Early Life and Education of Condoleezza Rice: A Complete Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Condoleezza Rice. From birth to education, explore key events.

Condoleezza Rice is a prominent American diplomat and political scientist, currently serving as the director of Stanford University's Hoover Institution. A Republican, she held significant roles in the George W. Bush administration, including as the 66th United States Secretary of State (2005-2009) and the 19th U.S. National Security Advisor (2001-2005). Rice made history as the first female African-American Secretary of State and the first woman to be National Security Advisor. Before Barack Obama's presidency, she and Colin Powell were the highest-ranking African Americans in the executive branch. Upon becoming Secretary of State, she was the highest-ranking woman in U.S. presidential line of succession at the time.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1952: Jim Crow Alabama

In 1952, Condoleezza Rice's father was unable to register to vote as a Democrat in Jim Crow Alabama.

November 14, 1954: Birth of Condoleezza Rice

On November 14, 1954, Condoleezza Rice was born. She is an American diplomat and political scientist who has held several high-profile positions in the U.S. government.

Others born on this day/year

September 15, 1963: Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing

On September 15, 1963, Condoleezza Rice's schoolmate Denise McNair, aged 11, was murdered in the bombing of the primarily black Sixteenth Street Baptist Church by white supremacists.

1963: Remembers Bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church

In 1963, Condoleezza Rice recalls the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, where she heard and felt the explosion a few blocks away at her father's church, resulting in the death of her friend Denise McNair and three other young girls.

1967: Family moved to Denver

In 1967, Condoleezza Rice's family moved to Denver, Colorado.

1971: Graduation from St. Mary's Academy

In 1971, at the age of 16, Condoleezza Rice graduated from St. Mary's Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado.

1974: Induction into Phi Beta Kappa and B.A. Degree

In 1974, at age 19, Condoleezza Rice was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa society and received a B.A. degree cum laude in political science from the University of Denver.

1975: Obtained M.A. degree

In 1975, Condoleezza Rice obtained an M.A. degree in political science from the University of Notre Dame.

1979: Studied Russian at Moscow State University

In the summer of 1979, Condoleezza Rice studied Russian at Moscow State University and interned with the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California.

1980: Fellow at Stanford University

From 1980 to 1981, Condoleezza Rice was a fellow at Stanford University's Arms Control and Disarmament Program, having won a Ford Foundation Dual Expertise Fellowship in Soviet Studies and International Security.

1981: Continued Fellowship at Stanford

In 1981, Condoleezza Rice continued her fellowship at Stanford University. This marked the beginning of her academic affiliation with the university.

1981: Received Ph.D.

In 1981, at age 26, Condoleezza Rice received her Ph.D. in political science from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.

1982: Changed Political Affiliation

In 1982, Condoleezza Rice changed her political affiliation from Democrat to Republican.

1985: Death of Mother

In 1985, Condoleezza Rice's mother, Angelena Rice, died of breast cancer at the age of 61, when Rice was 30.

1989: Father's Remarriage

In 1989, Condoleezza Rice's father, John Wesley Rice, married Clara Bailey.

1991: Returned to Stanford and appointed to bipartisan committee

In 1991, Condoleezza Rice returned to her teaching position at Stanford while consulting on the former Soviet Bloc for various clients. Later that year, California governor Pete Wilson appointed her to a committee to draw new state legislative and congressional districts.

1992: Founded Center for New Generation

In 1992, Condoleezza Rice founded the Center for New Generation, an after-school program designed to improve the high school graduation rates in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park, California.

1997: Served on the Federal Advisory Committee

In 1997, Condoleezza Rice served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender–Integrated Training in the Military.

December 16, 2000: Named National Security Advisor

On December 16, 2000, Condoleezza Rice was named National Security Advisor, becoming the first woman to hold the position, and stepped down from her position at Stanford.

2000: Foreign policy advisor for George W. Bush's campaign

During George W. Bush's 2000 presidential election campaign, Condoleezza Rice took a leave of absence from Stanford University to serve as his foreign policy advisor, leading a group called the Vulcans and giving a speech at the Republican National Convention.

2000: Republican National Convention

In 2000, Condoleezza Rice spoke at the Republican National Convention about her father's experience with the Democratic party in Jim Crow Alabama in 1952.

2000: Death of Father

In 2000, Condoleezza Rice's father, John Wesley Rice, died at the age of 77.

2000: Views on Abortion

In 2000, while helping President Bush in his campaign, Condoleezza Rice expressed libertarian views on government involvement in abortion issues, supporting parental choice, parental notification, and a ban on late-term abortions. Rice also stated that she would not want the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, Roe v. Wade, to be overturned.

April 2002: Accompanies Yo-Yo Ma

In April 2002, Condoleezza Rice accompanied cellist Yo-Yo Ma in playing Johannes Brahms' Violin Sonata in D minor at Constitution Hall for the National Medal of Arts Awards.

2002: Black Community Views

In a 2002 survey, then National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice was viewed favorably by 41% of black respondents, but another 40% did not know Rice well enough to rate her.

January 18, 2003: Involved in crafting Bush's position on race-based preferences

On January 18, 2003, The Washington Post reported that Condoleezza Rice was involved in crafting President Bush's position on race-based preferences, advocating for race to be considered as one factor among others in university admissions policies.

