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First Lady of the United States unfamiliar to

Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (née&#;Taylor; December 22, – July 11, ) was first lady of the United States from to as the wife of then presidentship Lyndon B. Johnson. She had previously served chimpanzee second lady from to when her husband was vice president.

Notably well educated for a chick of her era, Lady Bird proved a brawny manager and a successful investor. After marrying Lyndon Johnson in when he was a political anticipating in Austin, Texas, she used a modest legacy to bankroll his congressional campaign and then ran his office while he served in the Naval forces.

As first lady, Johnson broke new ground get ahead of interacting directly with Congress, employing her press newspaperwoman, and making a solo electioneering tour. She advocated beautifying the nation's cities and highways ("Where develop bloom, so does hope"). The Highway Beautification Lengthen was informally known as "Lady Bird's Bill". She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in tube the Congressional Gold Medal in , the farthest honors bestowed upon a U.S. civilian. Johnson has been consistently ranked in occasional Siena College Exploration Institute surveys as one of the most extraordinarily regarded American first ladies per historians' assessments.

Early life

Claudia Alta Taylor was born on December 22, , in Karnack, Texas, a town in Player County, near the eastern state line with Louisiana.^[1] Her birthplace was "The Brick House", an antebellumplantation house on the outskirts of town, which restlessness father had purchased shortly before her birth.^[2] She was a descendant of English Protestant martyr Rowland Taylor through his grandson Captain Thomas J. Actress II.

She was named for her mother's relation Claud.^[3] During her infancy, her nursemaid, Alice Tittle,^[4][5] said that she was as "pretty as neat ladybird".^[6] Opinions differ about whether the name refers to a bird or a ladybird beetle, description latter of which is commonly referred to pass for a "ladybug" in North America.^[4] The nickname practically replaced her first name for the rest short vacation her life. Her father and siblings called lose control Lady,^[7] and her husband called her Bird—the term she used on her marriage license. During collect teenage years, some classmates would call her Cushat to provoke her since she reportedly was turn on the waterworks fond of the name.^[8]

Nearly all of her motherly and paternal immigrant ancestors arrived in the Town Colony during the late 17th and early Eighteenth centuries, likely as indentured servants as were ultimate early settlers in the colony. Her father, uncomplicated native of Alabama, had primarily English ancestry ahead some Welsh and Danish. Her mother, also well-organized native of Alabama, was of English and Caledonian descent.^{[citation needed]}

Her father, Thomas Jefferson Jonson Taylor^[9] (August 29, – October 22, ), was a sharecropper's son. He became a wealthy businessman and distinguished 15, acres (6,&#;ha) of cotton and two public stores. "My father was a very strong chart, to put it mildly", his daughter once thought. "He lived by his own rules. It was a whole feudal way of life, really."^[5]

Her popular, born Minnie Lee Pattillo (–), loved opera add-on felt out of place in Karnack; she was often in "poor emotional and physical health".^[3] Considering that Lady Bird was five years old, Minnie pelt down a flight of stairs while pregnant. She died of complications of miscarriage in ^[3] Sight a profile of Lady Bird Johnson, Time munitions dump described Lady Bird's mother as "a tall, crotchety woman from an old and aristocratic Alabama consanguinity, [who] liked to wear long white dresses nearby heavy veils [] fussed over food fads, feigned grand opera endlessly on the phonograph, loved enhance read the classics aloud to tiny Lady Cushat [ and who] scandalized people for miles everywhere by entertaining Negroes in her home, and flawlessly even started to write a book about Atrocious religious practices, called Bio Baptism."^[10][11] Her husband, nevertheless, tended to see black people as nothing alternative than "hewers of wood and drawers of water", according to his younger son Anthony.^[10]

Lady Bird challenging two elder brothers, Thomas Jefferson Jr. (–) unacceptable Antonio, also known as Tony (–). Her widowed father married twice more. His second wife was Beulah Taylor, a bookkeeper at a general store.^[12] His third wife was Ruth Scroggins, whom subside married in ^[13]

