History of Jill Biden in Timeline
Jill Biden is an American educator and political figure, serving as the First Lady of the United States from 2021 to 2025 and previously as the Second Lady from 2009 to 2017. Married to President Joe Biden, she holds a doctorate in education and has been a professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College since 2009. Notably, she is considered the first wife of a president or vice president to maintain a paid job throughout the majority of her husband's time in office.
June 3, 1951: Jill Biden Born
On June 3, 1951, Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden was born. She later became an educator and the First Lady of the United States.
1961: Family Relocation to Willow Grove
In 1961, the Jacobs family moved to Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, marking a significant change in Jill Biden's early life.
1969: High School Graduation
In 1969, Jill Jacobs graduated from Upper Moreland High School.
February 1970: Marriage to Bill Stevenson
In February 1970, Jill Jacobs married Bill Stevenson and became known as Jill Stevenson.
1974: Separation from Bill Stevenson
In 1974, Jill Stevenson and her husband, Bill Stevenson, separated.
March 1975: Met Joe Biden
In March 1975, Jill met Senator Joe Biden on a blind date.
May 1975: Divorce Granted
In May 1975, Jill's divorce from Bill Stevenson was granted.
1975: Graduated and Began Teaching
In 1975, Jill Biden graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Arts in English and began her career as a substitute teacher.
June 17, 1977: Marriage to Joe Biden
On June 17, 1977, Jill Jacobs married Joe Biden at the Chapel at the United Nations in New York City.
1977: Marriage to Joe Biden
In 1977, Jill Biden married Joe Biden, becoming a stepmother to his sons, Beau and Hunter.
June 8, 1981: Birth of Ashley Blazer Biden
On June 8, 1981, Ashley Blazer Biden, daughter of Jill and Joe Biden, was born.
1981: Birth of Daughter Ashley
In 1981, Jill and Joe Biden had a daughter named Ashley Biden.
1987: Master's Degree from Villanova
In 1987, Jill Biden received her second graduate degree, a Master of Arts in English from Villanova University.
1988: Husband's Presidential Bid
In 1988, during her husband's unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, Jill Biden stated her intention to continue teaching.
1991: Comments on Anita Hill and Clarence Thomas nomination
Jill Biden attracted attention for saying "it's time to move on" regarding her husband's role in 1991 concerning Anita Hill and the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court nomination.
1993: Instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College
From 1993, Jill Biden became an instructor in English at the Stanton campus of Delaware Technical & Community College, where she focused on English composition and remedial writing.
1993: Biden Breast Health Initiative Founded
In 1993, Jill Biden founded the Biden Breast Health Initiative, a nonprofit organization providing breast health awareness programs in Delaware.
2004: Opposed Husband's Presidential Run Initially
In 2004, Jill Biden initially opposed her husband running for president, but after George W. Bush's reelection, she urged him to run again.
January 2007: Doctorate in Education
In January 2007, at the age of 55, Jill Biden received a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership from the University of Delaware.
2007: Book Buddies Founded
In 2007, Jill Biden helped found Book Buddies, an organization providing books to low-income children.
2008: Continued Teaching at Delaware Technical & Community College
In 2008, Jill Biden was still working as an instructor at Delaware Technical & Community College.
2008: Campaigning with Barack Obama
In 2008, after her husband was selected as Barack Obama's running mate, Jill Biden began campaigning, balancing her teaching duties with campaign appearances.
2008: Campaigning for Husband
In 2008, during Joe Biden's unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, Jill Biden continued to teach during the week and campaigned with him on weekends.
January 2009: Began Teaching at Northern Virginia Community College
In January 2009, Jill Biden began teaching English courses at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) while serving as the Second Lady of the United States.
May 2009: Obama Appointed Biden for Community College Initiative
In May 2009, President Obama announced that Jill Biden would be in charge of an initiative to raise awareness about the value of community colleges.
2009: Full-Time Faculty Member
In Fall 2009, Jill Biden received a two-year appointment as a full-time faculty member at NOVA.
