A detailed timeline of the impact and legacy of Nancy Pelosi across different fields.
Nancy Pelosi is an American politician notable for being the 52nd Speaker of the House, serving from 2007-2011 and 2019-2023. As a Democrat, she was the first woman to hold the Speakership and lead a major party in Congress, heading House Democrats from 2003-2023. Representing California's 11th district since 1987, encompassing much of San Francisco, she holds the distinction of being the dean of California's congressional delegation.
1949: Democratic Representation in the House
Since 1949, the area of San Francisco that Nancy Pelosi has represented has been represented in the House by Democrats uninterruptedly.
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1955: Sam Rayburn Reclaimed the Gavel
In 1955, Sam Rayburn reclaimed the gavel as speaker.
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August 2017: Pelosi Supports Removal of Confederate Monuments
In August 2017, Nancy Pelosi supported Senator Cory Booker's initiative to remove Confederate monuments and memorials from the Capitol Building through legislation.
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April 2018: Pelosi Recognized as Effective Leader
In April 2018, Peter Beinart wrote in The Atlantic that Pelosi had been "the most effective congressional leader of modern times—and, not coincidentally, the most vilified."
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June 2019: Recognition as an Effective Speaker
In June 2019, Brent Budowsky opined in The Hill that Pelosi had been "the most important, consequential and effective Speaker since Tip O'Neill".
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January 2020: Pelosi Compared to Sam Rayburn
In January 2020, on the eve of Trump's first impeachment trial, Paul Kane of the Washington Post called Pelosi the most powerful House speaker in at least 25 years, noting that some historians were comparing her influence to that of former speaker Sam Rayburn.
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June 2020: Pelosi Pushes for Removal of Confederate Statues and Paintings
In June 2020, following protests over George Floyd's murder, Pelosi advocated for the removal of all Confederate statues from the Capitol. On June 18, 2020, she ordered the removal of four paintings of former Confederates from the Capitol Speaker's Gallery.
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2021: John Boehner on Pelosi's Influence
In 2021, former Republican speaker John Boehner opined that Pelosi had been the most powerful House speaker in U.S. history.
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2021: Kamala Harris Becomes Vice President
In 2021, until Kamala Harris became vice president, Nancy Pelosi was the highest-ranking woman in the presidential line of succession in U.S. history.
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November 2022: Recognition as "Most Effective Speaker Ever"
In November 2022, several commentators, including Chris Cillizza, Johnathan Bernstein, Jackie Calmes and Sarah Ferris, described Pelosi as the "most effective speaker ever" or one of the greatest and most powerful speakers in history.
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November 29, 2022: Named Speaker Emerita
On November 29, 2022, the Steering and Policy Committee of the House Democratic Caucus named Pelosi "Speaker Emerita".
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