Early Life and Education of Nancy Pelosi: A Complete Timeline

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

Nancy Pelosi is a prominent American politician, notably serving as the 52nd Speaker of the House, twice holding the position. As a Democrat representing California since 1987, she made history as the first female Speaker and the first woman to lead a major party in Congress. She led House Democrats from 2003 to 2023, marking a significant career in American politics. Her district currently encompasses most of San Francisco.

Sections (7)

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

1912: Mother's immigration to the U.S.

In 1912, Pelosi's mother emigrated to the U.S. from Fornelli, Isernia, Molise, in Southern Italy.

March 26, 1940: Nancy Pelosi's Birth

On March 26, 1940, Nancy Patricia Pelosi (née D'Alesandro) was born. She later became the 52nd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

Others born on this day/year

1949: Democratic Representation Since 1949

Since 1949, the area Nancy Pelosi represents has been represented in the House by Democrats uninterruptedly.

1955: Sam Rayburn Reclaims the Gavel

In 1955, Sam Rayburn reclaimed the gavel, marking the first instance of a former speaker doing so since Rayburn's achievement.

1958: Graduation from the Institute of Notre Dame

In 1958, Nancy Pelosi graduated from the Institute of Notre Dame, an all-girls Catholic high school in Baltimore.

January 1961: Attended John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address

In January 1961, Nancy Pelosi attended President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address.

1962: Graduation from Trinity College

In 1962, Nancy Pelosi graduated from Trinity College (now Trinity Washington University) in Washington, D.C., with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.

1967: Brother Thomas Elected Baltimore City Council President

In 1967, Pelosi's brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, was elected Baltimore City Council president.

1971: Brother Thomas Ends Term as Baltimore Mayor

In 1971, Pelosi's brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, ended his term as mayor of Baltimore.

1974: Post-Watergate Elections

The 2018 House of Representatives elections resulted in the Democratic Party's largest gain since the 1974 post-Watergate elections. This was referenced by Nancy Pelosi as she secured the Speaker of the House position once again in January 2019.

1976: Elected as a Democratic National Committee Member

In 1976, Nancy Pelosi was elected as a Democratic National Committee member from California.

1977: Elected as Party Chair for Northern California

In 1977, Nancy Pelosi was elected as party chair for Northern California.

1983: Ended Term as Head of the California Democratic Party

In 1983, Nancy Pelosi's term as head of the California Democratic Party came to an end.

1983: Death of Phillip Burton

In 1983, Phillip Burton died and his wife, Sala Burton, won a special election to fill his congressional term.

1984: Chairwoman of the San Francisco Democratic National Convention Host Committee

In 1984, Pelosi served as the San Francisco Democratic National Convention Host Committee chairwoman.

1985: Finance Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

In 1985, Nancy Pelosi became the Finance Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

1986: End of Term as Finance Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

In 1986, Nancy Pelosi's term as the Finance Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee came to an end.

1986: Sala Burton Becomes Ill with Cancer

In late 1986, Sala Burton became ill with cancer and decided not to run for reelection in 1988.

February 1, 1987: Death of Sala Burton

Sala Burton died on February 1, 1987, one month after being sworn in for a second full term.

April 7, 1987: Pelosi Wins Special Election

On April 7, 1987, Nancy Pelosi won the special election to succeed Sala Burton, defeating Harry Britt.

1987: First Election to Congress

In 1987, Nancy Pelosi was first elected to Congress in a special election.

1988: First Reelection Campaign

In 1988, Nancy Pelosi started her first seven reelection campaigns.

1988: Sala Burton Decides Not to Run for Reelection

In 1988, Sala Burton decided not to run for reelection due to illness and wanted Nancy Pelosi to succeed her, guaranteeing Pelosi the support of the Burtons' contacts.

1996: End of Term as Democratic National Committee Member

In 1996, Nancy Pelosi's term as Democratic National Committee member from California came to an end.