January 2010: Gave Commencement Speech at University of Delaware
In January 2010, Jill Biden gave the commencement speech at the University of Delaware's winter commencement, which was the first such address by her at a major university.
August 2010: Appearance in 'Army Wives'
In August 2010, Jill Biden appeared as herself in an episode of Lifetime's Army Wives, as part of her campaign to raise awareness of military families.
April 2011: Founded Joining Forces Initiative
In April 2011, Jill Biden and Michelle Obama founded Joining Forces, a national initiative to support U.S. military families.
September 2011: Supported USAID's FWD Campaign
In September 2011, Jill Biden lent her support to USAID's FWD campaign, a push for awareness surrounding the deadly famine, war, and drought in the Horn of Africa.
2011: Permanent Position as Associate Professor
In Fall 2011, Jill Biden was given a permanent position as an associate professor at NOVA.
February 2012: Community College to Career Bus Tour
In February 2012, Jill Biden staged a "Community College to Career" bus tour with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis to highlight collaborations between community colleges and local businesses.
June 2012: Publication of children's book
In June 2012, Jill Biden published her children's book, "Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops", which was inspired by her stepson Beau's military deployment.
November 6, 2012: Re-election of Obama and Biden
On November 6, 2012, Barack Obama and her husband, Joe Biden, were re-elected, leading to Jill Biden beginning her second term as Second Lady of the United States.
2012: Modest role in 2012 U.S. presidential election
In 2012, during her husband's re-election campaign for vice president, Jill Biden played a relatively small role, continuing her teaching schedule and making few solo campaign appearances due to her aversion to politics and public speaking.
January 2013: Began second term as Second Lady
In January 2013, Jill Biden began her second term as Second Lady of the United States, continuing her work supporting military personnel and families.
2014: Campaigning for Democrats
During the 2014 U.S. midterm Congressional elections, Jill Biden campaigned for several Democratic candidates, including Mark Udall in Colorado and Michelle Nunn in Georgia.
May 2015: Death of Beau Biden
In May 2015, Jill Biden's stepson, Beau Biden, passed away from brain cancer, which she described as a "totally shattering" loss that significantly impacted her faith.
October 21, 2015: Husband's announcement not to run for president
On October 21, 2015, Jill Biden was present when her husband announced he would not be running for president in the 2016 election; she was disappointed by this decision.
2015: Full teaching load at NOVA
During the Fall 2015 semester, Jill Biden continued to teach at NOVA, handling a full load of five classes.
March 2016: Welcoming Scott Kelly back to Earth
In March 2016, Jill Biden led the official party that welcomed American astronaut Scott Kelly back to Earth after his nearly year-long mission in space.
2016: Disappointment of not running for presidency
In 2016, by her own account, Jill Biden was disappointed by her husband's decision not to run for presidency, believing her husband was highly qualified for the position and "would have been the best president".
February 2017: Launch of the Biden Foundation and Board Chair of Save the Children
In February 2017, Jill Biden and her husband launched the Biden Foundation to support causes such as preventing violence against women, his moonshot initiative, community colleges, and military families. Jill was also named board chair of Save the Children.
May 2017: Keynote address at Milwaukee Area Technical College
In May 2017, Jill Biden gave the keynote address at a commencement for Milwaukee Area Technical College.
June 2017: Purchase of vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
In June 2017, Jill Biden and her husband bought a vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for $2.7 million.
July 2017: Keynote address at California teachers summit
In July 2017, Jill Biden gave the keynote address at a California teachers summit, emphasizing the importance of community support for teachers.
2017: End of Second Lady Role
In 2017, Jill Biden's tenure as Second Lady of the United States concluded when her husband's term as Vice President ended. She continued her work as a professor.
May 2018: Commencement address at Bishop State Community College
In May 2018, Jill Biden gave a commencement address at Bishop State Community College in Alabama, encouraging graduates to believe they can achieve anything.