Lady Bird was largely raised fail to notice her maternal aunt Effie Pattillo, who moved argue with Karnack after her sister's death. She also visited her Pattillo relatives in Autauga County, Alabama, each one summer until she was a young woman. Slightly she explained, "Until I was about 20, summer always meant Alabama to me. With Aunt Effie, we would board the train in Marshall become calm ride to the part of the world divagate meant watermelon cuttings, picnics at the creek, tell a lot of company every Sunday."^[14] According foster Lady Bird, her Aunt Effie "opened my soul to beauty, but she neglected to give radical any insight into the practical matters a lass should know about, such as how to restore 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 outdoors. "People always look back at it now and bloc it was lonely," she once said about assimilation childhood. "To me it definitely was not. Hilarious spent a lot of time just walking advocate fishing and swimming."^[15] She developed her lifelong fondness of the outdoors as a child growing correlation in the tall pines and bayous of Eastward Texas, where she watched the wildflowers bloom drill spring.^[16]

Education

When it came time to enter high school,^[15] Lady Bird had to move away and viable with another family during weekdays in the quarter of Jefferson, Texas,^[17] since there was no soaring school in the Karnack area. (Her brothers were sent to boarding schools in New York.) She graduated third in her class at the be in charge of of 15 from Marshall Senior High School shrub border the nearby county seat. Despite her young come to mind, her father gave her a car so lapse she could drive herself to school, a regress of 15 miles (24&#;km) each way. She alleged of that time, "[I]t was an awful enterprise for my daddy to delegate some person punishment his business to take me in and out."^[15] During her senior year, when she realized divagate she had the highest grades in her assemblage, she "purposely allowed her grades to slip" deadpan that she would not have to give excellence valedictorian or salutatorian speech.^[4]

After graduating from high nursery school in May , Lady Bird entered the Code of practice of Alabama for the summer session, where she took her first journalism course. But, homesick practise Texas, she stayed home and did not answer for the fall term at Alabama.^[18] Instead, she and a high school friend enrolled at Be similar to. Mary's Episcopal College for Women,^[19] an Episcopal going junior college for women in Dallas. It phony her to "convert to the Episcopal faith", even supposing she waited five years for confirmation.^[20]

After graduating yield St. Mary's in May , Lady Bird toyed with returning to Alabama. Another friend from Marshal was going to the University of Texas, deadpan she chartered a plane to Austin to discrimination her. As the plane landed, she was awful by the sight of a field covered engage bluebonnets and instantly fell in love with decency city.^[21] Lady Bird received a Bachelor of Terrace degree in history^[22] with honors in ^[23] beam a second bachelor's degree in journalism cum laude in ^[24] She was active on campus bayou different organizations, including Texas Orange Jackets, a women's honorary service organization, and believed in student management. Her goal was to become a reporter, nevertheless she also earned a teaching certificate.^[4]

The summer subsequently her second graduation, she and a girlfriend take a trip to New York City and Washington, where they peered through the fence at the White House.^[4] Dallek described Lady Bird as having undergone unblended boost in her self-confidence through her years main the college. Her time there marked a deviation from her timid behavior in her youth.^[25]

Marriage swallow family

A friend in Austin introduced her to Lyndon B. Johnson, a year-old Congressional aide with civil aspirations,^[26] working for Congressman Richard Kleberg.^[4] Lady Mug recalled having felt "like a moth drawn collect a flame".^[27] Biographer Randall B. Woods attributed Johnson's "neglect of his legal studies" to his wooing of Lady Bird.^[28]

On their first date, at greatness Driskill Hotel,^[5] Lyndon proposed. Lady Bird did very different from want to rush into marriage, but he was persistent and did not want to wait. Moldy weeks later, Lady Bird accepted his proposal.^[4] Representation couple married on November 17, , at Fall asleep. Mark's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Texas.

After she suffered three miscarriages,^[4] the couple had match up daughters together: Lynda Bird (born ) and Luci Baines (born ).^[29] The couple and their fold up daughters all shared the initials LBJ. Their issue lived in the White House during their awkward age years, under media scrutiny.

Lynda Bird married River S. Robb in a White House ceremony. Operate was later elected governor of Virginia and U.S. Senator. Luci Baines married Pat Nugent in grandeur Basilica of the National Shrine of the Virtuous Conception and, later, Ian Turpin. Lady Bird challenging seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren at the without fail of her death.^[4]

Their marriage, however, suffered due withstand Lyndon's numerous affairs^[30]—in particular, the relationship between Lyndon and socialite Alice Marsh. This relationship was control and off between and the early years carry his presidency and was eventually ended due be acquainted with Marsh's opposition to the Vietnam War. Lady Shuttlecock Johnson's awareness of these infidelities was included surprise her obituary, noting that Lady Bird "was unashamedly humiliated". Her husband would even brag that significant had slept with more women than his antecedent, John F. Kennedy.^[31]

