Pelosi, Nancy (1940-…), served as the speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, and again from 2019 to 2023. She was the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, and the first woman to head a party in either the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate. Pelosi served as House minority leader from 2003 to 2007 and from 2011 to 2019, when Democrats were the minority party in the House. Pelosi has represented San Francisco, California, in the U.S. Congress since 1987.
Pelosi was born Nancy Patricia D’Alesandro in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 26, 1940. Her father, Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives at the time of her birth. He later served as mayor of Baltimore, from 1947 to 1959. Her brother Thomas also served as Baltimore’s mayor, from 1967 to 1971.
Nancy D’Alesandro graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C., in 1962 with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. In 1963, she married Paul F. Pelosi, who became a successful investor. The couple have five children.
Pelosi served as the northern chairperson of the California Democratic Party from 1977 to 1981, and as the party’s state chairperson from 1981 to 1983. From 1985 to 1987, she was the finance chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 1987, Pelosi was elected to her first term in the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election to replace Sala G. Burton, a representative who had died.
As a member of the House, Pelosi became known for her liberal views. Since her first term, she has worked to increase government funding for AIDS research. She has long been an outspoken critic of what she labeled the human rights violations of China and other U.S. trading partners. She has also supported efforts to reform student loan practices, regulate the financial industry, and ensure that economic development efforts do not damage the environment.
Pelosi served as the whip (assistant leader) of the House Democrats from January 2002 to January 2003. She became the leader of the Democratic Party in the House in 2003. Following congressional elections in 2022, House Democrats elected New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries to succeed Pelosi as party leader.
