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George W. Bush Library

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A resource for the study of George W. Bush, the Presidency, American history, & public policy. @usnatarchives comment policy: https://go.usa.gov/xpnDG

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🎉 This year, the George W. Bush Presidential Library is celebrating the 80th birthdays of President and Mrs. Bush by highlighting artifacts from the library’s collection.
Through early November, our Instagram page will feature 80 posts highlighting treasures from our collection of over 47,000 artifacts.
"80 for 80: A Birthday Celebration for President and Mrs. Bush" will tell their story using our artifacts, ranging from state gifts given to the Bushes by foreign leaders to art made by school children and gifts from the American people.

#NationalArchives #Exhibit #Presidental #Archives #80for80 by @gwblibrary

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6 months ago

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al Sabah served as Kuwait’s Prime Minister before becoming Emir of Kuwait in 2006. He worked closely with President Bush during the War on Terror, and the two maintained a strong diplomatic relationship centered on regional security for the Middle East.
Known as a humanitarian, he was recognized for supporting Syrian refugees and war-torn Iraq and Lebanon.

President Bush received this silver falcon sculpture from then-Acting Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah during a meeting at the White House in 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
🏺 FO.191236.a-b

#NationalArchives #Kuwait

This elaborate coffee service consists of a sterling silver “dalah” (Arabic for “coffee pot”) engraved with the State of Kuwait coat of arms and six porcelain coffee cups with platinum rims.
🏺 FO.553247.a-h by @gwblibrary

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Established along the Texas and Pacific Railway in June 1881 due to its location halfway between Fort Worth and El Paso, Midway station became Midland three years later to differentiate it from similarly named cities. The discovery of oil in 1923 transformed the cattle town into the center of West Texas oil production drawing enterprising families like that of George H.W. and Barbara Bush who moved there in 1950.

Their eldest child, George, attended elementary and junior high school in Midland where Laura Welch was born in 1946 to Harold and Jenna Welch. Although they briefly attended the same junior high school, she wouldn’t be formally introduced to George Bush until 1977, marrying in Midland that November.

After the Bushes moved to the White House, Midland installed welcome signs noting the city’s most famous citizens. This miniature replica was given to the President shortly after the signs went up.
🏺 DO.207258

#NationalArchives #Midland

President Bush’s former YMCA basketball teammates gathered for a group photo to let the President know he was missed.
🏺 DO.221703

The Midland chapter of the Texas Classroom Teachers Association presented this desk clock to Mrs. Bush. The inscription reads "Midland TCTA Laura Bush Friend of Education 2001-2002.”
🏺 DO.231484

The “Friends of George W. and Laura Bush" paid for this “welcome” billboard near the Midland Visitor Center off Interstate 20. The group gave this framed reproduction to the Bushes as a memento.
🏺 DO.375819 by @gwblibrary

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Since it was launched in 2003, The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has saved 25 million lives and prevented millions of HIV infections in more than 50 countries around the world. It is the largest commitment in history by any single nation to combat one disease.

President Bush hosts Baron Mosima Loyiso Tantoh in the Rose Garden of the White House on Wednesday, May 30, 2007, after delivering a statement on PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
Baron's mother, Kunene Tantoh, representing Mothers to Mothers—an organization that provides treatment and support services for HIV-positive mothers in South Africa—joined President Bush and other guests in the Rose Garden for the statement.
📷 P053007ED-0160

#NationalArchives #PEPFAR

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his wife Margaret of Kenya gave this colorful painting to President Bush in 2014, a fine example of a post-presidential gift in the library’s collection. The oil on canvas depicts a father holding a white bag with a red ribbon alongside his wife and child.
🏺 52121605

Mrs. Bush at the Gheskio HIV/AIDS Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in March of 2008.
📷 P031308SC-0277

Mrs. Bush was given this wood relief carving in the shape of Rwanda with scenes depicting the daily lives of its people by the World Relief agency and the Evangelical Friends Church of Rwanda. An accompanying presentation plaque reads in part, “Thank you for helping the church to reach out, transform poverty and overcome AIDS.”
🏺 DO.476440.a-b

A gift from a citizen of Sierra Leone, this traditional African tunic is made of cotton batik fabric and embroidered in gold and white thread.
🏺 DO.109922.1

This traditional hand-woven kente cloth from Ghana was presented to the First Lady at a USAID organization meeting in 2008. The black sash has colorful detailing and is personalized with her name and the word “akwabaa,” which means “welcome" in Ashanti, a dialect of the Akan language spoken throughout West Africa.
🏺 FO.637761.3 by @gwblibrary

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🇦🇺 80 for 80 🇦🇺
With the Sydney Opera House as a backdrop, President George W. Bush and former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, talk as they tour Sydney Harbor Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, aboard the MV AQA.
📷 P090507ED-0471

#NationalArchives #Australia

Former Prime Minister John Howard presented these pewter coasters to President Bush and Cabinet members during his official state visit to the United States in May 2006.
These coasters feature designs of six different flowers native to Australia. They were kept in the Cabinet Meeting Room and used during meetings.
🏺 FO.542515.a-y

Opal is the Australian national gemstone, and John Howard gifted this opal necklace to Mrs. Bush in 2001.
🏺 FO.189037.a-c

This jackaroo-style hat was gifted to President Bush by John Howard on the occasion of his visit to President Bush’s ranch in Crawford Texas.
🏺 FO.294461.1 by @gwblibrary

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👜 For today's 80 for 80 post, we are celebrating National Handbag Day by showcasing unique handbags gifted to Mrs. Bush.