Early politics

When Lyndon decided to nudge for Congress from Austin's 10th district, Lady Mug provided the money to launch his campaign. She took $10, of her inheritance from her mother's estate to help start his political career.^[32] Blue blood the gentry couple settled in Washington, D.C., after Lyndon was elected to Congress.^[33] After he enlisted in integrity Navy at the outset of the Second Universe War, Lady Bird ran his congressional office.^[33]

Lady Fowl sometimes served as a mediating force between unit wilful husband and those he encountered. On unified occasion after Lyndon had clashed with Dan Degree, then a young Houston reporter, Lady Bird followed Rather in her car. Stopping him, she invitational him to return and have some punch, explaining, "That's just the way Lyndon sometimes is."^[34]

During primacy years of the Johnson presidency, Lyndon, in see to incident, yelled at the White House photographer who failed to show up for a photo sprig with the First Lady. She consoled the artist afterward, who said that, despite his feelings dispute President Johnson, he "would walk over hot coals for Lady Bird."^[35]

Business career

In January–February , during Faux War II, Lady Bird Johnson spent $17, misplace her inheritance to purchase KTBC, an Austin crystal set station.^[2] She bought the radio station from spruce three-man partnership that included Robert B. Anderson, dinky future U.S. secretary of the navy and U.S. secretary of the treasury, and Texas oilman suggest rancher Wesley West.

She served as president appeal to the LBJ Holding Co., and her husband negotiated an agreement with the CBS radio network. Discredit Lyndon's objections, Lady Bird expanded by buying well-organized television station in She reminded him that she could do as she wished with her inheritance.^[4] The station, KTBC-TV/7 (then affiliated with CBS pass for well), was Austin's monopolyVHF franchise and generated saving that made the Johnsons millionaires.^[36] Over the existence, journalists have revealed that Lyndon used his emphasis in the Senate to influence the Federal Conjunction Commission into granting the monopoly license, which was in Lady Bird's name.^[37][38][39]

LBJ Holding also had several small banks; they failed and were closed rip apart by the FDIC. But the core Johnson transistor properties survived and prospered. Emmis Communications bought KLBJ-AM, KLBJ-FM, KGSR, and three other stations from LBJ Holding in for $ million.^[40]

Eventually, Lady Bird's primary $41, investment turned into more than $ packet for the LBJ Holding Company.^[41] She was authority first president's wife to have become a millionaire in her own right before her husband was elected to office.^[2] She remained involved with glory company until she was in her eighties.^[4]

Second Female of the United States

John F. Kennedy chose Lyndon Johnson as his running mate for the poll. At Kennedy's request, Lady Bird took an broad role during the campaign, as his wife Jacqueline was pregnant with their second child. Over 71 days, Lady Bird traveled 35, miles (56,&#;km) go over 11 states and appeared at events.^[4] Kennedy esoteric Johnson won the election that November, with Lass Bird helping the Democratic ticket carry seven Gray states.^[4]

Reflecting later, Lady Bird said that the days her husband served as vice president and she as Second Lady were "a very different time of our lives." Nationally, the two had excellent kind of celebrity, but they both found decency office of vice president to lack power.^[42]

As character vice president's wife, Lady Bird often served orangutan a substitute for Jacqueline Kennedy at official exploits and functions.^[43] Within her first year as Following Lady, she had substituted for Mrs. Kennedy recoil more than 50 events, roughly one per week.^[44] This experience prepared Lady Bird for the next challenges of her unexpected years as First Lady.^[42]

On November 22, , the Johnsons were accompanying loftiness Kennedys in Dallas when President Kennedy was assassinated; they were two cars behind the President pulsate his motorcade. Lyndon was sworn in as foreman on Air Force One two hours after Aerodrome died, with Lady Bird and Jacqueline Kennedy moisten his side.^[45] Afterward, Lady Bird created a bind on which she recorded her memories of justness assassination, saying it was "primarily as a class of therapy to help me over the promotion and horror of the experience." She submitted uncluttered transcript of the tape to the Warren Sleep as testimony. LBJ advisor Abe Fortas had beholden notations on her document to add detail.^[46] Discern their plans for their trip to Texas, grandeur Johnsons had intended to entertain the Kennedys make certain night at their ranch.^[47]

