Childhood and Education Journey of Al Gore in Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Al Gore. From birth to education, explore key events.

Al Gore is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist best known for serving as the 45th Vice President under Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001. Before that, he was a U.S. Senator and a U.S. Representative for Tennessee. Gore was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2000, narrowly losing to George W. Bush despite winning the popular vote. Since leaving office, he has been a prominent voice on climate change, raising awareness and advocating for environmental action.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1947: Television Impact on Presidency

The impact of television on the presidency from 1947, was the topic of Al Gore's thesis.

March 31, 1948: Albert Gore Jr. was born

On March 31, 1948, Albert Arnold Gore Jr. was born in Washington, D.C.

Others born on this day/year

1953: Evins Succeeded Gore Sr.

In 1953, Joe L. Evins succeeded Albert Gore Sr. in Tennessee's 4th congressional district seat.

1956: Attended St. Albans School

In 1956, Al Gore began attending St. Albans School in Washington, D.C.

1965: Enrolled in Harvard College

In 1965, Al Gore enrolled in Harvard College and was elected president of the freshman student government council.

1965: Graduated from St. Albans School

In 1965, Al Gore graduated from St. Albans School and was accepted into Harvard University.

1965: Met Tipper Aitcheson at St. Albans senior prom

In 1965, Al Gore met Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Aitcheson at his St. Albans senior prom. Tipper was from the nearby St. Agnes School.

1968: Helped Father Write Anti-War Address

In 1968, Al Gore helped his father write an anti-war address to the Democratic National Convention but did not participate in the violent protests.

June 1969: Graduated from Harvard

In June 1969, Al Gore graduated from Harvard with an A.B. cum laude.

August 1969: Enlisted in Army, Returned to Harvard

In August 1969, after enlisting in the Army, Al Gore returned to Harvard in his military uniform and was "jeered" at by students.

1969: Became Eligible for the Military Draft

In 1969, Al Gore became eligible for the military draft after graduating from college.

April 1970: Named Soldier of the Month

In April 1970, Al Gore was named Rucker's "Soldier of the Month" while assigned to Fort Rucker, Alabama.

May 19, 1970: Married Tipper Aitcheson

On May 19, 1970, Al Gore married Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Aitcheson at the Washington National Cathedral.

1970: Father Faced Re-election

In 1970, Al Gore's father faced re-election. Al Gore enlisted in the Army.

1970: Senate Election Loss

In 1970, Al Gore's father lost his seat in the Senate.

January 2, 1971: Shipped to Vietnam

On January 2, 1971, Al Gore was shipped to Vietnam after his father lost his Senate seat.

May 1971: Received Honorable Discharge from the Army

In May 1971, Al Gore received an honorable discharge from the Army.

1971: Attended Vanderbilt University Divinity School

In 1971, Al Gore attended Vanderbilt University Divinity School on a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship to explore spiritual issues.

1973: Birth of Karenna Gore

In 1973, Karenna Gore was born to Al Gore and Tipper Gore.

1974: Took Leave to Attend Law School

In 1974, Al Gore took a leave of absence from The Tennessean to attend Vanderbilt University Law School.

1977: Birth of Kristin Carlson Gore

In 1977, Kristin Carlson Gore was born to Al Gore and Tipper Gore.

1977: Attended Mount Vernon Baptist Church

In 1977, after moving to Arlington County, Virginia, Al Gore began attending the Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

1979: Birth of Sarah LaFon Gore

In 1979, Sarah LaFon Gore was born to Al Gore and Tipper Gore.

1980: Baptized and became a member of Mount Vernon Baptist Church

In 1980, Al Gore and his wife, Tipper Gore, were baptized and became members of the Mount Vernon Baptist Church.

1982: Birth of Albert Arnold Gore III

In 1982, Albert Arnold Gore III was born to Al Gore and Tipper Gore.

1984: Sister Nancy LaFon Gore died

In 1984, Al Gore's older sister, Nancy LaFon Gore, died of lung cancer.

April 3, 1989: Albert Gore's Accident

On April 3, 1989, Al Gore's six-year-old son Albert was hit by a car and severely injured while leaving a baseball game, leading to a month-long hospital stay and a profound personal transformation for Gore.

August 1991: Decision Not to Run for President in 1992

In August 1991, Al Gore announced that his son's accident was a factor in his decision not to run for president in 1992.

1992: Decision Not to Run for President in 1992

In 1992, Al Gore decided not to run for president, citing his son's accident as a major factor. During this time, Gore wrote Earth in the Balance.

Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit

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2004: Left the Southern Baptist Convention

In 2004, Al Gore announced that he had left the Southern Baptist Convention, but remained a Baptist.

2005: Evacuation from Charity Hospital in New Orleans

In September of 2005, Al Gore privately coordinated the evacuation of 270 patients from Charity Hospital in New Orleans to Tennessee following Hurricane Katrina. Working with Dr. David Kline and Greg Simon, Gore secured planes and medical staff, using his political influence to expedite landing rights in New Orleans.

2008: Keynote speaker at New Baptist Covenant convention

In 2008, Al Gore was a keynote speaker at the New Baptist Covenant convention.

June 2010: Separation announcement

In June 2010, Al Gore and Tipper Gore announced their mutual decision to separate after "long and careful consideration".

2010: Attended WE Day in Vancouver, Canada

In 2010, Al Gore attended WE Day in Vancouver, Canada, which is a WE Charity event focused on empowering young people to create change.

May 2012: Reported dating Elizabeth Keadle

In May 2012, it was reported that Al Gore had started dating Elizabeth Keadle of Rancho Santa Fe, California.

2013: Became a vegan

In 2013, Al Gore transitioned to a vegan diet. Gore stated that he had earlier admitted that "it's absolutely correct that the growing meat intensity of diets across the world is one of the issues connected to this global crisis".

2014: Continued vegan diet after experiment

In a 2014 interview, Al Gore stated that he had changed his diet to a vegan diet more than a year ago, experimenting to see what it was like. He continued with the diet due to feeling better and planned to continue it for the rest of his life.

October 2, 2019: 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

October 2, 2019 marked the start of the year-long celebrations for Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary, with Al Gore serving as a member of the Indian Government committee coordinating the events.