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American First Ladies Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson Born: December 22, 1912 - Karnack, Texas President: Lyndon B. Johnson, 1963 1969 Overview An instrumental influence in Lyndon B. Johnson's long political career, from running his congressional office during World War II to campaigning hard for his policies and bids for office, Lady Bird Johnson was an adviser to her husband and also one of the most active of all First Ladies. Known for her program to beautify the United States, she emerged as one of the most prominent advocates of conservation of her time. In addition to her high profile nationwide campaign to keep the natural environment clean, which resulted in legislation, the First Lady embraced a variety of social issues. She continued her work on behalf of social and environmental causes after leaving the White House, remaining one of the most beloved of all First Ladies. Early Life Claudia Alta was born to Thomas Jefferson Taylor and Minnie Pattillo Taylor in the small community of Karnack, Texas. She was the third Taylor child, following two sons: Thomas, Jr., and Antonio. Her father, known to his friends as TJ, was a moderately successful businessman who owned a store and made his money selling land and dealing in a variety of commercial pursuits. The Taylors had been married in 1900 and appear to have suffered some tensions in their marriage, although they stayed together. Minnie Taylor was a cultured woman who loved intellectual and artistic endeavors. She appears to have been somewhat bored with both her marriage and rural Texas. In 1918 tragedy struck when Minnie, pregnant with her fourth child, fell down a staircase. The accident caused a miscarriage and ultimately the death of Mrs. Taylor. Before her untimely passing, Minnie read often to her daughter and imparted to her a love of reading and an appreciation for learning. Lady Bird would always enjoy books and do well in her educational pursuits. She earned her now famous nickname as a child when the family's cook and nursemaid Alice Tittle commented that the young girl was as pretty as a lady bird. Although as a youngster Lady Bird was not too keen on her nickname, it stuck and she grew to accept it. The widowed TJ Taylor worried that he would be unable to raise his young daughter by himself, so he invited his deceased wife's sister, Effie Pattillo, to come live with the family. Effie moved from her home in Alabama to the Taylor home in Texas. Lady Bird appears to have missed her mother, and it has often been said that the young girl had a lonely childhood. She found solace in the outdoors, playing in the woods near her home. This fledgling appreciation for nature would later result in landmark environmental programs. Her aunt was not as refined as her mother had been, but as Minnie had, Effie encouraged the young girl's interest in learning, particularly in educating Lady Bird about her natural surroundings. As a girl, Lady Bird learned the names of the trees and flowers near her home and would later remember in vivid detail the Texas bayous, meadows, and wildlife with great admiration. She attended public schools in Texas and frequently visited her relatives in Alabama, in the company of her Aunt Effie. In 1927, at age fifteen, Lady Bird graduated from Marshall High School and enrolled in St. Mary's, a religiously affiliated school for girls in Dallas. Two years later, in 1930, she entered the University of Texas at Austin, where she majored in history. A good student, Lady Bird wrote articles for the campus newspaper, The Daily Texan. She was popular among her peers and enjoyed socializing, although she always had high standards for those she dated. In fact, she made it known that she would only marry a man with ambition who would make something of himself. Lady Bird enjoyed her studies and what the city of Austin had to offer an inquisitive and ambitious young woman. After completing her degree in 1933, she stayed in school for one additional year to complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree in journalism. As a student, Lady Bird expressed an interest in pursuing a career as a writer or reporter, despite the limited opportunities during the Great Depression. Such ambitions highlight her confidence and high goals. These plans were interrupted on August 31, 1934, when a friend introduced her to a twenty six year old congressional aide named Lyndon B. Johnson. At their initial meeting, the two made quite an impression on each other; Lyndon asked Lady Bird to marry him on their first date. She turned her suitor down, but they continued a long distance courtship after he returned to the nation's capital. The relationship progressed rapidly in spite of the distance separating them. They exchanged numerous letters and spoke on the telephone. Lyndon's respect for his new love and her intelligence was evident in his choice of gifts for her, which included a book on the rise of Nazi Germany. Soon after meeting, Lyndon and Lady Bird introduced each other to their families; then the relentless Lyndon paid a sudden visit to Lady Bird, driving all the way back to Texas to again propose marriage. This time Lady Bird accepted the offer. Marriage and Family The couple decided to marry right away and went to San Antonio, Texas, where they were wed on November 17, 1934. After the wedding, they honeymooned in Mexico, then moved to Washington, D.C. Lady Bird was disinterested in politics but resigned herself to her spouse's career, which she understood to be his driving passion. In 1935 Lyndon was named director of the Texas branch of the National Youth Administration. Two years later, when one of Texas's incumbent congressmen died, Lyndon decided to pursue the seat. His wife supported his campaign in several ways, including contributing ten thousand dollars she had inherited from her mother's estate. Lady Bird's father donated another twenty five thousand dollars, enabling Johnson