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Lady Bird Johnson

U.S. First Lady

Name at birth: Claudia Alta Taylor

Claudia Taylor was nicknamed "Lady Bird" as a small child, and she became Lady Bird Johnson when she married Lyndon Johnson in November of 1934. LBJ became a U.S. senator from Texas and then vice-president under John F. Kennedy; when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Lady Bird replaced Jackie Kennedy as the country's First Lady. After LBJ left office in 1969, the Johnsons retired to Texas. After her husband's death in 1973, Lady Bird Johnson became known for her support of the preservation and promotion of wildflowers in America. She published a memoir, White House Diary, in 1970.

Extra credit: The Johnsons had two children: Lynda Bird (b. 1944) and Luci Baines (b. 1947); Lynda married Charles Robb, who became a U.S. senator from Virginia.

Other famous First Ladies include Abigail Adams, Nancy Reagan and Laura Bush.

Four Good Links

The LBJ Library

Lady Bird biography (and much more) from her husband's museum

PBS: Lady Bird

Nifty multimedia biography from the public TV network

The Wildflower Center

Official site of her famous center in Austin, Texas

Claudie Johnson

Nicely done profile from the American Presidents site

Vital Stats

Birth

22 December 1912

Birthplace

Karnack, Texas

Death

11 July 2007
(age 94)

Best Known As

Wife of President Lyndon Johnson