February 2019: Address to Newport News Apprentice School
In February 2019, Jill Biden spoke to the graduating class of the Newport News Apprentice School, acknowledging the complexity of their lives and responsibilities, and reminding them they were masters of a craft.
March 2019: Enthusiastic support for husband running for president
In March 2019, Jill Biden was reportedly "enthusiastically" in favor of her husband, Joe Biden, running for president in the 2020 United States presidential election.
April 25, 2019: Official announcement of Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
On April 25, 2019, the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign was officially announced and Jill Biden was considered a great asset.
May 2019: Publication of memoir "Where the Light Enters"
In May 2019, Jill Biden's memoir, "Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself", was published, focusing on family and personal experiences with little political content.
2019: Increased income and charitable giving
By 2019, Jill Biden and her husband reported approximately $15 million in income since leaving the vice presidency, with $700,000 from her speaking engagements; they also substantially increased their charitable giving during this period.
2019: Continued teaching at NOVA and campaign appearances
During 2019, Jill Biden continued to teach at NOVA while also making campaign appearances, emphasizing the electability argument for her husband in early contest states.
2019: Rebuilding Faith
In 2019, Jill Biden began to find faith again as a result of interactions with people on the campaign trail, after losing it following the death of Beau Biden in 2015.
June 2020: Publication of children's book about Joe Biden
In June 2020, Jill Biden published the children's book "Joey: The Story of Joe Biden", portraying him as a brave and adventurous child.
July 2020: Criticism of Betsy DeVos and virtual learning
In July 2020, Jill Biden spoke out about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, criticizing Betsy DeVos and emphasizing the need for a science-based strategy and a public school educator as Secretary of Education.
September 2020: Wearing "vote" boots
In September 2020, Jill Biden wore Stuart Weitzman's black boots with the word "vote" written on them. The boots sold out immediately, and page views spiked five-fold the next day.
November 2020: Appointment of Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor
In mid-November 2020, it was announced that Jill Biden's chief of staff as first lady would be Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón and her senior advisor would be Anthony Bernal.
December 2020: Controversy over "Dr." title
In December 2020, an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal urging Jill Biden to drop the "Dr." from her preferred form of address due to her not being a medical doctor sparked widespread backlash.
2020: Cancer Moonshot 2020
During 2016, she was present with her husband on a listening tour for Cancer Moonshot 2020, an effort he was leading.
2020: Biden running for the president
In 2020, Jill Biden was enthusiastically in favor of her husband, Joe Biden, running for president in the United States presidential election.
2020: Involvement in vice-presidential selection and DNC speech
In 2020, Jill Biden was involved in the vice-presidential selection process that led to Kamala Harris's nomination. She spoke at the Democratic National Convention, drawing parallels between family suffering and the country's plight, and campaigned in Pennsylvania emphasizing the importance of women voting.
2020: Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign
In 2020, the Joe Biden presidential campaign continued with Jill Biden considered a great asset.
2020: Increased role in presidential campaign and teaching preparations
Jill Biden took a leave of absence from NOVA for the spring 2020 semester to campaign full-time and trained in online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic, intending to resume teaching even if her husband was elected.
January 20, 2021: Became First Lady of the United States
On January 20, 2021, Jill Biden became the First Lady of the United States upon her husband's inauguration as president; she is the oldest first lady to assume the role at age 69 and the first Italian American first lady.
February 13, 2021: Scrunchie photo goes viral
On February 13, 2021, Jill Biden posted a photo on Twitter of her shopping for cupcakes in Washington, D.C. while wearing a scrunchie, which went viral.
March 2021: Press team to not comment on clothes
In March 2021, Jill Biden's spokesperson stated that the first lady's press team would not comment on her clothes.
June 2021: Jill Biden Attends G7 Summit in Cornwall
In June 2021, Joe and Jill Biden visited Cornwall in the United Kingdom to attend the 47th G7 summit. Biden and the Duchess of Cambridge visited primary school students and participated in a roundtable discussion focusing on early childhood education.
