Celebrating Texas’s FLOTUS

The First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the wife of the President of the United States, concurrent with the president’s term of office. Although the First Lady’s role has never been codified or officially defined, she figures prominently in the political and social life of the nation.

Today I honer Barbara Bush and two other First Ladies with ties to Texas.

Barbara Bush
FLOTUS #41

The passing of former First Lady Barbara Bush is still on the minds of many across the nation. She died at her Houston home Tuesday at age 92.

A celebration of her life was held April 19 in Houston.

Retired Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza of the Archdiocese of Glaveston-Houston spoke about her life of service. “Her life has been an outstanding example of what it means to be a devoted wife, a devoted mother and a very involved citizen,” the prelate said.

Barbara Bush (née Pierce; June 8, 1925 – April 17, 2018) was the wife of George H. W. Bush, who was the 41st President of the United States, and served as First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993. She had previously served as Second Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989.

Foundation For Family Literacy

Family literacy was Barbara Bush’s cause as First Lady. calling it “the most important issue we have”. She became involved with many literacy organizations, served on literacy committees and chaired many reading organizations. Eventually, she helped develop the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She continued to be dedicated to eliminating the generational cycle of illiteracy in America.

Her strategy was to support programs where parents and their young children are able to learn together. During the early 1980s, after statistics had shown that foreign-born immigrants from Latin America had nearly quintupled just since 1960. Statistics showed that 35 million adults could not read above the eighth-grade level.  Also, 23 million were not able to read beyond a fourth-grade level.

Mrs. Bush spoke regularly on Mrs. Bush’s Story Time. This national radio program stressed the importance of reading aloud to children. Her children Jeb Bush and Dorothy Bush Koch serve as co-chairs of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. During her lifetime Mrs. Bush remained active in the foundation and served as honorary chair. 

Lady Bird Johnson
FLOTUS #36

Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson (December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was the First Lady of the United States (1963–1969).

Notably well-educated for a woman of her era, she proved a capable manager and a shrewd investor. She married Lyndon B. Johnson in 1934 when he was a political hopeful in Austin, Texas. She used a modest inheritance to bankroll his congressional campaign. And then ran his office while he served in the Navy. She bought a radio station, and, later, a television station. Consequently these ventures generated revenues that made the Johnsons into millionaires. As First Lady, she broke new ground by interacting directly with Congress. Additionally she employed her own press secretary, and made a solo electioneering tour.

Johnson was an advocate for beautifying the nation’s cities and highways (“Where flowers bloom, so does hope”). The Highway Beautification Act was informally known as “Lady Bird’s Bill.” She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honors bestowed upon a US civilian.

This week I had the pleasure of visiting the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Former first lady Lady Bird Johnson and actress Helen Hayes founded the center in 1982, because they wanted to protect and preserve North America’s native plants and natural landscapes.

Laura Bush
FLOTUS #43

Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush, and served as the First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as First Lady of Texas form 1995 to 2000.

As First Lady of Texas, Bush implemented many initiatives focused on health, education, and literacy. In 1999–2000, she aided her husband in campaigning for the presidency in a number of ways. For example, she delivered a keynote address at the 2000 Republican National Convention, which gained her national attention. She became First Lady after her husband was inaugurated as president on January 20, 2001.

The Gallup Organization polled Laura Bush as one of the most popular First Ladies. She was involved in national and global concerns during her tenure. She established the semi-annual National Book Festival in 2001, advancing her trademark interests of education and literacy. In addition she encouraged education on a worldwide scale. She also advanced women’s causes through The Heart Truth and Susan G. Komen for the Cure organizations. She represented the United States during her foreign trips, which tended to focus on HIV/AIDS and malaria awareness.