to mount a successful campaign in 1937. Politics would always define the Johnson marriage, and this became quite apparent to Lady Bird when she became a congressional wife. She involved herself thoroughly in her husband's career, joining him on trips to Washington, touring the sites of the capital city, and helping in his congressional office. All the while, she was developing not only more of an appreciation for politics but also a knack for public service. In 1941, the death of a U.S. senator from Texas presented a political opportunity for Lyndon, who decided to pursue the Senate seat. His campaign was unsuccessful, and, possibly from the stress of political life, Lady Bird suffered more than one miscarriage during this period of their marriage. Shortly after his failed bid for the Senate, Lyndon departed for naval duty. In 1942 he toured the South Pacific, inspecting World War II naval operations, but decided not to give up his seat in the House of Representatives. Instead, as he would often do in his career when he needed someone dependable, he turned to his wife, who ran the congressional office for him. Lady Bird worked with Lyndon's constituents, many of whom were quite demanding. She wrote letters, answered questions, and handled political issues that arose. She performed these difficult tasks admirably. On his return from duty, Lyndon found his office functioning smoothly. The postwar period brought the birth of their daughters Lynda Bird in 1944 and Luci Baines in 1947. Later that year, when a senator from Texas retired, Johnson again entered a Senate race. This time his bid was successful, although by only a handful of votes in an extremely tight race. Lady Bird played a visible and prominent role in this campaign, foreshadowing the role she would assume as First Lady. Her efforts might also have made a difference in the campaign's outcome. Overcoming her hesitancy about speaking in public, she helped run the campaign and organized women volunteers. Well liked by Johnson's supporters, she was popular with the crowds. Throughout the 1950's, Johnson's political star continued to rise. By the end of the decade, he was the powerful leader of the U.S. Senate and a contender for the presidency. Perhaps in recognition of this, and still a bit hesitant about her public appearances, in 1959 Lady Bird enrolled in a public speaking class with the Capital Speakers Club. Later, during Johnson's presidency, she would help edit and provide critical feedback on his addresses. Politics dominated their family life, but these congressional years were challenging to Lady Bird for another reason: It was hard to live with Lyndon. He was restless and had a quick temper, and his demanding nature was felt by all those around him. He was demanding of his wife; he criticized her in front of others, complaining even about her clothing. She endured his scorn as well as his bouts of marital infidelity. As the couple worked through these difficulties, Lady Bird's influence on her husband's life and career was beneficial. She calmed him, balanced his rashness with her steadfastness, and even expanded his narrow social views and interest in arts and culture. She was one of the few who could command the attention of the headstrong and temperamental politician. The stress of political life showed itself on Lyndon. His compulsion to work long hours, along with the unhealthy amount of weight he had gained and his excessive smoking, endangered his health. In 1955 he had his first heart attack. It was Lady Bird who encouraged him to cut his dependency on tobacco and to alter his diet. She watched over what he ate, and although she could not get him to reduce his schedule or pace of work, she helped him improve his health. Lady Bird also brought financial security to their marriage and to his political career. To address the uncertainty and low pay of a career in politics, in 1943 the Johnsons invested money from Lady Bird's inheritance in the purchase of radio station KTBC. Lyndon used his contacts with the Federal Communication Commission to enhance the terms of the purchase, but it was Lady Bird who managed all facets of the enterprise, from hiring employees to soliciting sponsors, balancing the books, and cleaning the offices. She ultimately parlayed a seventeen thousand dollar investment into millions. When the station began turning a profit, it prompted her to acquire other holdings, forming the basis of the Johnson media conglomerate. Lady Bird grew to love the Texas Hill Country surrounding the LBJ Ranch near Austin, which they called home when in Texas. During this period in her life, she continued to develop her love of nature, gardening in the capital city and observing the scenery she passed traveling to and from Washington. The unsightly dumps, billboards, and roadside trash she saw also made an impression on her. Years later as First Lady, she supported a nationwide beautification program which included roadside beautification. Presidency and First Ladyship Events of John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign of 1960 provided an indication of the type of First Lady that Lady Bird Johnson would later be. After initially attempting to discourage her husband from accepting the vice presidential spot on the Democratic ticket with Kennedy, which she believed would limit his ultimate goal of attaining the presidency, Lady Bird assumed an active role in the campaign. She worked hard, particularly in the South, where she campaigned widely for the ticket and proved to be highly effective. She earned rave reviews in Dallas, where, when campaigning, she encountered a group of Nixon supporters who became unruly and aggressive. Lady Bird remained calm and continued speaking undeterred, despite being confronted by hecklers. Her poise impressed media observers. As a vice presidential spouse, Lady Bird undertook many of the duties that the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, left unfulfilled. Because Jackie Kennedy was