unveil a postage stamp honoring former first lady barbara bush. ♪

[applause] >> thank you for everyone at the white house for holding this wonderful event. and my sincere gratitude goes out to the first lady for being our special host today. thank you. [applause] it is an honor to be here with all of you and a privilege to unveil the united states postal service's stamp commemorating the life, memory and legacy of one of america's most prominent women, first lady barbara bush. today we recognize mrs. bush not only as a beloved first lady, but as a remarkable american in her own right.

she charted a legacy for herself and did it with conviction, determination, and compassion. barbara bush was known for her drive to help others. a drive forged through her own life experiences and tragedies. the loss of her daughter robin to leukemia at the age of 3 left an indelible mark on her heart and one that instilled profound empathy for individuals and families marked by illness. in 1989, mrs. bush visited a hospice and cradled a child dieing from aids. at that time even touching someone with aids was not only stigmatized but feared. in that moment she encouraging the country to look past the disease and see the suffering child. in that vision she helped shift

people's perceptions about the disease and changed an entire nation's conversation, one that her son, george w. bush, would continue in his presidency. seeing her son struggling with dyslexia, she took on the challenge of illiteracy, a defining pillar of her social platform she established the barbara bush foundation for literacy in 1989 and championed the national literacy act in 1991. through her tenure as first lady, she hosteds where bush's story time, a national broadcast encouraging dulls to read aloud to children. these helped equip young americans with the core skills needed to succeed in life. the book she wrote, inspired by hearabled dogs, topped bestseller lists and proceeds were used to fund literacy

programs. her name now graces schools from texas to arizona, a children's hospital in maine and most proudly for her, literary plaza in houston. all symbols of her lifelong drive to connect families to the power of knowledge. as you can see the personal struggles marking mrs. bush's life did not harden her. they inspired her. and deepened her connection to the american she is served. they revealed what truly matters, family, compassion and service. through those lessons she became a national example of strength, humility and grace. perhaps what mrs. bush is most remembered for is her plain spoken honesty, soft and -- sharp and often self-deprecating sense of humor.

she never pretended to be someone she wasn't she spoke her mind, laughed at herself and stayed grounded even as history unfolded around her. her legacy lived on, not just in the buildings that bear her name but in the lives changed through education and the compassion she modeled and in the lessons that she left behind. in a moment we will unveil the first class mail forever stamp honoring first lady barbara bush. the image which is a detail from her official white house portrait, shows mrs. bush wearing one of her signature multistrand pearl necklaces. her portrait, an oil on canvas painted was created in 1995 from an artist who famously created oil portraits of all presidents. first lady barbara bush represented the best of america. we are proud to honor her life and her contributions to our great nation with this beautiful

piece of art. and now the moment we have all been waiting for. mrs. yates, mrs. cook, will you do the honors please? mrs. trump. are we ready? one, two, three. [applause] >> on behalf of the united states postal service, i am pleased to commemorate her legacy of service to our nation through the first lady barbara bush postage stamp. it is now my pleasure to

introduce alice yates, chief executive officer of the george and barbara bush foundation. [applause] >> thank you. what a special opportunity for family, friends and loved ones. former staff members. to gather here and honor first lady barbara bush. that's really beautiful here at the white house. mrs. trump, your kindness and generous hospitality is so appreciated. thank you. our thanks to judy for the kind introdukes, and your remarks were so lovely. and all the men and women of the united states postal service, thank you for recognizing mrs. bush in such a meaningful way during her centennial year. i can only imagine, and we talked about it a little bit, the memories that are flooding the minds of the members of the bush family, to be back here in the white house, to reflect on

your mother, on your ganny, your beloved friend, your mentor, hows no tall judge it must feel. what a privilege to join you for an honor such as this. i want to take a moment to recognize president and mrs. bush's is on neil and daughter, doro bush cook. you along with your siblings know best that george h.w. bush was the love of barbara bush's life. a love so evident they lived out 73 years of marriage. and many would say that there wouldn't be a president george h.w. bush if it wasn't for barbara bush. so we know that. in fact, as your father did so well, and he wrote in a letter, he said you have given me joy that few men know. he wrote, i have climbed perhaps the highest mountain in the world but even that cannot hold a candle to being barbara's

husband. she was by her husband's side throughout his historic public service career. culminating with his election as vice president, ultimately president of the united states. barbara bush was well-prepared for life as america's first lady and as first lady you heard so so many of the amazing accomplishments. she was a powerful force for change, always. one of her most enduring contributions was her tireless advocacy for literacy. believing, in her words, that education is a civil right. no matter one's age. she played a key role, as you mentioned, mind the scenes for the national literacy act, the bipartisan passage of that legislation. and this legislation elevated the needs of adult learners, which was often an overlooked group. and firmly placed literacy at the heart of american policy. so today's event is a reminder, it reminds us of her inspiring legacy, of integrity, grace,

service, grit. and at the george and barbara bush foundation, it is our honor every day, we are dedicated to preserving the legacy of president and mrs. bush. carrying forward their selfless service and commitment to traditional american values. so whether through our guests at the presidential library and museum, the students at the bush school of government and public service, or through the literacy education programs throughout the nation, every day that we collectively share the legacy of george and barbara bush with others is a good day for our country. so thank you for that opportunity. today. and for joining us in that effort through this beautiful tribute to first lady barbara bush we look forward to the first day of issue, june 10, and the continued impact we will see as a new generation experiences someone that is held so beloved

