This Day In History: November 14th
With roles ranging from Secretary of State to Senior Advisor, Condoleezza Rice and Valerie Jarrett are no strangers to what it takes to be a member of a Presidential administration. In addition to holding high-profile positions under U.S. presidents, both women share the same birthday, November 14.
Condoleezza Rice was born first on November 14, 1954, in Birmingham, Alabama. Despite establishing a historic career in politics, Rice initially wanted to pursue music after learning to play the piano. She entered college as a music major and took an interest in politics after taking a course in international politics. Rice graduated from the University of Denver and earned a degree in political science. She also studied Russian at Moscow State University and in 1981 she obtained a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Denver.
The following year, Rice started her career as an assistant professor at Stanford University and quickly developed a respected reputation. In 1993, she served as the first woman and first African American Provost of Stanford. Although she found success in teaching, Rice still pursued her political interests.
In 1989, Rice served as President George H.W. Bush’s advisor on the Soviet Union. She was then appointed as the National Security Advisor under President George W. Bush. In 2004, Rice transitioned into the role of Secretary of State. She was the first African American woman to hold both positions.
Rice was an important part of efforts to promote global peace and support educating the public on international relations. Rice served in this until 2009 before returning to teaching. Condoleezza Rice is also a bestselling author of books titled, “Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family” (2010), “No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington” (2011) and “Democracy: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom” (2017).
Similarly to former Secretary Rice, bestselling author Valerie Jarrett was born on November 14, 1956, in Shiraz, Iran. Jarrett spent her youth in a variety of places including Iran, London and Massachusetts before earning her degree in psychology from Stanford University in 1978. She continued her education and graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1981.
Jarrett started her career in Chicago’s corporate banking scene before shifting her focus to real estate. In 1987, she began working in the public service sector as the deputy corporation counsel for finance and development for the City of Chicago. Just four years later, she worked her way to becoming Mayor Richard M. Daley’s deputy chief of staff. Jarrett was also appointed as Chicago’s commissioner of planning and development and the chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority.
While working for Mayor Daley, Jarrett met and developed a relationship with Michelle Obama. This led to her serving as the finance chair for Obama’s 2004 Senate campaign. Following his historic presidential victory, Jarrett started as the co-chair of President Obama’s transition team and was appointed to be a senior advisor.
As a senior advisor, Jarrett worked to strengthen the middle class, raise the minimum wage, promote entrepreneurship, and push for equality. She served as a senior advisor to President Obama throughout both of his terms. In 2019, she published her memoir, “Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward,” which documented her life and experiences as a presidential advisor.