1998: 1998 Abortion Funding Amendment Vote

In 1998, Nancy Pelosi voted in favor of the Abortion Funding Amendment, which would have allowed district funds to promote abortion-related activities while prohibiting the use of federal funds.

2004: Gephardt Seeks Democratic Nomination

In 2004, Dick Gephardt resigned as House minority leader to seek the Democratic nomination in the presidential election.

2004: Seventh Reelection Campaign

In 2004, Nancy Pelosi won an average of 80% of the vote in her first seven reelection campaigns (from 1988 through 2004).

2006: District Voters in 2006

As of 2006, 13% of registered voters in the boundaries of Nancy Pelosi's district were Republican.

2006: Call to Change

In 2006, the election was a call to change with a new direction for the country, especially concerning the open-ended obligation to the war in Iraq.

2006: Capture of Israeli Soldiers

In 2006, three Israeli soldiers were captured by Hezbollah and Hamas.

2008: Rebuked by Archbishop Donald Wuerl

In 2008, Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., rebuked Nancy Pelosi for comments she made on Meet the Press with Tom Brokaw. Pelosi's comments concerned the Church's teaching on abortion and when human life begins, with the archbishop stating Pelosi was "incorrect".

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January 25, 2009: Support for Family Planning Services

On January 25, 2009, in an interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC News, Nancy Pelosi stated that one of the reasons she supported family planning services was that they would "reduce costs to states and to the federal government."

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February 2009: Meeting with Archbishop and Pope Benedict XVI

In February 2009, Nancy Pelosi met with Archbishop George Hugh Niederauer of San Francisco and Pope Benedict XVI regarding the controversy stemming from her comments on abortion.

March 2009: Controversy over USAF Aircraft Use

In March 2009, Judicial Watch obtained emails showing Pelosi's staff requested a Boeing 757 from the United States Air Force (USAF) for taxpayer-funded travel. Pelosi stated the policy was initiated by President Bush for security reasons, and the Sergeant at Arms requested a plane capable of non-stop flight. The Pentagon stated that no judgement had been rendered that Pelosi's use of aircraft was "excessive".

2012: Pelosi Discussed Her Position on LGBT Rights

In 2012, Nancy Pelosi explained that her stance on LGBT rights, including same-sex marriage, stemmed from her Catholic faith, despite it conflicting with Catholic doctrine defining marriage.

2012: Gun Control Ratings

In 2012, Nancy Pelosi received a 0% rating from Gun Owners of America and a 7% rating from the National Rifle Association of America for her stances on gun control.

2012: Reference to Benghazi attack investigation

In February 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Nancy Pelosi referenced that Republicans had previously created committees to investigate Planned Parenthood and the 2012 Benghazi attack.

February 2013: Call for Bold Gun Control Measures

In February 2013, Nancy Pelosi called for the "Boldest possible move" on gun control.

June 9, 2017: Comments on Trump's Tweets and Fitness for Office

On June 9, 2017, Nancy Pelosi stated that no one at the White House seemed courageous enough to tell President Donald Trump that his tweets were beneath the dignity of the presidency and that she was worried about his fitness for office, following Comey's testimony.

August 2017: Supported removing Confederate monuments from the Capitol Building

In August 2017, during her first tenure as speaker, Nancy Pelosi supported Senator Cory Booker's initiative to remove Confederate monuments and memorials from the Capitol Building.

November 2017: Convening Meetings on Workplace Policies Reform

In November 2017, Nancy Pelosi, after advocating for John Conyers's resignation due to harassment allegations, initiated a series of meetings to strategize reforms for workplace policies, addressing the heightened national focus on sexual harassment. She emphasized Congress's moral obligation to support individuals stepping forward and demonstrate effective leadership in cultivating a respectful and dignified work environment.

2017: Criticized Confederate Artworks in the US Capitol

In 2017, Nancy Pelosi repeatedly criticized the presence of artworks in the United States Capitol that depicted individuals who supported the Confederacy during the American Civil War.

