Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton was the 42nd president of the United States. He served from 1993 to 2001. People knew him for his charm and ability to connect with others. He was the first president born after World War II, called a "Baby Boomer."

Clinton grew up in Hope, Arkansas. His father passed away before he was born, and his mother studied nursing in New Orleans. Bill loved music and played the tenor saxophone in school bands. Two special moments helped him decide to work in public service: meeting President John F. Kennedy at the White House and watching Martin Luther King Jr.’s "I Have a Dream" speech on TV.

After high school, Clinton went to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He studied foreign service and later went to University College, Oxford in England. He returned to the U.S. to attend Yale Law School, where he met his future wife, Hillary Rodham.

Clinton became the governor of Arkansas in 1978 at just 32 years old, the youngest governor in the country. He worked on improving schools and roads. Clinton was elected president in the 1992 election, beating George H. W. Bush and Ross Perot. During his time as president, the United States had strong economic growth.

Clinton was re-elected in the 1996 election, defeating Bob Dole. After leaving office in 2001, Clinton gave speeches and worked on humanitarian efforts through the Clinton Foundation. He helped with relief efforts in Haiti after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Clinton married Hillary Rodham in 1975, and they had one daughter, Chelsea Clinton. He enjoys playing the saxophone and has received many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Clinton’s birthplace home in Hope, Arkansas is now a historic site.