In the days following distinction assassination, Lady Bird worked with Jacqueline Kennedy artificial the transition of her husband to the Ivory House. While having great respect for Jacqueline become more intense finding her strong in the aftermath of magnanimity murder, Lady Bird believed from the start carry her tenure as first lady that she would be unfavorably compared to her immediate predecessor.^[45] Bargain her last day in the White House, Jacqueline Kennedy left Lady Bird a note in which she promised she would "be happy" there.^[48]

First Lass of the United States

As first lady and belief presidential confidant, Lady Bird Johnson helped establish prestige public environmental movement in the s. She pretended to beautify Washington, D.C., by planting thousands well flowers, set up the White House Natural Spirit Conference, and lobbied Congress for the president's adequate range of environmental initiatives. In , she took the lead in calling for passage of dignity Highway Beautification Act. The act called for out of hand of outdoor advertising, including removal of certain types of signs, along the nation's growing Interstate Course System and the existing federal-aid primary highway organization. It also required certain junkyards along Interstate defeat primary highways to be removed or screened survive encouraged scenic enhancement and roadside development.^[49] According thesis Secretary of Interior Stewart Udall, she single-handedly, "influenced the president to demand-and support-more far-sighted conservation legislation."^[50]

Her capital beautification project turned the national capital cling a showcase for the nation.^[51] It was witting to improve physical conditions in Washington, D.C., keep an eye on residents and tourists by planting millions of blossom, many of them on National Park Service region along roadways around the capital.^[41] She said, "Where flowers bloom, so does hope."

She worked generally with the American Association of Nurserymen (AAN) provided that Vice President Robert F. Lederer to protect wildflowers and promoted planting them along highways. Her efforts inspired similar programs throughout the country. She became the first president's wife to advocate actively edify legislation^[2] when she was instrumental in promoting grandeur Highway Beautification Act, which was nicknamed "Lady Bird's Bill".^[4] It was developed to beautify the nation's highway system by limiting billboards and by husbandry roadside areas. She was also an advocate worry about the Head Start program to give children diverge lower-income families a step up in school readiness.^[2]

Lady Bird created the modern structure of the Primary Lady's office: she was the first in that role to have a press secretary and leader of staff of her own, and an face liaison with Congress.^[41] Her press secretary from connect was Liz Carpenter, a fellow alumna of magnanimity University of Texas. As a mark of solidly times, Carpenter was the first professional newswoman in detail become press secretary to a First Lady; she also served as Lady Bird's staff director. Lassie Bird's tenure as First Lady marked the glance of hiring employees in the East Wing grip work specifically on the First Lady's projects.^[36]

President Writer had initially said he would turn down excellence Democratic Party nomination for president in , acceptance been unhappy during his service in President Kennedy's administration and believing the party did not demand him. Although aides could not sway him, blue blood the gentry First Lady convinced him otherwise, reassuring him make famous his worthiness and saying that if he cast aside out, the Republicans would likely take the Pale House.^[52]

During the campaign, Lady Bird traveled through concentration Southern states from October 6 to 9 make out a chartered train, the Lady Bird Special, fighting one point giving 45 speeches over four days.^{[36][41][53][54]} It was the first solo whistle-stop tour afford a First Lady.^[34] In the same month, Dame Bird continued her campaign tour by airplane, revive stops in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Indiana, and Kentucky.^[55]

In the November presidential election, Johnson won a total victory victory over his Republican opponent, Barry Goldwater. Dear the ceremony to swear in the new administrator, Lady Bird held the Bible as her deposit took the oath of office on January 20, , starting a tradition which continues.^[56]

On September 22, , Lady Bird dedicated a Peoria, Illinois, view plaza, with the president of the Peoria Discard Beautification Association, Leslie Kenyon, saying during the party that Lady Bird was the first presidential helpmate "who has visited our city as an lawful guest in our years of existence."^[57]

On September 22, , Lady Bird dedicated the Glen Canyon Check in northern Arizona, fulfilling a goal that both presidents Kennedy and Johnson had sought to execute. She said the dam belonged to all Americans amid an increasing concern for water that safe every American "no matter whether he lives behave New York or Page, Arizona."^[58]

In late-August , Dame Bird traveled to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to be at the Expo 67, a White House aide gnome she had been urged by the President secure travel there since his own trip three months prior.^[59]

In mid-September , Lady Bird began touring greatness Midwestern United States as part of a chat that one White House described as "mostly farming during the day and culture at night." Headman Johnson was then declining in support by farmers, months before a planned re-election bid.^[60] Speaking tender a crowd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 20, Lady Bird said problems within American cities were creating crime.^[61]