January 2018: Reaction to Trump's State of the Union Address

In January 2018, Nancy Pelosi referred to Trump's 2018 State of the Union Address as a performance without serious policy ideas for collaboration. She also questioned Trump's refusal to implement Russian sanctions.

February 2018: Record-Breaking House Speech on DREAMers

In February 2018, Nancy Pelosi delivered the longest House speech on record, utilizing the "magic minute" custom to speak for over eight hours. She recounted stories from DREAMers, individuals brought to the United States as minors by undocumented immigrants, to protest a budget deal that would raise spending caps without addressing the future of DACA recipients facing deportation by the Trump administration.

February 2018: Response to Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

In February 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Nancy Pelosi criticized Republicans' "cowering" to the gun lobby and requested action on gun violence, including consideration of legislation expanding background checks and authorizing research on gun violence's public health impact. Pelosi also advocated for the creation of a special committee on gun violence.

November 2018: Statement After Thousand Oaks Shooting

In November 2018, after the Thousand Oaks shooting, Nancy Pelosi released a statement pledging that gun control would be a priority for House Democrats in the 116th United States Congress.

December 2018: Meeting with Trump and Pence

In December 2018, Nancy Pelosi and Charles E. Schumer met with Donald Trump and Mike Pence to discuss changes to be made when the new Democratic representatives take office in 2019.

2018: Comments on potential impeachment of Trump

In November 2018, Nancy Pelosi said that beginning the impeachment process against Trump would not be one of their legislative priorities but that the option could be considered if credible evidence appeared during the ongoing investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

January 2019: Support for Juan Guaidó in Venezuela

In January 2019, Nancy Pelosi supported President Trump in his decision to back Juan Guaidó during the Venezuelan protests and constitutional crisis.

April 2019: Trump Vows to Defy House Subpoenas

In April 2019, President Trump vowed to defy "all" subpoenas from the House and to refuse to allow administration officials to testify before House committees.

May 2019: Pelosi Accuses Trump of Obstruction of Justice

In May 2019, Nancy Pelosi described President Trump's interference regarding Don McGahn's records as an obstruction of justice and declared that "Trump is goading us to impeach him." Later in the month, she stated, "we believe that the president of the United States is engaged in a cover-up."

June 5, 2019: Pelosi states she wants to see Trump in prison

On June 5, 2019, during a meeting with senior Democrats about whether the House should launch impeachment proceeding against Trump, Pelosi said, "I don't want to see him impeached, I want to see him in prison."

July 2019: Focus on Trump-Ukraine Scandal

In July 2019, the House impeachment inquiry focused on efforts by President Trump and administration officials to pressure Ukraine to smear Joe Biden, while withholding U.S. military aid and a White House visit.

June 2020: Pushed for removal of Confederate statues from the Capitol

In June 2020, following nationwide protests over George Floyd's murder, Nancy Pelosi advocated for the removal of all statues of Confederates from the Capitol, and on June 18, she ordered the removal of four paintings of former Confederates from the Capitol Speaker's Gallery.

October 8, 2020: Announcement of Legislation on 25th Amendment Commission

On October 8, 2020, Nancy Pelosi announced legislation being introduced in the House to advance the creation of a commission to allow the use of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to intervene and remove President Trump from executive duties.

2020: Preference for defeating Trump in 2020 election

In May 2019, under pressure from an alliance of left-wing Representatives led by Chair of the House Judiciary Committee Jerry Nadler, Pelosi backed an impeachment inquiry. According to multiple sources, rather than impeachment, she wanted to see Trump lose to a Democrat in the 2020 election, following which he could be prosecuted.

2021: Kamala Harris Becomes Vice President

In 2021, Kamala Harris became vice president. Prior to this, Nancy Pelosi held the distinction of being the highest-ranking woman in the presidential line of succession.