Hillary Diane Rodham was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947, daughter of Hugh and Dorothy Rodham. She and her younger two brothers grew up in Park Ridge, Illinois, as a close-knit family. An excellent student, she was also a Girl Scout and a member of the local Methodist youth group. Hillary also enjoyed sports and was always interested in politics.
Hillary Rodham entered Wellesley College in 1965, she was the first student ever asked to give the commencement address at Wellesley College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in 1969.. Graduating with high honors, she moved on to Yale Law School, where she served on the Board of Editors of the Yale Review of Law and Social Action. While at Yale, she developed her special concern for protecting the best interests of children and their families. It was there that she met Bill Clinton, a fellow student and her lifelong mentor, Marian Wright Edelman; Edelman founded the Children's Defense Fund, an organization that lobbies for children's welfare. Rodham worked there as a staff attorney for a year after graduating from law school in 1973 and later chaired the organization's board.
In 1974, she was recruited by the Impeachment Inquiry staff of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives to work on the Watergate Impeachment proceedings.
After that Hillary left Washington and followed her heart to Arkansas, where she began teaching law at the University of Arkansas. She and Bill Clinton were married a year later. A daughter, Chelsea, was born in 1980.
In 1977 Clinton founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and joined the Rose Law Firm, where she practiced until 1992, specializing in patent infringement and intellectual property. She was twice named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal.
As First Lady of Arkansas, Hillary continued to work tirelessly on behalf of children and families. In addition to chairing the Arkansas Education Standards Committee, she founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. She introduced a pioneering program called Arkansas Home Instruction for Preschool Youth, which trained parents to work with their children in preschool preparedness and literacy. Hillary also served on the board of the Arkansas Children's Hospital. In recognition of her professional and personal accomplishments, Hillary was named Arkansas Woman of the Year in 1983 and Arkansas Mother of the Year in 1984.
Like her predecessors, Hillary Rodham Clinton brings to the role of First Lady of the United States her own special talents, experience, style, and interests. The President appointed her to head his Task Force on national Health Care Reform, one of his highest priorities on taking office.
Women's International Center proudly presents the Living Legacy Award to Hillary Rodham Clinton for her vast contributions in so many fields, especially honoring her work for women and children.
Hillary---A "Woman Wronged"?
] On several recent occasions Hillary Clinton has put on a brave face।As President Clinton tried to repair the damage to his family life after admitting his affair with Monica Lewinsky,Hillary said she still loved him,she stood by her husband as sexual harassment was made by Paula Jones,and went on television once again to deny the Monica Lewinsky scandal on her husband's behalf। In the beginning of the 1996presidential election,there
l was a moment of triumph for both of the Clinton:a highlight of the political partnership that has taken them from Little Rock,Arknsas,to the White House.Hillary Rodham Clinton is a trailblazer in her own right、a talented lawyer who has done pioneering work on civil rights and childcare.She is also,of course,the victim the woman wronged． Unaware that as they returned to Washington,BiII Clinton was enjoying an intimate relationship with a White House intern,half her age.From
l the start,she has insisted that she is not the downtrodden wife.Since her marriage,she has herself entered political life.President Clinton appointed her to head his controversial health,care reform in the early years of his presidency The scheme was meant to provide all Americans with health in surance. However,both the scheme and Hillary's appointment were widely criticized．The reform failed to pass through Congress in 1993,and the following year the First Lady withdrew from public life.However,
l she later became embroiled in the Whitewater property scandal．In January l996,she was forced to stand before a federal criminal grand jury to answer questions about how some billing records that had been missing for several years had reappeared in the offices of her law firm.More recent1y,she has returned to the public stage,and has been actively promoting education and childcare.
l After her husband's admission of an affair with Monica Lewinsky,she knew everybody was watching her.Some cynics have spoken about a marriage of onvenience,others are asking how she can Dossibly stay. It is the only thing that people in Washington are talking about,and I have a feeling that around the country it is the same thing.Everybody wants to know how does she feel,what is really going on inside Hillary Clinton,"sayLeslie Milk from The Washingtonian magazine
l .
She is said by friends to be utterly furious with her husband in private but determined that they should not give in to his political enemies. When the Clintons first arrived in Washington,D.C.,Hillary felt that she had not only public responsibilities as First Lady but also the important private responsibility to make the historic,and formal,White House into a true home for her husband and daughter Chelsea.
l And she did it.