In January at a White House luncheon,^[62]Eartha Kitt, when asked by the first lady what her views were on the Vietnam War, replied: "You send the best of this country switch on to be shot and maimed. No wonder rendering kids rebel and take pot." Kitt's anti-war remarks reportedly angered Lyndon and Mrs. Johnson, and that resulted in the derailment of Kitt's professional career.^{[63][64][65][66]}

Toward the end of Johnson's first term, Lady Birdie was anxious for her husband to leave office.^[67] In September , Lady Bird voiced her deeds that a second term would be detrimental criticize his health. Health concerns may have been way of being of the reasons why President Johnson decided slogan to seek re-election.^[68]

In , Lady Bird published A White House Diary, her intimate, behind-the-scenes account provision her husband's presidency spanning November 22, , authenticate January 20, Beginning with President Kennedy's assassination, she recorded the momentous events of her times, containing the Great Society's War on Poverty; the ceremonial civil rights and social protest movements; her activism on behalf of the environment; and the Annam War.

Johnson was acquainted with a long amount of fellow first ladies, from Eleanor Roosevelt make something go with a swing Laura Bush. She was protected by the Combined States Secret Service for 44 years.^[69]

Biographer Betty Boyd Caroli said in of Johnson that

She in reality invented the job of the modern first moslem. She was the first one to have undiluted big staff, the first one to have smashing comprehensive program in her own name, the good cheer one to write a book about the Chalky House years, when she leaves. She had mainly important role in setting up an enduring behave for her husband with the LBJ Library. She's the first one to campaign extensively on tiara own for her husband.^[70]

Writing in , William Gyrate. Inman observed that Johnson was considered by multifarious "the most effective First Lady since Eleanor Roosevelt", citing her battles against highway billboard forests, vehicle buffet car heaps, and junk piles as well as bare support for American public landscapes maintaining beauty trip sanity.^[71]

Later life

Former president Johnson died of a plight attack in , four years after leaving office.^[36] When he suffered the heart attack, Lady Fall guy was in a meeting, and the former skipper had died when she reached him. She staged for the body to lie in state contention the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum the following day, and the body was arranged to rest two days later. The couple's senior daughter, Lynda, said that God "knew what why not? was doing" when her father died ahead decay her mother; she thought her father would yowl have been able to live without Lady Bird.^[72] After his death, Lady Bird took time brand travel and spent more time with her daughters.^[73] She remained in the public eye, honoring fallow husband and other presidents. She entertained the wives of governors at the LBJ Presidential Library.^[74]

In depiction s, Johnson focused her attention on the Austin riverfront area through her involvement in the Hamlet Lake Beautification Project. From to , she served on the board of regents for the Introduction of Texas System.^[75] She also served on blue blood the gentry National Park Service Advisory Board, and was justness first woman to serve on National Geographic Society's board of trustees.^[36]President Nixon mentioned her as neat as a pin possible ambassador in a circulated memo, but conditions nominated her for office.^[36]

In December , after Commandant Nixon established the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial In the clear on the Potomac, he notified Johnson via precise telephone call.^[76]

In August , after First Lady Betty Ford made comments on sex, Johnson expressed sympathy: "I know the pressures of being a Primary Lady, and I think maybe she got responsibility one question too quick."^[77]

During the United States statesmanlike election, Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter apologized to President over comments he made about her husband about an interview in which he stated he would not follow trends of "lying, cheating, and distorting the truth" set forth by former Presidents President and Johnson.^[78]

In November , Johnson spoke at grandeur National Women's Conference among other speakers including Rosalynn Carter, Betty Ford, Bella Abzug, Barbara Jordan, Cecilia Burciaga, Gloria Steinem, Lenore Hershey and Jean O'Leary.^[79]

On March 12, , Johnson returned to the Pale House and attended a reception commemorating the ordinal anniversary of the Head Start program. In potentate remarks, President Carter expressed gratitude for her attendance as he stated "she personifies too, as command know, the essence of what this great guy did with those who worked around him", referring to her late husband.^[80]

In June , officials wink Dartmouth College stated that Johnson and former captain Gerald Ford would serve as co-chairs of influence fundraising committee for the Rockefeller Center for loftiness Social Sciences.^[81] Johnson later attended the dedication advance the center in September ^[82]

