20 years, Johnson spent her summers on the island of Martha's Vineyard renting the home of Charles Guggenheim for many of those years. Martha's Vineyard (adjoining the smaller Chappaquiddick Island) is an Island off the US east coast to the south of Cape Cod, both Charles Guggenheim ( March 31, 1924 – October 9, 2002) was an American film director and producer She said she had greatly appreciated the island's natural beauty and flowers. ^[30]

In 2004, she personally accepted the Edwin P. Hubble Medal of Initiative, the city of Marshfield, Missouri's, highest honor. The presentation occurred at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and was presented by friend, Nicholas W. Inman. Johnson unable to speak wrote to Inman on a piece of paper that she had watched them launch the Hubble telescope, following Inman's lengthy explanation regarding the telescope. Following, the revelation, the two shared a lengthy laugh.

On October 13, 2006, Johnson made a rare public appearance at the renovation announcement of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is one of 12 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Sitting in a wheelchair and showing signs of recent health problems, Lady Bird seemed engaged and alert, and clapped along with those present at the ceremony.

Final years

Health problems and death

Lady Bird with her daughter Lynda Johnson Robb and First Lady Laura Bush in 2005

In 1993, Johnson's health began to fail. Lynda Bird Johnson Robb (born March 19, 1944) is the elder of the two daughters of United States President Lyndon Baines Johnson Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4 1946 is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States, George W In August 1993 she suffered a stroke and became legally blind due to macular degeneration. A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain Blindness is the condition of lacking Visual perception due to Physiological or Neurological factors Macular degeneration is a medical condition usually of older adults which results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field (the Macula) because In 1999 she was hospitalized for a fainting spell and, in 2002, she suffered a second, more severe, stroke, which left her unable to speak coherently or walk without assistance. In 2005, she spent a few days in an Austin hospital for treatment of bronchitis. Bronchitis is an Inflammation of the Bronchi. More specifically it may refer to Acute bronchitis, caused by viruses or bacteria and lasting In February 2006, Lady Bird's daughter Lynda Johnson Robb told a gathering at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, that her mother was now totally blind and was "not in very good health. Independence is a city in Jackson County in the US state of Missouri, and the fourth largest city in the state "^[31]

In June 2007, Johnson spent six days in Seton Hospital in Austin after suffering from a low-grade fever. June 2007 is the sixth month of that year It began on a Friday and 30 days later ended on a Saturday. ^[32] At 4:18 PM (CDT) on July 11, 2007, she died at home of natural causes,^[33] surrounded by members of her family and Catholic priest Father Robert Scott. The Central Time Zone observes Standard time by subtracting six hours from UTC during standard time ( UTC−6) and five hours during Daylight saving Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[34] At Johnson's funeral service her daughter, Luci Baines Johnson, remarked that one week before her death she made a public appearance and visited the New Austin Art Gallery. "It was a scene: mother was on IV, oxygen tube and a feeding tube. It looked like a mobile hospital. But she had a wonderful time," Luci said.

Three weeks before Lady Bird's death, the rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, which had been her second home for over 50 years, had announced to his parishioners that she had given $300,000 to pay off the church's mortgage. ^[35]

Funeral services

Nancy Reagan, Rosalynn Carter, Jimmy Carter, Laura Bush, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, (second row) Caroline Kennedy, Barbara Bush, Susan Ford Bales, (third row) Maria Shriver, and Patricia "Tricia" Nixon Cox attend the funeral of Lady Bird Johnson at the Riverbend Centre in Austin, Texas

Johnson's family held a private Eucharist at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on July 13. Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6 1921 is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and served as an influential Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter (born August 18 1927 is the wife of former United States President Jimmy Carter and was First Lady of the United States James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4 1946 is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States, George W William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (born November 27, 1957) is an American Author and Attorney. Barbara Pierce Bush (born June 8 1925 is the wife of the 41st President of the United States, George H Susan Elizabeth Ford Bales, known as Susan Ford Vance in a previous marriage (born July 6, 1957, in Washington D Maria Owings Shriver ( born November 6 1955 is an award-winning American journalist a prolific author and First Lady of California. Patricia "Tricia" Nixon Cox (born February 21, 1946, in Whittier, California) is the first daughter of the late U The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to The public was able to pay tribute as her casket lay in repose in the Great Hall of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum from the afternoon of July 13 to the morning of July 14. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is one of 12 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. The library remained open all night as more than 12,000 mourners filed by her casket. ^[36]