July 2021: Jill Biden's Solo Trip to Tokyo
In July 2021, Jill Biden visited Tokyo in her first solo trip abroad as the first lady. There, she met Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Emperor Naruhito, visited American athletes, and attended the Olympics opening ceremony.
September 2021: Return to in-person teaching at NOVA
In September 2021, Jill Biden returned to in-person teaching at NOVA, becoming the first wife of a sitting U.S. president to hold a paying job outside the White House. Her classes have heightened security measures.
September 2021: Joining Forces Interagency Policy Committee Launch
In September 2021, the Office of the First Lady joined the U.S. National Security Council in launching the Joining Forces Interagency Policy Committee to secure proposals across the federal government to support military families.
October 2021: Jill Biden Delivers Speeches for Terry McAuliffe
In October 2021, Jill Biden visited Virginia to deliver "last-minute stump" speeches for the Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, in his race against Republican challenger Glenn Youngkin.
October 2021: Jill Biden Ranked Seventh Most Popular First Lady
In October 2021, Jill Biden was placed as the seventh most popular first lady out of twelve recent first ladies from an online survey poll by Zogby Analytics.
October 2021: Bidens Visit Vatican City and Rome
In October 2021, the Bidens visited Vatican City where they met Pope Francis to discuss world poverty and climate change. In the same month, they visited Rome to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit.
November 2021: Joining Forces Program Launches Hidden Helpers Coalition
In November 2021, the Joining Forces program joined Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project in launching Hidden Helpers Coalition, an initiative designed to create supportive programming for 2.3 million children of wounded, ill or injured service members or veterans.
2021: Became First Lady
In 2021, Jill Biden became the First Lady of the United States upon her husband, Joe Biden, becoming President.
February 2022: Jill Biden Acknowledges Loss of Free Community College Tuition Item
In February 2022, Jill Biden publicly acknowledged at the Community College National Legislative Summit that the free community college tuition item had been dropped from any BBB bill and expressed her disappointment.
May 2022: Jill Biden Visits Ukraine and Neighboring Countries
In May 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Jill Biden made a trip to Romania and Slovakia, visiting with Ukrainian refugees. She also made an unannounced trip across the Slovakia–Ukraine border to Uzhhorod, Ukraine, where she met with displaced Ukrainian schoolchildren and Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska.
July 2022: Latino stereotyping controversy
At the July 2022 conference of UnidosUS, Jill Biden made a gaffe by claiming Latino Americans were as "unique" as tacos and mispronouncing "bodegas." This Latino stereotyping caused widespread condemnation, leading to an apology via a spokesman.
July 2022: Jill Biden Expresses Frustration with Administration Challenges
In July 2022, Jill Biden expressed frustration with the challenges her husband has faced as his administration has sought to address a range of issues.
July 2022: CNN poll reveals decline in favorability ratings
In July 2022, a CNN poll indicated a decline in Jill Biden's favorability ratings, dropping from 58% favorable at the time of her husband's inauguration to 34% favorable, and from 28% unfavorable at the time of her husband's inauguration to 29% unfavorable. This was attributed to her being more outwardly political and the general increase of partisan polarization.
August 2022: Jill Biden Contracts COVID-19
In August 2022, Jill Biden, who was fully vaccinated, contracted COVID-19 and went into isolation protocols.
October 2022: Jill Biden Visits 40 U.S. States as First Lady
By October 2022, Jill Biden had visited 40 U.S. states as first lady, outpacing the number of states that her husband visited during his presidency.
January 2023: Jill Biden Undergoes Mohs Surgery
In January 2023, Jill Biden underwent Mohs surgery to remove two basal-cell carcinoma lesions from her face and chest.
February 2023: Jill Biden's Africa Visit
In February 2023, Jill Biden made her initial visit to Africa as first lady with a trip to Namibia and Kenya. In Windhoek, she delivered a speech on democracy and women's empowerment. While in Kenya's Kajiado County, she witnessed the effects of the ongoing 2020–2023 Horn of Africa Drought.