disinterested in many formal duties and was raising her young children during the early 1960's, Lady Bird Johnson became the most active vice presidential spouse in history and one of the most visible. She traveled with the president and vice president across the United States and worldwide, made numerous public appearances, and hosted teas and other socials which benefited her husband's public standing as well as that of the Kennedy Johnson administration. After the tragic assassination of President Kennedy in November, 1963, Lady Bird Johnson found herself suddenly and unexpectedly thrust into the First Ladyship. Jackie Kennedy had undertaken a historic, well received renovation of the White House during her tenure and asked the incoming First Lady to continue her work on the Executive Mansion. Lady Bird took an active role in the Committee for the Preservation of the White House and saw that Mrs. Kennedy's work was carried on during the Johnson administration. As First Lady, Lady Bird was a partner and adviser to her husband. In this capacity, she read his speeches, provided advice when he solicited it-something he did frequently-and promoted a variety of programs and issues pertaining to her husband's Great Society program. One of the social programs she advocated was Head Start, where she worked closely with Sargent Shriver, the head of the Office of Economic Opportunity. The First Lady visited numerous Head Start sites and often spoke out on the program's behalf. Lady Bird was also an advocate for women's involvement in numerous social issues, holding high profile "Women Doer Luncheons" at the White House in honor of women of distinction. The main goal of Lady Bird's First Ladyship, though, was her effort to make the White House a comfortable place for Lyndon. His health and best interests had been her priority throughout their married life. However, it was her beautification projects for which her days as First Lady would most be remembered. The word beautification also involved broader conservation initiatives. The 1960's saw a new awareness of the natural world, encouraged by the publication in 1962 of Rachel Carson's landmark book The Silent Spring. The Kennedy administration had convened a White House conference on conservation issues and promoted various environmental measures, most of which were pending at the time of Kennedy's assassination. Lady Bird would pick up the cause and carry it forward, far beyond the original intention of the previous administration. In fact, she became the Johnson administration's point person on environmental issues and a nationally recognized advocate of environmentalism. She received mail from environmentalists and concerned citizens asking her assistance in protecting everything from the Colorado River to the redwoods to neighborhoods. Such causes were natural for the First Lady, who had developed a lifelong appreciation of nature. Although she held no formal press conferences like those of her predecessor Eleanor Roosevelt, Lady Bird enjoyed good relations with the press corps and female journalists in particular. Lady Bird was also well served by a large staff and press secretary who helped her to publicize and implement her efforts, most notably her beautification project. She also enlisted the support of other public figures who, recognizing her influence and popularity, often sought her support. In 1964 she toured the American West with Stewart Udall, secretary of the interior, who shared her enthusiasm for the outdoors. On the trip she delivered speeches, dedicated a dam, and visited American Indian reservations. The trip raised awareness for such issues and helped spark the First Lady's interest in pursuing a special project related to the outdoors. By 1965, after Johnson's successful 1964 reelection, the First Lady was ready to embark fully on her beautification initiative. Lady Bird wisely chose to begin her project on a local scale, in the capital city. Initially, she worked on initiatives such as cleaning public parks and planting trees and flowers. She set up advisory boards, enlisted the support of the National Park Service, and involved local civic leaders and youth groups. The local efforts included landscaping and beautifying Capitol Hill as well as poor neighborhoods, where she got black and disadvantaged youths involved in neighborhood and outdoor projects. She established the First Lady's Committee for a More Beautiful Capital, which brought together public, private, and community leaders and ultimately landscaped numerous public areas around Washington. She would also be a driving force behind the Society for a More Beautiful Capital, which managed donations on behalf of these efforts. A major component of her beautification project was highway beautification, an effort to improve unsightly roadsides. In 1965 the Johnson administration promoted the Highway Beautification Bill. The bill included provisions for removing roadside trash, planting trees, and minimizing the number of billboards near scenic roads. Lady Bird was the front person for this bill in the public's mind, and her popularity and credibility on such issues benefited the legislative battle. Not surprisingly, the initiative encountered opposition from advertisers and businesses located near the affected sites, who saw a threat to their commercial endeavors. Lady Bird also received criticism from politicians, including Congressman Bob Dole of Kansas, who mocked her efforts, even suggesting that the language of the bill be changed to read "Lady Bird's Bill" or "the President's Wife's Bill." She was unwavering in her commitment to the project, however, attending the legislative debates and making a number of public trips and speeches to rally support for the measure. The First Lady was seen at national parks, hiking among redwoods, and meeting with interested groups. With her help, the Highway Beautification Act of 1965 was passed, marking one of the few times a First Lady's initiatives or activities had