Early Life and Education of Barbra Streisand: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of Barbra Streisand. A timeline of key moments.

Barbra Streisand is a highly accomplished American entertainer with a career spanning over six decades. Renowned as a singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director, she has garnered widespread recognition and numerous accolades, including Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards. Her versatility and enduring talent have solidified her status as an icon in the entertainment industry.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1908: Birth of Barbra Streisand's parents

In 1908, both Diana Ida Rosen, Barbra Streisand's mother, and Emanuel Streisand, her father, were born.

April 24, 1942: Barbra Streisand's birth

On April 24, 1942, Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand was born in Brooklyn, New York City.

August 1943: Death of Streisand's father

In August 1943, a few months after her first birthday, Barbra Streisand's father died at age 34 due to complications from an epileptic seizure, leading her family into near poverty.

1943: Death of Emanuel Streisand

In 1943, Barbra Streisand's father, Emanuel Streisand, died at the age of 34.

1950: Mother's remarriage

In 1950, Barbra Streisand's mother remarried to Louis Kind, resulting in Barbra having a younger half-sister, singer Roslyn Kind.

1956: Attending Erasmus Hall High School

In 1956, Barbra Streisand attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where she excelled academically and joined the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club. During this time, she sang with Neil Diamond and had a crush on Bobby Fischer.

January 1959: Graduation from Erasmus Hall

In January 1959, at the age of 16, Barbra Streisand graduated from Erasmus Hall and set out to pursue roles on the New York City stage, despite her mother's disapproval.

1961: Participation in Women Strike for Peace

In 1961, Barbra Streisand participated in activities with Women Strike for Peace, an anti-nuclear group. This marked an early instance of her involvement in political activism.

1962: Continued Participation in Women Strike for Peace

In 1962, Barbra Streisand continued her participation in activities with Women Strike for Peace, an anti-nuclear group, demonstrating her early engagement in political and social causes.

1967: Name Change Explanation in Biography

In 1967, a biography and concert program explained that Barbra Streisand's unique spelling of her first name was a form of rebellion against advisors suggesting she change her last name. She chose to drop an 'a' from 'Barbara' instead to maintain a connection to her original name while achieving uniqueness.

July 1968: Hollywood Bowl Fundraising Concert

In July 1968, Barbra Streisand, along with Harry Belafonte and others, performed at the Hollywood Bowl in a fundraising concert. The concert was sponsored by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to benefit the poor.

1968: Received Israel Freedom Medal

In 1968, Barbra Streisand received the Israel Freedom Medal, the highest civilian award of Israel, demonstrating her early recognition and influence.

1971: Listed as a Political Enemy by Nixon

In 1971, Barbra Streisand was included on President Richard Nixon's list of political enemies, highlighting her active support of the Democratic Party and its causes.

1984: Donation to Hebrew University of Jerusalem

In 1984, Barbra Streisand donated the Emanuel Streisand Building for Jewish Studies to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in memory of her father, an educator and scholar.

1984: Co-founded Hollywood Women's Political Committee

In 1984, Barbra Streisand joined Jane Fonda and other industry figures to establish the Hollywood Women's Political Committee (HWPC), an activist group that advocated for liberal causes.

1986: Establishment of The Streisand Foundation

In 1986, The Streisand Foundation was established, and has since contributed over $16 million through nearly 1,000 grants to national organizations focused on various causes.

1986: HWPC Contributions to Senate Elections

In 1986, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee (HWPC), which Streisand co-founded, contributed to the Democratic Party's gaining majority control in the U.S. Senate elections.

1992: Commitment to Life Award and Other Honors

In 1992, Barbra Streisand received the Commitment to Life Award by AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), the Bill of Rights Award by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, the Dorothy Arzner Special Recognition by Women in Film, and the Golden Plate by the Academy of Achievement.

1992: Fundraising events for Bill Clinton

In 1992, Barbra Streisand's concert fundraising events helped propel President Bill Clinton into the spotlight and into office.

1992: HWPC Funding for Bill Clinton's Presidential Election

In 1992, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee (HWPC), co-founded by Streisand, provided funding for Bill Clinton's presidential election, and also helped elect more women senators.

1995: Peabody Award and Honorary Doctorate

In 1995, Barbra Streisand received the Peabody Award and was accorded an Honorary Doctorate in Arts and Humanities by Brandeis University.

1995: Speech at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government

In 1995, Barbra Streisand spoke at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, advocating for arts programs and funding and discussing the role of the artist as a citizen.

1998: Married James Brolin

In 1998, Barbra Streisand married James Brolin.

2002: Death of Diana Ida Rosen Streisand

In 2002, Barbra Streisand's mother, Diana Ida Rosen Streisand, passed away.