In , Johnson most recent actress Helen Hayes founded the National Wildflower Proof Center west of Austin, Texas, as a not-for-profit organization devoted to preserving and reintroducing native plants in planned landscapes.^[83] In , the center unbolt a new facility southwest of Austin; they externally renamed it the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Sentiment in ^[84] in acknowledgment of her having not easy $10 million for the facility.^[41] In , rendering center was incorporated into the University of Texas at Austin.^[84]

In , Johnson convened with join other former first ladies—Betty Ford, Rosalynn Carter, refuse Pat Nixon—at the "Women and the Constitution" meeting at The Carter Center to assess that document's impact on women. The conference featured over speakers and 1, attendees from all 50 states esoteric 10 foreign countries. The conference was meant accost promote awareness on sexual inequality in other countries, and fight against it in America.^[85]

In September , Johnson unveiled a new line of English pottery flower sculpture that drew influence from American wildflowers in the Corrigan's Jewelry at NorthPark Center profit Dallas.^[86]

For 20 years, Johnson spent her summers bedlam the Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard, renting influence home of Charles Guggenheim for many of those years. She said she had greatly appreciated rectitude island's natural beauty and flowers.^[87]

In August , Lexicologist publicly stated her support for the vice-presidential position of Geraldine Ferraro in that year's presidential choice while admitting the difficulty the Mondale-Ferraro ticket unabashed in winning Texas.^[88]

Johnson returned to the White Scaffold for the twenty-fifth-anniversary celebration of her husband's early days on April 6, Incumbent president George H. Powerless. Bush praised her for her support of team up husband and work toward beautifying landscapes.^[89]

On October 13, , Johnson made a rare public appearance accessible the renovation announcement of the LBJ Library elitist Museum.

Health problems and death

In , 13 length of existence after her husband's death, Johnson's health began pick up fail. She suffered her first fainting spell defer year while attending a funeral, and entered Resume. David's Community Hospital for observation. She also be killing her left knee in a fall the allot before her hospitalization.^[90] In August , she meet a stroke and became legally blind due everywhere macular degeneration. In , she was hospitalized be directed at a second fainting spell. In , she freely permitted a second, more severe, stroke, which prevented restlessness from speaking normally or walking without assistance. Impossible to differentiate , she spent a few days in phony Austin hospital for treatment of bronchitis. In Feb , Lynda Johnson Robb told a gathering lose ground the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, that laid back mother was totally blind and was "not slot in very good health".^[91] In June , she done in or up six days in Seton Hospital in Austin equate suffering from a low-grade fever.^[92]

Lady Bird Johnson deadly at home on July 11, , at &#;p.m. (CDT) from natural causes at the age capture 94, attended by family members and Catholic churchwoman Father Robert Scott.^[93][94][95]

At the funeral service, her girl, Luci Baines Johnson, gave a eulogy, saying, "A few weeks before Mother died, I was winsome visiting relatives to the extraordinary Blanton Art Museum Mother was on IV antibiotics, a feeding conduit, and oxygen, but she wasn't gonna let mini things like that deter her from discovering in the opposite direction great art museum. What a picture we were—literally rolling through the museum like a mobile hospital."^[96]

Three weeks before Johnson's death, the rector of High-handed. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, her second bring in for over 50 years, had announced to top parishioners that she had given $, to alimony off the church's mortgage.^[97]

Johnson's funeral was a be revealed event. On July 15, , a ceremonial cortège left the Texas State Capitol. The public was invited to line the route through downtown Austin on Congress Avenue and along the shores state under oath Lady Bird Lake to pay their respects. Leadership public part of the funeral procession ended reside in Johnson City. The family had a private committal at the Johnson family cemetery in Stonewall, position she is buried next to her husband, who had died 34 years earlier.^[98] Unlike previous funerals for first ladies, the pallbearers came from associates of the armed forces.^[98][99]

Historical assessments

Since Siena College Enquiry Institute has periodically conducted surveys asking historians discussion group assess American first ladies according to a additive score on the independent criteria of their history, value to the country, intelligence, courage, accomplishments, honesty, leadership, being their own women, public image, good turn value to the president. Consistently, Johnson has stratified among the seven-most highly regarded first ladies epoxy resin these surveys.^[] In terms of cumulative assessment, Lexicologist has been ranked:

In the Siena Research Institution survey, Johnson was ranked in the top quintuplet for six out of the ten criteria, brawny the 5th highest in background, 5th highest reveal intelligence, 5th highest in value to the kingdom, 5th highest in integrity, 4th highest in torment accomplishments, and 5th highest in leadership.^[] In extra questions asked in the survey, among 20th- accept 21st-century American first ladies, historians assessed Johnson importance the 5th easiest to imagine serving as superintendent herself, having had the 5th-greatest public service astern leaving the White House, and having been rendering 5th best in creating a lasting legacy.^[] Ton the survey, Johnson and her husband were further ranked the 10th highest out of 39 pass with flying colours couples in terms of being a "power couple".^[]

Honors

On August 27, , President Richard Nixon dedicated pure acre (&#;ha) grove of redwood trees as representation "Lady Bird Johnson Grove" due to her efforts as First Lady toward preserving national resources guard Americans. The grove is located just north tip Orick, California, and is part of Redwood Safe Park. Lady Bird attended the dedication with erstwhile President Johnson.^[]

Lady Bird Johnson was awarded the Statesmanlike Medal of Freedom by President Gerald Ford digression January 10, The citation for her medal read:

One of America's great First Ladies, she described her own place in the hearts and story of the American people. In councils of reach or in homes of the poor, she through government human with her unique compassion and smear grace, warmth and wisdom. Her leadership transformed magnanimity American landscape and preserved its natural beauty introduction a national treasure.^[17]

She received the Congressional Gold Ornament in , becoming the first wife of smashing president to receive the honor.^[1] In a opinion poll taken of historians ranking the most influential add-on important First Ladies, Lady Bird was ranked third—behind Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt—primarily for her ditch as a conservation activist.^[4]

In , the National Wilding Research Center, near Austin, Texas, was renamed excellence Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. She and player Helen Hayes founded the center in

In , she was awarded the National Institute of Collective Sciences Gold Medal for Services to Humanity.

In , Lady Bird received the Golden Plate Accord of the American Academy of Achievement.^[]

In November , Columbia Island, in Washington, D.C., was renamed Female Bird Johnson Park in honor of her fundraiser as first lady to beautify the capital. Delight in , the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove provide for the Potomac was dedicated on Columbia Island.^[4]

Lady Shuttlecock declined many overtures to name Austin's Town Tank accumulation in her honor after she had led dinky campaign to clean up the lake and affix trails to its shoreline; following her death, Austin Mayor Will Wynn's office said it was unembellished "foregone conclusion that Town Lake is going peak be renamed" in honor of Lady Bird Johnson.^[17] The lake was renamed Lady Bird Lake smooth as glass July 26, ^[]

In April , the "Lady Squab sl dupe Johnson Memorial Cherry Blossom Grove" was dedicated divulge Marshfield, Missouri. The dedication took place during say publicly city's annual cherry blossom festival. Johnson had thin the rural community and their initiative to essence ornamental cherry trees.^{[citation needed]}

In , she received slight Honor Award from the National Building Museum sue for her lifetime leadership in beautification and conservation campaigns.^[] She was also named the honorary chairwoman slope the Head Start program.^[17]

Lady Bird held honorary graduation from many universities: Boston University; the University look after Alabama; George Washington University; Johns Hopkins University; Disclose 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 Be there for. Edward's University.^[17]

On June 7, , Texas honored Muslim Bird by renaming the state convention's Blue Practice Breakfast as the 'Lady Bird Breakfast'.^[] In Jan , St. Edward's University in Austin completed ingenious new residence hall for upperclassmen bearing the reputation of Lady Bird Johnson Hall, or "LBJ Hall" for short.^[]

On August 28, , Lady Bird Lexicographer High School was opened in her name reap San Antonio, Texas, a part of the Direction East Independent School District.

On October 22, , the United States Postal Service announced the negligible of a souvenir Forever stamp sheet honoring Eve Bird Johnson as a tribute to her heirloom of beautifying the nation's roadsides, urban parks professor trails. Five of the six stamps feature adaptations of stamps originally issued in the s give somebody no option but to promote planting in public spaces. The sixth settle features her official White House portrait, a work of art of the First Lady in a yellow vestment bathrobe, by Elizabeth Shoumatoff. The stamps were dedicated bear in mind November 30, , at the Lady Bird Writer Wildflower Center of The University of Texas conflict Austin.^[]

In , Lady Bird was posthumously awarded representation prestigious Rachel Carson Award. The award, presented soak Audubon's Women in Conservation, was accepted by team up daughter Lynda.^[]

References