resulted in legislation. Only Ellen Wilson and Eleanor Roosevelt had been so directly involved in lobbying for the passage of a law. The First Lady's influence was felt in the administration's promotion of conservation in a broad sense; the president even discussed the beautification project in his State of the Union address and referred to his wife on conservation matters. She helped to make possible the White House Conference on Natural Beauty in May of 1965. Lady Bird visited national parks and historic sites and embraced such issues as clean air, clean water, and the protection of scenic rivers. For each of these policy issues, she met with organizations, followed legislative debates closely, and delivered numerous speeches for conservation. When speaking, the First Lady sometimes encountered crowds hostile to the president's policies on Vietnam, but she again showed great calm in addressing her audiences, often winning the admiration of her husband's political enemies. Outside the full official schedule and political demands of living in the White House, Lady Bird managed to carve out some degree of normality for her family during the presidential years. The high points of her First Ladyship included the weddings of both of her daughters during her White House years. She protected her husband's still marginal health, monitoring his diet and insisting that he take time for relaxation, though the cloud of the Vietnam War loomed over the later years of the Johnson presidency, adding to their stress. She worried about Lyndon's health during the tumultuous 1968 campaign; concern for his well being caused her to oppose his plans for reelection that year. Ultimately, Johnson shocked the United States when he announced that he would not seek another term in office. She was greatly relieved by his decision to return to private life.
Legacy As the Johnson presidency was winding down, the couple began giving thought to Lyndon Johnson's presidential library. It was Lady Bird who initiated the development of that project, meeting with architects, visiting possible sites and other presidential libraries, and overseeing plans for the memorial to the Johnson presidency. The Lyndon B. Johnson Library was established in Texas and, throughout her post White House years, Lady Bird remained active in the organization. Lady Bird Johnson expanded the role of First Lady, engaging Americans in a consciousness raising exercise on conservation and initiating enormously successful projects. All subsequent First Ladies have been expected to champion a special cause, in part because of the success and visibility of Lady Bird's beautification program. Her leadership on these many issues did not end when the Johnsons left Washington. Her post White House life remained focused on her causes, and she remained in the eyes and hearts of the public. Her active retirement at the LBJ Ranch included continuing with her beautification project, including several local undertakings in and around Austin, and establishing awards for beautification initiatives in her home state. She also continued her interest in politics, supporting women candidates for office and members of the Democratic Party. Remaining a powerful force and respected public servant long after leaving the White House, the former First Lady served on the board of the National Geographic Society, was a popular member of the Board of Regents of the University of Texas, and was selected by President Jimmy Carter to serve on the Commission on White House Fellows. Among the many recognitions she received for her life of public service were the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented to her in 1977 by President Gerald Ford, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1988. In 1963 she had begun chronicling her years in the White House, clipping articles, jotting down observations, and saving remembrances of those special years. In 1970 she published part of her collection as A White House Diary. Another love of hers for which she retained a passion was wildflowers. With donations of her own land, time, and money, Lady Bird founded the now famous National Wildflower Research Center and sponsored conferences and extensive work on behalf of promoting the national wildflower campaign. In 1988 she coauthored the book Wildflowers Across America with Carlton Lees. Although slowed by a slight stroke in 1993, Lady Bird continued her interest in her many political and social projects. She remains one of the most beloved and admired of all First Ladies. As testimony to her First Ladyship, several subsequent spouses of presidents and presidential candidates have cited her as an inspiration. Suggested Readings Carpenter, Liz. Ruffles and Flourishes. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1992. A detailed account of Lady Bird Johnson from her former staff director, providing valuable accounts of Lady Bird Johnson's First Ladyship. Gould, Lewis L. Lady Bird Johnson and the Environment. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1988. A scholarly assessment of Lady Bird Johnson's role in promoting numerous environmental issues and the lasting significance of her beautification projects. Middleton, Harry. Lady Bird Johnson: A Life Well Lived. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1992. Published on Lady Bird's eightieth birthday, this is a collection of intimate pictures and memoirs, chronicling her life. Montgomery, Ruth. Mrs. LBJ. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1964. Written while she was still First Lady, this book looks at the Johnson marriage and at Lady Bird. Smith, Marie. The President's Lady: An Intimate Biography of Mrs. Lady Bird Johnson. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1964. Explores the interests and background of the First Lady, devoting attention to her upbringing and married life. Although dated, it is still a useful study of Lady Bird. Robert P. Watson |
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