Hillary Rodham Clinton born 1947

Born Chicago, Illinois First Lady 1993–2001

Not only did Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton spend eight years as first lady of the United States during her husband Bill Clinton’s presidency, but she also went on to be elected a U.S. senator from New York, serve as U.S. secretary of state, and become the first woman to receive the presidential nomination from the Democratic Party. As first lady, Clinton headed the White House’s Task Force on National Health Care Reform and stoically stood by her husband as he was impeached by Congress during his embattled second term. She has authored several books, including It Takes a Village: And Other lessons Children Teach Us (1996) and The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience (2019), co-written with her daughter, Chelsea Clinton.

This painting of Hillary Clinton by Ginny Stafford marked the beginning of the National Portrait Gallery’s tradition of commissioning portraits of first ladies.

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Ambassador Elizabeth F. Bagley and Mr. Smith Bagley, Robert B. Barnett, Susie Tompkins Buell, The Boeing Company, Buffy and William Cafritz, David V. and Judith E. Capes, Albert and Claire Dwoskin, Catherine Spitzer Gidlow, Jill and Kenneth Iscol, Ambassador and Mrs. Philip Lader, Ruesch Family Foundation, Corky Hale and Mike Stoller, and Leon and Mary Strauss