The funeral services took place at Riverbend Centre in Austin on the afternoon of July 14. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. The service was by invitation only due to limited space at the venue. Those in attendance included First Lady Laura Bush, former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and former First Ladies New York Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan and Rosalynn Carter. Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4 1946 is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States, George W James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from Barbara Pierce Bush (born June 8 1925 is the wife of the 41st President of the United States, George H Nancy Davis Reagan (born Anne Frances Robbins on July 6 1921 is the widow of former United States President Ronald Reagan and served as an influential Eleanor Rosalynn Smith Carter (born August 18 1927 is the wife of former United States President Jimmy Carter and was First Lady of the United States ^[37] Former First Lady Betty Ford was unable to attend the funeral service and was represented by her daughter Susan Ford. Elizabeth Anne Bloomer Warren Ford (born April 8 1918 is the widow of former United States Susan Elizabeth Ford Bales, known as Susan Ford Vance in a previous marriage (born July 6, 1957, in Washington D In addition, Caroline Kennedy and Patricia Nixon Cox represented their former first families. Caroline Bouvier Kennedy (born November 27, 1957) is an American Author and Attorney. Patricia "Tricia" Nixon Cox (born February 21, 1946, in Whittier, California) is the first daughter of the late U For Nixon Cox, the service was quite poignant, as she and her late father, Richard Nixon, attended the state funeral of President Johnson 34 years earlier, which he presided over when president. A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony held to honour Heads of state or other important people of national significance

At 9:00 A. M. on July 15, a ceremonial cortège left the Texas State Capitol. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final The Texas State Capitol, located in Austin Texas, is the fourth building to serve as the seat of Texas government The public was invited to line the route through downtown Austin on Congress Avenue and along the shores of Lady Bird Lake to pay their respects. Congress Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Austin Texas. The street is a six-lane tree lined avenue that cuts through the middle of the city from far south Austin and goes The public part of the funeral procession ended in Johnson City. Johnson City is a city in Blanco County, Texas, United States. The family had a private burial at the Johnson family cemetery in Stonewall, where Johnson was laid to rest next to her husband. Stonewall is a Census-designated place (CDP in Gillespie County, Texas, United States. ^[37]

Honors

Lady Bird Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Gerald Ford on January 10, 1977. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr (July 14 1913 December 26 2006 was the thirty-eighth President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977 and the fortieth Vice President Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The citation for her medal read:

"One of America's great First Ladies, she claimed her own place in the hearts and history of the American people. In councils of power or in homes of the poor, she made government human with her unique compassion and her grace, warmth and wisdom. Her leadership transformed the American landscape and preserved its natural beauty as a national treasure. "^[38]

Johnson then received the Congressional Gold Medal on May 8, 1984. Not to be confused with the Medal of Honor, sometimes called the "Congressional Medal of Honor" which is the highest military decoration of the United States Events 589 - Reccared summons the Third Council of Toledo 1450 - Jack Cade's Rebellion: Kentishmen Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar)

In a 1982 poll taken of historians ranking the most influential and important First Ladies, Johnson placed third behind Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt for her work as a conservation activist. Abigail Adams (née Smith (November 11 1744 &ndash October 28 1818 was the wife of John Adams, the second President of the United States, and mother of John Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (ˈɛlɪnɔr ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 11 1884 &ndash November 7 1962 ^[4]

In addition to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, she was honored by the naming of the Lady Bird Johnson Park on Columbia Island in Washington, D.C., which was founded as a result of her efforts as First Lady to beautify the capital. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (279 acres is a public Botanical garden on La Crosse Avenue in Austin Texas. Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac is located on Columbia Island in Washington D Columbia Island is located in the Potomac River in Washington D Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ^[4] She declined many overtures to name Austin's Town Lake in her honor after she had led a campaign to clean up the lake and add trails to its shoreline; following her death, Austin Mayor Will Wynn's office said it was a "foregone conclusion that Town Lake is going to be renamed" in honor of Johnson. William Patrick Wynn (born September 10 1961 is the current Mayor of Austin Texas. ^[38] The lake was renamed Lady Bird Lake on July 26, 2007. Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) is a reservoir on the Colorado River in downtown Austin, Texas, in the United States Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[39]

Johnson was also named the honorary chairwoman of the Head Start program. ^[38]

She held honorary degrees from many universities: Boston University, the University of Alabama, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, State University of New York, Southern Methodist University, Texas Woman's University, Middlebury College, Williams College, Southwestern University, Texas State University–San Marcos, Washington College and St. Edward's University. For similarly-named academic institutions see Education in Boston MA. The George Washington University ( GW or GWU) is a private coeducational university located in Washington D Southern Methodist University ("SMU" is a private, Coeducational University in University Park, Texas (an enclave Texas Woman's University (historically the College of Industrial Arts and Texas State College for Women) is a University in Denton Texas with Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, United States. Williams College is a highly selective private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. This is about the university in Georgetown Texas USA for the university in the Philippines see Southwestern University (Philippines. Texas State University–San Marcos, often referred to as Texas State University, Texas State, or TxState (it actively discourages the use of "TSU" See Washington (disambiguation for institutions with similar names St Edward's University is a small private Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located south of Lady Bird Lake in Austin Texas. ^[38]

References

External links

• Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady, Dies at 94
• Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library Tribute Site
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Redwood National Park — Lady Bird Johnson Grove
• Lady Bird Johnson at Find A Grave