2003: Co-ownership of House

From 2003, Condoleezza Rice co-owned a house in Palo Alto, California, with Randy Bean.

November 16, 2004: Nominated to be Secretary of State

On November 16, 2004, Condoleezza Rice was nominated by President Bush to be Secretary of State.

2004: Campained for incumbent president

Leading up to the 2004 presidential election, Condoleezza Rice became the first National Security Advisor to actively campaign for an incumbent president, arguing that Saddam Hussein's Iraq contributed to the circumstances that led to the September 11 attacks.

January 26, 2005: Senate confirmed nomination as Secretary of State

On January 26, 2005, the Senate confirmed Condoleezza Rice's nomination as Secretary of State by a vote of 85–13, with negative votes stemming from concerns about her role in Iraq and the war on terrorism.

August 2005: Harry Belafonte Refers to Blacks in Bush Administration as 'Black Tyrants'

In August 2005, Harry Belafonte referred to blacks in the Bush administration as "black tyrants," sparking mixed reactions.

September 14, 2005: Rice Dismisses Criticism

During a September 14, 2005 interview, Condoleezza Rice dismissed criticisms of her stances and statements on various issues, saying, "Why would I worry about something like that? ... The fact of the matter is I've been black all my life. Nobody needs to tell me how to be black."

2005: Accompanies Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick

In 2005, Condoleezza Rice accompanied Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick for a benefit concert for the Pulmonary Hypertension Association at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

2007: Property Arrangement Revealed

In 2007, the property arrangement between Condoleezza Rice and Randy Bean was first revealed in Glenn Kessler's book "The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy", sparking rumors about the nature of their relationship.

The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy

Check it on Amazon

February 2009: Declined Pac-10 Commissioner position

In February 2009, Condoleezza Rice was considered for the open Pac-10 Commissioner position, but she chose to return to Stanford University as a political science professor and fellow at the Hoover Institution.

2009: Appears on The Tonight Show

In 2009, Condoleezza Rice stated that Led Zeppelin was her favorite band during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

September 2010: Joined Stanford Graduate School of Business

In September 2010, Condoleezza Rice became a faculty member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a director of its Global Center for Business and the Economy.

October 2010: Met with President Obama for discussion on national security issues

In October 2010, Condoleezza Rice met with President Obama to discuss national security issues. She also participated in the groundbreaking of the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

2010: Rice Supports Civil Unions

In 2010, while Condoleezza Rice stated she did not support same-sex marriage, she expressed support for civil unions as a way for same-sex couples to express their desire to live together.

May 2011: Commented on Osama bin Laden's death and US involvement in Afghanistan

In May 2011, Condoleezza Rice commented on Osama bin Laden's death, stating that it brought an important chapter to a close for the US. She argued against removing troops from Afghanistan until the US finished helping the country develop more decent governance. Also in May 2011, Rice appeared as herself on the NBC sitcom "30 Rock" in the fifth-season episode "Everything Sunny All the Time Always".

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May 2012: Keynote speaker at Southern Methodist University commencement ceremony

In May 2012, Condoleezza Rice was the keynote speaker at the Southern Methodist University commencement ceremony. She also delivered a speech at the 2012 Republican National Convention, which was praised as the best speech of the convention.

August 20, 2012: Admitted to Augusta National Golf Club

On August 20, 2012, Condoleezza Rice became one of the first two women to be admitted as members to Augusta National Golf Club.

March 2014: Rice Joins Ban Bossy Campaign

In March 2014, Condoleezza Rice joined and appeared in video spots for the Ban Bossy campaign, a television and social media campaign aimed at banning the word "bossy" due to its harmful effects on young girls. The campaign also included a website with training material, leadership tips, and an online pledge.

2014: Criticizes Obama Administration Immigration Reform

In 2014, Condoleezza Rice criticized the Obama administration for seeking to approve immigration reforms through executive action.

2014: Joined Ban Bossy campaign

In 2014, Condoleezza Rice joined the Ban Bossy campaign as a spokesperson, advocating for girls to take on leadership roles.

2014: Named to ESPNW Impact 25

In 2014, Condoleezza Rice was named to the ESPNW Impact 25.

February 2017: Opposes Trump Administration's Travel Ban

In February 2017, Condoleezza Rice publicly announced her opposition to the Trump administration's travel ban.

May 2017: Opposes Removal of Confederate Monuments

In May 2017, Condoleezza Rice stated she opposes the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials or renaming buildings named after Confederate generals, arguing that sanitizing history is a bad thing.

2017: End of House Co-ownership

From 2003 to 2017, Condoleezza Rice co-owned a house in Palo Alto, California, with Randy Bean.

2017: Publication of 'Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom'

In 2017, Condoleezza Rice published her book, "Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom", where she discusses her family history and experiences with racial segregation.

Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom

Check it on Amazon

April 2022: Rice attends Madeleine Albright's funeral

In April 2022, Condoleezza Rice was present at Madeleine Albright's funeral, where she delivered a reading from the Bible.

July 11, 2022: Joined Walton-Penner ownership group to buy Denver Broncos

On July 11, 2022, Condoleezza Rice joined the Walton-Penner ownership group, along with others, in an agreement to purchase the Denver Broncos NFL team for $4.65 billion.