Timmy Woods, a noted designer of women’s handbags, designed this hand-painted purse made from Acacia wood. It includes a custom-designed display stand.
🏺DO.137055.a-b

This patriotic purse shaped like an elephant is crafted entirely from wood.🏺DO.100503

This custom-made handbag featuring an image of Mrs. Bush with Barney and Miss Beazley in front of the 2007 White House Christmas tree, was a gift from a citizen of El Paso, TX.
🏺DO.630945

#NationalArchives #Handbags by @gwblibrary

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⚓ OTD in 2006, the USS Texas was commissioned in Galveston, TX. It was the fourth naval vessel named for the state since 1892. The current USS Texas is a nuclear-powered Virginia-class fast-attack submarine. First Lady Laura Bush was the ship’s sponsor and christened the ship in a 2004 ceremony.

Mrs. Laura Bush, ship sponsor of the USS Texas, applauds at the conclusion of the Commissioning Ceremony Saturday, September 9, 2006, in Galveston, Texas.
📷 P090806SC-0516

#NationalArchives #USSTexas

In 2002, this replica of the USS Texas submarine was given to Mrs. Bush following the laying down of the ship’s keel, which formally recognizes the start of a ship's construction.
🏺 DO.236011

This bronze sculpture depicting colts and the Texas star is affixed to a circular spinning wooden plaque and was given to Mrs. Bush to commemorate the sub’s commissioning.

The presentation plates read: "USS Texas (SSN 775), Commissioned - Sept. 9, 2006, DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS" and "Presented To: Laura Bush, Sponsor."
🏺 DO.555746 by @gwblibrary

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👢Today is National Day of the Cowboy Boot! As you might expect, we have many examples of personalized boots given to the First Family.

Inlaid yellow roses decorate these custom Lucchese boots made for Mrs. Bush. Each boot is also embroidered with “L.B.,” personalizing them for the First Lady.
🏺 DO.504406.3.a-b

#NationalArchives #NationalDayOfTheCowboyBoot #RockyCarroll #Lucchese

President Bush pulls on his boots while preparing for an airport arrival ceremony.
🏺 CS09.345

President Bush was gifted these custom crocodile Lucchese boots, which feature the presidential seal on each.
🏺 DO.428593.2.a-b

Rocky Carroll (1938-2017) was a well-known Houston bootmaker who was friends with both Presidents Bush. He made custom cowboy boots for every president from Gerald Ford to George W. Bush.
We house several pairs of boots that Mr. Carroll gifted to President Bush and his family over the years, including these featuring the American and Texas flags.
🏺 52121558.a-b by @gwblibrary

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Presidential portraiture dates back to the very beginning of our nation’s history. Our collection includes many portraits of President Bush by both amateur and professional artists, rendered in various mediums.

Vietnam’s Chief of Protocol presented this highly detailed portrait of President Bush made of various gemstones including rubies, sapphires, spinel, quartz, topaz, and tourmaline, to the first couple during a state visit to Vietnam in 2006.
🏺 FO.570623.3.a-b

#NationalArchives #Portraits #PresidentBush

Self portrait painted by President Bush.
🏺 CS14.140

A Chinese artist wove this portrait of President Bush using human hair.
🏺 DO.283947

An artist in Ethiopia created this portrait of President Bush using an unusual choice of canvas—goat skin!
🏺 DO.444482

Photo of President Bush peering out around the door frame with a painting of George Washington in the background.
🏺 DO.452431 by @gwblibrary

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📚 This year marks 25 years since First Lady Laura Bush held the first National Book Festival, which featured more than 60 award-winning authors, illustrators and storytellers from across the country.
Literacy was a major initiative of both Mrs. Bush and her mother-in-law, First Lady Barbara Bush. Both President and Mrs. Bush received many personalized copies of books during their eight years in the White House.

Mrs. Laura Bush, joined by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, reads to children at the Driggs School in Waterbury, CT., Tuesday, July 24, 2007.
📷 P072407SC-0121

#NationalArchives #Literacy

This booklet was given to guests of the White House Symposium on Global Literacy in 2008.
🏺 Bulk.5044.2

Inscribed copies of “Night" and “All Rivers Run to the Sea,” written by Elie Wiesel, were given to President and Mrs. Bush.
📗 DO.596164.1

This signed, first edition of Toni Morrison’s "Beloved" was presented to Mrs. Bush in 2008.
📗 DO.635351

A limited edition of “The Adventures of Pinocchio, Tale of a Puppet,” by C. Collodi.
📗 DO.170073.3

“All Rivers Run to the Sea”
📗 DO.596164.2

A copy of the classic book "The Wind in the Willows," written by Kenneth Grahame.
📗 DO.683266.2 by @gwblibrary

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On this day in 1950, Snoopy made his first appearance in Peanuts.
An artist in Chicago created this cartoon for President Bush in the style of Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz, and painted the frame in an American flag style with words from the National Anthem.
🏺 DO.100127

#NationalArchives #Peanuts #CharlieBrown #Snoopy by @gwblibrary

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Happy First Lady Laura Bush Day!
On this day in 2006, the Baton Rouge Mayor-President, Melvin Lee "Kip" Holden, declared “First Lady Laura Bush Day” with this official proclamation.
🏺 DO.560178.4

#NationalArchives #LauraBush by @gwblibrary

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