for all of us that here today, first lady barbara bush. it is now my honor to introduce the beloved daughter of george and barbara bush, doro bush. [applause] >> thank you so much, alice. mrs. trump, distinguished guests, thank you for being part of this special day. mrs. trump, we are so grateful to you for hosting us at the white house on this momentous occasion. being here brings back so many memories for me and my family. my mom always loved to come back and visit and i know she's watching over us today. and reminding me to keep these remarks short. [laughter] thank you to the postal service, the stamp perfectly captures mom's poise and dignity. mom would be so happy that she

is featured with her favorite portrait by the great american artist chas fagan who is here today. i'd also like to thank our friend stuart mclaren and the white house historical association for all they've done to support today's event. their work is so important to keeping the white house and its amazing history available for all americans. barbara bush, known to many as mom, ganny, the silver fox, or most famously in our family, the enforcer. will forever be remembered for her strength, abounding love for family, quick wit, and deep commitment to little rahcy. at just 16 years old, mom met the only man she would ever kiss.

i watched susan ford and i saw her burst into tears when her mother's stamp was unveiled. i said, i'm not going to do that. [laughter] but anyway. let's see. met -- ok the only man she would ever kiss at a school dance. two years later, she was engaged to george h.w. bush. beginning a partnership that would span decades and help shape history. little did show she know the adventures ahead. life with george bush was never boring. mom lived through six children, 21 grandchildren, at least 27 moves from california to china, seven wars, three dress sizes, two governors, seven parachute jumps and two presidents. when she became first lady, she transformed the white house into a true home.

she hosted hundreds of guests, regularly invited our children and her grandchildren for sleepovers and even welcomed six spirited springer spaniels into the mix. mom told her staff she wanted to to something every day to help others so that's what she did. she scheduled many events and visits that highlighted a need, helped encourage volunteerism or focused on literacy. her signature cause was literacy. she believed that all of the problems in the world would be solved if every man, woman and child could read, write, and comprehend. in one defining moment, mom helped shift the national dialogue around hiv-aids during a visit to grandma's house hospice in washington, d.c. she cradled baby donovan, an infant

with h.i.v., at a time when fear and stigma were rampant. that simple, compassionate act captured in a photo that made national headlines spoke louder than words ever could. mom was never one to shy away from speaking the truth or taking a stand. her 1990 commencement speech at wellesley college initially met with resistance, went on to become one of the most celebrated speeches of the 20th century. in it, she encouraged graduates to pursue meaningful relationships over material success, saying at the end of your life you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. you will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend, or a parent. with her signature white hair and pearls she became an icon in

her own right. and yet even as a former first lady she remained humble and humorous when recognized at sam's club in houston, she would often respond no, i'm much younger and prettier. [laughter] our family is immeasurably blessed to call barbara bush our mom. her legacy lives on, not only in history books but in the hearts of everyone she touched. it's unlikely that mom ever pictured herself on a postage stamp, and it's very likely that she would be wondering what all this fuss is about today. but on behalf of my entire family, i can assure you that we are all very proud and grateful for this special tribute. it is now my privilege and honor to introduce the first lady of the united states, melania trump. [applause]

>> thank you. welcome, everyone and welcome, bush family, nice to have you here. thank you, doro, for a beautiful introduction. and welcome back to the white house. as we honor the life and legacy of your mother, first lady barbara bush. barbara's unwavering conviction, dignity and deeply loyal to her loved ones have left an undeniable mark on our hearts and history. your mother's values can be seen in her family, friends, and former staff who also join us here today and continue her legacy. many thanks to the

representatives of the george and barbara bush foundation for joining us today, along with the barbara bush legacy for literacy, you are helping people navigate the world with confidence and dignity. i want to thank the white house historical association and the united states postal service, especially judy, who made today's event possible. [applause] strong american families are the foundation of a healthy society and serve as a steppingstone toward building a better world. the dynamics within american households shape our nation's core values, strengths, and collective wisdom. it is within the privacy of our homes and the principles of

morality, ambition and empathy take root. the family unit serves as our first line of foresight, often more influential than the decision made in washington, d.c. barbara bush's iconic commencement address at wellesley college in 1990 remains an important p moment in the conversation surrounding women's role in society. her message, which emphasized the importance of family and personal integrity, encouraged women to carve their own path in life. mrs. bush explained, your success as a family, our success as a society, depends not on what happens in the white house, but on what happens inside your house. the first lady further inspired the audience by highlighting the

importance of pursuing personal dreams, stating, the winner of the hope race will be the first to realize her dream, not society dreams, her own, personal dreams. who knows, somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow in my footsteps and preside over the white house. and i wish him well. over 35 years have passed since barbara bush made the call for a female american president. a reflection of her forward thinking vision. as a devoted mother and one of only two first ladies who have a son who also ascended to the presidency she embodied the complex interplay of ambition and identity that defines us all. mrs. bush's legacy is marked by her respect for tradition, while

also breaking with convention. while she's known for championing literacy she also supported women's empowerment, changed the national conversation on aids, and took a stand supporting gay rights. i applaud mrs. bush's for defending women across the country. we will build better families and run innovative businesses at the same time, ultimately shaping a brighter future. the unveiling of this commemorative stamp honors barbara bush's contributions as first lady and her enduring impact on our nation. may this tribute inspire us to lead with compassion, act with strength, and uphold the values that direct us toward meaningful

existence. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats until the first lady departs the east room. thank you. ♪