Barbara Olson: Conservative Voice Lost on 9/11
Barbara Kay Olson (December 27, 1955 – September 11, 2001) was an American lawyer and conservative television commentator. She died as a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77 when it was flown into the Pentagon during the September 11 attacks.
Early Life and Education
Olson was born Barbara Kay Bracher in Houston, Texas, on December 27, 1955. Her older sister, Toni Bracher-Lawrence, served on the Houston City Council from 2004 to 2010. She graduated from Waltrip High School.
Career and Achievements
Olson worked as a lawyer and television commentator, appearing on CNN, Fox News Channel, and other outlets. She became known for her conservative viewpoint and frequent criticism of the Bill Clinton administration. In 1996, she married Theodore Olson, becoming his third wife.
Notable Events and Milestones
Olson published Hell to Pay: The Unfolding Story of Hillary Rodham Clinton in November 1999, a critical examination of then–First Lady Hillary Clinton. Her second book, The Final Days: The Last, Desperate Abuses of Power by the Clinton White House, was published posthumously in October 2001.
On September 11, 2001, Olson was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77, traveling to Los Angeles for a taping of Bill Maher’s television show Politically Incorrect. She had delayed her original travel plans from September 10 to September 11 so she could spend the morning with her husband on his birthday. After the aircraft was hijacked, Olson called her husband via the airphone. During one call, she asked, “What do I tell the pilot to do?” suggesting that pilot Charles Burlingame was near her at the back of the cabin. The flight was flown into the Pentagon as part of the coordinated attacks that day.
Awards and Honors
Since November 2001, the Federalist Society has presented an annual lecture in Olson’s honor at their National Lawyers Convention. Her name appears on Panel S-70 of the South Pool at the National September 11 Memorial, alongside other passengers of Flight 77.
Additional Resources
Olson’s life and death remain documented in historical records of the September 11 attacks and in biographical archives. More detailed information about her career, writings, and legacy is available through Wikipedia and other historical sources dedicated to the 9/11 victims and the media figures of that era.
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