The most politically active first lady since Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962; see entry in volume 4), Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke out effectively on issues relating to education and children. Before coming to the White House, she chaired an Arkansas state commission on education, served on dozens of corporate and civic boards, and made a career as one of America's leading attorneys. She was named one of the nation's top one hundred lawyers by the National Law Review in 1988 and 1991. In 2000, as the first first lady to run for public office, she defeated her opponent in the U.S. senate race in New York.

Social work

The oldest of three children of Hugh and Dorothy Rodham, Hillary was born on October 26, 1947. Her father owned a fabric store and her mother was a homemaker. Hillary grew up in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Illinois, where she was active in...