2003: Lawsuit over website photo leads to "Streisand effect"

In 2003, Streisand filed a lawsuit claiming a website invaded her privacy by displaying a photo of her Malibu home. The suit was dismissed, but the resulting publicity dramatically increased views of the photo, coining the term "Streisand effect" to describe unintended publicity from censorship attempts. The date of the lawsuit was in 2003.

2006: Donation to the William J. Clinton Foundation

In 2006, Barbra Streisand donated $1 million to the William J. Clinton Foundation to support former President Bill Clinton's climate change initiative.

2007: Ranked as a Top Celebrity Donor

In 2007, Barbra Streisand was ranked as the third most generous celebrity in Parade magazine's Giving Back 30 survey, which estimated her donations at $11 million through The Streisand Foundation.

December 7, 2008: Visited the White House as Part of Kennedy Center Honors

On December 7, 2008, Barbra Streisand visited the White House as part of the 2008 Kennedy Center Honors ceremonies.

2008: Backed "No on 8" Campaign

In 2008, Barbra Streisand supported LGBT rights by backing the "No on 8" campaign in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat California Proposition 8.

October 2009: Auction at Julien's Auctions

In October 2009, Barbra Streisand sold 526 items from her art and furniture collection at Julien's Auctions, with all proceeds benefiting her foundation. Items included a costume from Funny Lady and a vintage dental cabinet.

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2009: Endowment to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

In 2009, Barbra Streisand gifted $5 million to endow the Barbra Streisand Women's Cardiovascular Research and Education Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Women's Heart Center.

December 2011: Fundraising Gala for Israel Defense Forces Charities

In December 2011, Barbra Streisand appeared at a fundraising gala supporting Israel Defense Forces charities.

2012: Criticism of Photo ID Laws for Voting

In 2012, Barbra Streisand criticized new laws requiring U.S. citizens to produce photo IDs at the polls, stating they were designed to deprive elderly and minority citizens of their right to vote.

2012: Fundraising for Women's Cardiovascular Center

In 2012, Barbra Streisand raised $22 million to support her women's cardiovascular center, bringing her personal contribution to $10 million. The program was officially named the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center.

June 2013: Celebration of Shimon Peres' 90th Birthday

In June 2013, Barbra Streisand helped celebrate the 90th birthday of Shimon Peres at Jerusalem's international convention center as a longtime supporter of Israel.

2013: Honorary Doctorate and Charlie Chaplin Award

In 2013, Barbra Streisand was accorded an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and received the Charlie Chaplin Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, as the only female artist to direct, write, produce, and star in the same major studio film, Yentl, along with a Lifetime Achievement Glamour Awards.

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May 2015: Viking Press Announces Anticipated Publication of Autobiography

In May 2015, Viking Press announced they anticipated publishing Barbra Streisand's long-awaited memoir in 2017, spanning her entire life and career. However, writing was stalled at various stages.

2016: Streisand interview with Rosie O'Donnell

In a 2016 interview with Rosie O'Donnell, Barbra Streisand shared a memory of recording songs on tape with her mother at age 13, which she identified as her "first moment of inspiration" as an artist.

January 2017: Participation in Women's March in Los Angeles

In January 2017, Barbra Streisand participated in the Women's March in Los Angeles, introduced by Rufus Wainwright, where she appeared on stage and delivered a speech.

2017: Anticipated publication year of autobiography

In 2017, Viking Press had anticipated publishing Barbra Streisand's long-awaited memoir, spanning Streisand's entire life and career. However, the autobiography was not yet released.

October 2018: Interview on the Danger of Donald Trump

In October 2018, Barbra Streisand discussed in an interview with The Guardian the theme of her new album Walls and her belief that President Donald Trump posed a danger to the United States, urging people to vote for Democrats.

June 2020: Gift to George Floyd's Daughter

In June 2020, Barbra Streisand gifted George Floyd's daughter, Gianna Floyd, shares of Disney stock.

2020: Voter Rights Advocacy

In 2020, Barbra Streisand continued her voter rights advocacy by tweeting a link to VoteRiders, a nonprofit that assists citizens with obtaining voter ID.

September 22, 2022: Ambassador for UNITED24 Platform

On September 22, 2022, Barbra Streisand was invited by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, to become an ambassador for the UNITED24 platform, focusing on medical aid and helping to raise $240,000 for medical care.

November 7, 2023: Release of My Name Is Barbra and statement about wanting "to have more fun" in life

Upon the release of her book "My Name Is Barbra" on November 7, 2023, Barbra Streisand concluded her BBC interview with the sentiment that she wanted "to have more fun" in life.

My Name Is Barbra

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November 2023: Praise for President Joe Biden

In November 2023, Barbra Streisand publicly praised President Joe Biden, complimenting his compassion, intelligence, and support for the right things.