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Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946, in the small town of Hope,
Arkansas. He was named after his father, William Jefferson Blythe II, who had been killed in a car
accident just three months before his son was born. Needing to find a way to support herself and her
new child, Bill Clinton’s mother, Virginia Cassidy Blythe, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, to study
nursing. Bill Clinton stayed with his mother’s parents in Hope. There he was surrounded by many
relatives who gave him love and support and who played a significant role in his upbringing.
Bill Clinton’s grandparents, Eldridge and Edith Cassidy, taught him strong values and beliefs. They
owned a small grocery store just outside of Hope, and despite the segregation laws of the time, they
allowed people of all races to purchase goods on credit. They taught their young grandson that
everyone is created equal and that people should not be treated differently because of the color of
their skin. This was a lesson Bill Clinton never forgot. His mother returned from New Orleans with her
nursing degree in 1950, when her son was four years old. Later that same year, she married an
automobile salesman named Roger Clinton. When Bill Clinton was seven years old, the family moved
to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Known for its natural mineral hot springs, its scenic beauty, and its
racetrack, Hot Springs was bigger than Hope and offered better employment opportunities. Roger
received a higher paying job as a service manager for his brother’s car dealer-ship and Virginia was
able to find a better job as a nurse anesthetist. In 1956. Bill Clinton’s half-brother, Roger Clinton, Jr.,
was born. When his brother was old enough to enter school, young Bill had his last name legally
changed from Blythe to Clinton. In 1960, John F. Kennedy was elected President. Two years later,
when Bill Clinton was a senior in high school, he was selected to go to Washington, D.C., to be a part
of Boys Nation, a special youth leadership conference. The young men of Boys Nation and the young
women of Girls Nation were invited to the White House to meet President Kennedy. Bill Clinton was
one of the first in line to shake President Kennedy’s hand in the Rose Garden. That event was one of
the most memorable, important experiences of his youth. After that, he knew he wanted to make a
difference in the lives of the people of America by becoming President. That same year, Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial in
Washington, D.C. Bill Clinton watched the speech on television and was so deeply moved by Dr.
King’s words that he memorized them. He admired Dr. King’s gift for communicating a clear vision and
his ability to pull people together to work toward a common goal. Dr. King became one of Bill Clinton’s
heroes.
Inspired by the success of these leaders, young Bill thrived on the hard work that his academic and
extracurricular activities required. As an active member of his church, he raised money and organized
charity events. Most important, he learned about working with people and being a good citizen. In his
spare time, he enjoyed reading. Some of his favorite books were The Silver Chalice, The Last of the
Mohicans, The Robe, and Black Beauty. Playing the saxophone was his favorite pastime. He loved
music, practiced every day, and played in jazz ensembles. Each summer, he attended a band camp in
the Ozark Mountains. His hard work paid off when he became a top saxophone player at his school
and won first chair in the state band’s saxophone section. Bill Clinton recognized that although college
would be expensive, it would give him the education he needed to accomplish his goals. His hard work
in school, combined with his musical ability, earned him many academic and music scholarships. With
the help of those scholarships and loans from the government, he was able to attend Georgetown
University in Washington, D.C. He chose Georgetown because it had an excellent foreign service
program; he was also excited about going to school in the nation’s capital. While earning his Bachelor
of Science degree in International Affairs he worked as an intern in the office of Arkansas Senator J.
William Fulbright. There he learned how government worked and what it was like to be a politician. He
admired Senator Fulbright for his accomplishments and beliefs.

When Bill Clinton finished college in 1968, he won a Rhodes Scholarship, which allows select students
to study at Oxford University in England. While at Oxford, he studied government and played rugby.
Upon his return to the United States, he began law school at Yale University. At Yale, he continued to
work hard. He maintained his interest in government by campaigning for a Senate candidate in
Connecticut. He also met Hillary Rodham, whom he would later marry. When he graduated from law
school in 1973, Bill Clinton returned to Arkansas to teach law at the University of Arkansas at
Fayetteville. There he could concentrate on his goal of running for political office. In 1974, he had his
first opportunity when he ran for Congress against Republican incumbent John Paul Hammerschmidt.
Although he lost the race, Bill Clinton learned much about politics and met people who have remained
his lifelong friends. Hillary had joined him in Arkansas and helped him campaign. She also began
teaching at the University of Arkansas. They were married on October 11, 1975.
In 1976, Bill Clinton was elected Attorney General of Arkansas. Two years later, at the age of thirtytwo, he became the youngest governor in the United States. As governor of Arkansas, he
concentrated on improving the state’s educational system and building better roads. On February 27,
1980, the Clintons’ daughter, Chelsea Victoria, was born. The Clintons describe this day as the
happiest one of their lives. Later that year, in a close election, Governor Clinton lost the race for a
second term to Republican Frank White. Feeling that he had not accomplished all that he wanted to
do, he ran as the Democratic candidate in the next gubernatorial election. Campaigning throughout the
state, he assured the voters that he would address their needs, and he was re-elected in November
1982. Again, his most important goal as governor was to enhance the quality of education in the state.
He raised teachers’ salaries and began a program of testing students after the third, sixth, and eighth
grades. He also encouraged parents to participate in their children’s education. His new educational
standards ensured that every child in Arkansas, regardless of the size or wealth of his or her
community or of family income level, would receive a quality education.
From August 1986 to August 1987, Governor Clinton served as chairman of the National Governors’
Association. During that time, he led the governors’ efforts to reform the welfare system and the
educational systems of the states. By the fall of 1991, Governor Clinton believed that the country
needed someone with a new vision and plan, and he decided to run for President. He also felt that he
had the experience and the best ideas for changing our country for the better. He wanted to
strengthen the health care system, to improve the school system, and, most of all, to bolster the
economy and create new jobs. He brought his message to the country by going door to door, holding
one-on-one talks with people in town hall meetings, and appearing on various talk shows. After a long
primary process, Governor Clinton was nominated as the Democratic presidential candidate. He chose
Senator Al Gore, of Tennessee to be his vice-presidential running mate. Together, Bill Clinton and Al
Gore set out by bus to meet the people of America and to hear about their concerns and their hopes
for the future. They campaigned on the concept of “putting people first’—preserving the American
Dream, restoring the hopes of the middle class, and reclaiming the future for the nation’s children.
When election day arrived on November 3, 1992, voters turned out in record numbers to cast their
ballots. Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd President of the United States and Al Gore the 45th Vice
President. They had succeeded in bringing the people together in their efforts to change our country.
Throughout his life, President Clinton has worked to make a difference in the lives of others. To him,
Hope means more than a small town in Arkansas; it means working to ensure that each American has
the opportunity to fulfill his or her dream. In 1996, the successful Clinton-Gore team ran for re-election,
pledging continued leadership in building the bridge to the 21st century, meeting the nation’s
challenges, and protecting our values. On November 5, 1996, Bill Clinton was once again elected by
the American people to serve a second term as President of the United States. During both
Administrations, Bill Clinton has worked to lead our country forward and to ensure that all Americans
can make the most of their own lives. This is an age of enormous possibility — a time when more
Americans will be able to live out their dreams than ever before. But it is also a time that poses many
challenges. President Clinton believes that to make the most of this exciting era, we must offer
opportunity, demand personal responsibility, and come together as a national community.