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 whose career has spanned over six decades. She excels as a singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. Notably, she's the first artist to achieve the coveted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) award status, signifying her widespread success and recognition across various entertainment mediums.

Sections (5)

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

1908: Birth of Streisand's Parents

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

1937: Origination of Pins and Needles

In 1937, Pins and Needles, the classic popular front musical, was originated by the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union.

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 the age of 34 due to complications from an epileptic seizure. This event led to financial struggles for the family.

1943: Death of Streisand's Father

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

1950: Mother's Remarriage

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

1954: A Sleepin' Bee

In 1954 the musical "House of Flowers" premiered, including the song "A Sleepin' Bee", which Barbra Streisand drew inspiration from.

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1956: Attending Erasmus Hall High School

In 1956, Barbra Streisand attended Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where she became an honor student and sang in the Freshman Chorus and Choral Club with Neil Diamond. She also had a crush on Bobby Fischer.

1957: First Stage Experience

During the summer of 1957, Barbra Streisand landed her first stage experience as a walk-on at the Playhouse in Malden Bridge, New York, followed by roles in "Picnic" and "Desk Set".

January 1959: Graduation and Pursuit of Stage Roles

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

1960: Ushering at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater

In early 1960, Barbra Streisand worked as an usher at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater for "The Sound of Music." During the play's run, she auditioned for the casting director, marking her first singing audition for a job.

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1961: Participation in Women Strike for Peace

In 1961, Barbra Streisand participated in activities with the anti-nuclear group Women Strike for Peace.

1962: Participation in Women Strike for Peace

In 1962, Barbra Streisand participated in activities with the anti-nuclear group Women Strike for Peace.

1967: Biography mentions name change

In 1967, a biography and concert program noted that Barbra Streisand's unique first name spelling was a form of "partial rebellion" after being advised to change her last name.

July 1968: Fundraising concert at the Hollywood Bowl

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

1971: Listed on Nixon's list of political enemies

In 1971, Barbra Streisand was included among the celebrities on President Richard Nixon's list of political enemies, due to her support of Democratic causes.

1972: Headlined benefit concert 'Four for McGovern'

In 1972, Barbra Streisand headlined the benefit concert "Four for McGovern" organized by Warren Beatty and Lou Adler in support of anti-war candidate George McGovern's presidential campaign; her performance was later released as the "Live Concert at the Forum" album.

1984: Donated Emanuel Streisand Building for Jewish Studies

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: Established Hollywood Women's Political Committee

In 1984, Barbra Streisand joined Jane Fonda and others to found the Hollywood Women's Political Committee (HWPC), an activist group supporting liberal causes.

1986: Established The Streisand Foundation

In 1986, Barbra Streisand established The Streisand Foundation, which has contributed over $16 million through nearly 1,000 grants to organizations focused on environment, voter education, civil liberties, women's issues, and nuclear disarmament.

1986: HWPC contributes to Democratic Party taking majority control in U.S. Senate elections

In 1986, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, which Barbra Streisand helped found, contributed to the Democratic Party taking majority control in the U.S. Senate elections.

1992: Fundraising for Bill Clinton

In 1992, Barbra Streisand's concert fundraising events helped propel Bill Clinton into the spotlight and into office, showcasing her involvement in political events.

1992: HWPC funding of Bill Clinton's presidential election

In 1992, the Hollywood Women's Political Committee helped fund Bill Clinton's presidential election.

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

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

1998: Marriage to James Brolin

In 1998, Barbra Streisand married James Brolin, marking a new chapter in her personal life.

September 2000: Announcement of Retirement from Public Concerts

In September 2000, ahead of four concerts in Los Angeles and New York, Barbra Streisand announced her retirement from playing public concerts.

2002: Death of Streisand's Mother

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

2003: Streisand Effect Emerges from Privacy Lawsuit

In 2003, Barbra Streisand filed a lawsuit attempting to remove a photograph of her Malibu home from a website showcasing coastal erosion. The suit was dismissed, but the ensuing publicity led to widespread dissemination of the image, coining the term 'Streisand effect' to describe the phenomenon of censorship attempts inadvertently amplifying the information they seek to suppress.

2006: Donated to the William J. Clinton Foundation

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

2006: Honoree at Oprah Winfrey's white-tie Legends Ball

In 2006, Barbra Streisand was honored at Oprah Winfrey's white-tie Legends Ball, an event celebrating the achievements and contributions of legendary figures in various fields.

2007: Ranked among most generous celebrities

In 2007, Parade magazine included Barbra Streisand on its Giving Back Fund's survey as the third most generous celebrity, claiming Streisand donated $11 million through The Streisand Foundation.

December 7, 2008: Kennedy Center Honors Visit

On December 7, 2008, Barbra Streisand visited the White House as part of the Kennedy Center Honors ceremonies, recognizing her contributions to the arts.

2008: Supported "No on 8" campaign

In 2008, Barbra Streisand supported the "No on 8" campaign in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat California Proposition 8, demonstrating her support for LGBT rights.

October 2009: Auctioned items for her foundation

In October 2009, Barbra Streisand auctioned 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.

2009: Endowed women's cardiovascular research program

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: Appeared at a fundraising gala for Israel Defense Forces charities

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

2012: Statements on voter ID laws

In 2012, Barbra Streisand criticized new laws requiring photo IDs at the poll, claiming they deprive elderly and minority citizens of their right to vote.

2012: Raised money 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, and the program was officially named the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center.

June 2013: Celebrated Shimon Peres' 90th birthday and concert tour in Israel

In June 2013, Barbra Streisand helped celebrate Shimon Peres' 90th birthday at Jerusalem's international convention center and performed at two other concerts in Tel Aviv as part of her first concert tour of Israel.

2013: Received 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.

2016: Interview with Rosie O'Donnell

In a 2016 interview with Rosie O'Donnell, Barbra Streisand recalled recording songs on tape with her mother at age 13, calling it her "first moment of inspiration" as an artist.

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

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

October 2018: Discussed President Trump's threat to the United States

In October 2018, Barbra Streisand discussed her belief that President Donald Trump posed a danger to the United States, urging voters to support Democrats.

June 2020: Gifted Disney shares to George Floyd's daughter

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

2020: Advocacy for voter rights

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: Became ambassador for UNITED24

On September 22, 2022, Barbra Streisand was invited by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to become an ambassador for the UNITED24 platform, focusing on Medical Aid, and she helped raise $240,000 for medical care.

November 7, 2023: Streisand Expresses Desire for More Fun in Life

On November 7, 2023, following the release of her autobiography "My Name Is Barbra", Barbra Streisand concluded a BBC interview by expressing her desire to have more fun in life, marking a personal reflection on her career and future.

My Name Is Barbra

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November 2023: Praised President Joe Biden

In November 2023, Barbra Streisand praised President Joe Biden, saying "I like Biden. I think he has done a good job. I think he is compassionate, smart, supports the right things."