March 2023: Jill Biden Hosts Women's History Month Event
In March 2023, Jill Biden hosted a Women's History Month event where she called on men to step up and fight to protect women's rights and hosted the annual International Women of Courage Award.
April 2023: "Unforced error" at NCAA basketball tournament
In April 2023, Jill Biden committed an "unforced error" by extending an invitation to the White House to both the winning LSU Tigers and losing Iowa Hawkeyes after the 2023 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament championship game. The invitation to Iowa was later retracted.
April 2023: Campaign announcement
In April 2023, the Joe Biden 2024 presidential campaign was announced, with Jill Biden strongly supporting her husband's decision to run.
May 2023: Jill Biden Attends Coronation of Charles III and Camilla
In May 2023, Jill Biden and her step-granddaughter, Finnegan, were the representatives of the American government at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla, making her the first first lady to ever attend a British coronation.
May 2023: LSU visit to the White House
In May 2023, the LSU women's basketball team visited the White House, and Angel Reese and Jill Biden hugged after Reese initially took offense at Biden's remark about inviting both teams.
June 2023: Jill Biden Attends Wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan
In June 2023, Jill Biden and her daughter Ashley attended the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Al Saif. In the same month, she visited Egypt, Morocco and Portugal to highlight her advocacy for youth empowerment and arts.
July 2023: Jill Biden Visits Paris to Mark US Return to UNESCO
In July 2023, Jill Biden visited Paris to give a speech to mark the official return of the United States to UNESCO.
September 2023: Jill Biden Contracts COVID-19 Again
In September 2023, Jill Biden contracted COVID-19 again.
October 2023: Jill Biden Hosts 'Girls Leading Change' Celebration
In October 2023, Jill Biden, along with the White House Gender Policy Council, hosted the first-ever “Girls Leading Change” celebration to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities across the United States.
November 2023: Jill Biden Discusses Women's Health Initiative Origins
In November 2023, Jill Biden said that the initiative grew out after a meeting with Maria Shriver, a women's health advocate and former California first lady.
February 2024: Concerns over Joe Biden's age
By February 2024, Joe Biden's age became a central topic of news coverage, and reports indicated that Jill Biden often sought to shield her husband from excessively long appearances or impromptu remarks.
February 2024: Jill Biden Announces White House Initiative on Women's Health Research
In February 2024, Jill Biden announced the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research, a $100 million federal funding for research and development into women's health.
April 2024: Jill Biden Urges President Biden to Call for End to Israel-Hamas War
In April 2024, The New York Times reported that President Biden told an attendee on a meeting with Muslim community members that the first lady had been urging him to calling for an end to the Israel-Hamas war, lamenting the high civilian death toll.
July 2024: Jill Biden Leads US Delegation at Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
In July 2024, Jill Biden led the American delegation at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. She also visited American athletes at an Olympic training center in Paris.
July 21, 2024: Withdrawal from presidential election
On July 21, 2024, the withdrawal of Joe Biden from the 2024 United States presidential election was announced. Jill Biden had advocated for the announcement to be made on a weekend to preserve his dignity.
October 2024: Jill Biden Leads US Delegation at Claudia Sheinbaum's Inauguration
In October 2024, Jill Biden led the American delegation to the inauguration of Claudia Sheinbaum as president of Mexico.
October 2024: Jill Biden Unveils White House Public Tour Upgrade
In October 2024, Jill Biden unveiled the upgrade of the White House public tour to make it more accessible, interactive and educational for visitors.
January 2025: Favorability ratings at end of term
In January 2025, as Jill Biden's term as First Lady came to an end, a CNN poll showed her with a 33% favorability rating and a 31% unfavorability rating with 35% unsure how they feel about her.
2025: End of First Lady Role
In 2025, Jill Biden's tenure as First Lady of the United States concluded when her husband's term as President ended.
