Early Life and Education of Elizabeth Warren: A Complete Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Elizabeth Warren. From birth to education, explore key events.
Elizabeth Warren is a prominent American politician and the senior U.S. Senator from Massachusetts since 2013. A Democrat known for her progressive views, she champions consumer protection, economic equality, and strengthening the social safety net. Warren ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primaries, finishing third. Prior to her political career, she was a distinguished law professor specializing in bankruptcy and commercial law. Warren is seen as a leading voice for economic reform and social justice within the Democratic Party.
1911: Birth of Father
In 1911, Elizabeth Warren's father, Donald Jones Herring, was born.
1912: Birth of Mother
In 1912, Elizabeth Warren's mother, Pauline Louise Reed, was born.
June 22, 1949: Elizabeth Warren Born
On June 22, 1949, Elizabeth Ann Warren, née Herring, was born in Oklahoma City. She later became a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts.
1968: Left George Washington University
In 1968, Elizabeth Warren left George Washington University after two years to marry James Robert "Jim" Warren.
1970: Graduation from University of Houston
In 1970, Elizabeth Warren graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science degree in speech pathology and audiology.
1976: Graduation from Rutgers Law School
In 1976, Elizabeth Warren received her Juris Doctor from Rutgers Law School and passed the bar examination shortly thereafter.
1976: Voted for Gerald Ford
In 1976, Elizabeth Warren voted for Gerald Ford, the Republican nominee.
1977: Lecturer at Rutgers
In 1977, Elizabeth Warren began her academic career as a lecturer at Rutgers University, Newark School of Law.
1978: Moved to Houston
In 1978, Elizabeth Warren moved to the University of Houston Law Center.
July 12, 1980: Marriage to Bruce H. Mann
On July 12, 1980, Elizabeth Warren married law professor Bruce H. Mann, her second husband.
1980: Associate Dean
In 1980, Elizabeth Warren became an associate dean at the University of Houston Law Center.
1983: Full Professor at UT
In 1983, Elizabeth Warren returned to the University of Texas School of Law as a full professor.
1984: Identified as Cherokee in cookbook
In 1984, Warren contributed recipes to a Native American cookbook, identifying herself as Cherokee.
1985: Visiting Professor at Michigan
In 1985, Elizabeth Warren was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan.
1986: Identified race as "American Indian" on State Bar of Texas form
In 1986, Warren identified her race as "American Indian" on a State Bar of Texas form.
1987: Professor at Penn
In 1987, Elizabeth Warren joined the University of Pennsylvania Law School as a full professor.
1991: Registered as a Republican
From 1991 to 1996, Elizabeth Warren was registered as a Republican.
1992: Visiting Professor at Harvard
In 1992, Elizabeth Warren taught at Harvard Law School as a visiting professor.
1995: Listed as Native American by Harvard Law School
From 1995 to 2004, Harvard Law School listed Warren as Native American in its federal affirmative action forms.
1995: Professor at Harvard Law
In 1995, Elizabeth Warren became Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.
1995: Began voting Democratic
In 1995, Elizabeth Warren began voting Democratic, believing that the Republican Party no longer supported markets.
1995: Death of Mother
In 1995, Elizabeth Warren's mother, Pauline Louise Reed, passed away.
1996: Registered as a Republican
From 1991 to 1996, Elizabeth Warren was registered as a Republican.
1997: Death of Father
In 1997, Elizabeth Warren's father, Donald Jones Herring, passed away.
2004: Listed as Native American by Harvard Law School
From 1995 to 2004, Harvard Law School listed Warren as Native American in its federal affirmative action forms.
2004: Rise in Prominence
In 2004, Elizabeth Warren began to rise in prominence with an appearance on the Dr. Phil show, and published several books.
2010: Scott Brown Won Seat
In 2010, Republican Scott Brown had won the seat in a special election after Ted Kennedy's death.
September 14, 2011: Senate Candidacy
On September 14, 2011, Elizabeth Warren declared her intention to run for the Democratic nomination for the 2012 election in Massachusetts for the U.S. Senate.
2011: Delivered commencement address at Rutgers Law School
In 2011, Warren delivered the commencement address at Rutgers Law School, receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree and membership in the Order of the Coif. Warren was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2011 as well.
September 5, 2012: Speech at the Democratic National Convention
On September 5, 2012, Elizabeth Warren delivered a prime-time speech at the Democratic National Convention, positioning herself as a champion of the middle class, arguing that the system is rigged against them and criticizing Wall Street CEOs for their role in the economic crisis.
November 6, 2012: Warren Defeats Brown in Election
On November 6, 2012, Elizabeth Warren defeated Scott Brown with 53.7% of the vote, becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts.
2012: Scott Brown questioned Native American ancestry
During Warren's first Senate race in 2012, her opponent, Scott Brown, questioned her Native American ancestry and ran attack ads regarding the issue.
2012: Obama Echoed Sentiments
In 2012, President Obama echoed Elizabeth Warren's sentiments in an election campaign speech.
2012: Claimed Native American heritage
In 2012, Warren stated that "being Native American has been part of my story, I guess, since the day I was born".
January 3, 2013: Warren Sworn into Senate
On January 3, 2013, Elizabeth Warren was sworn in as a U.S. Senator by Vice President Joe Biden.
October 2013: Encourages Hillary Clinton to Run
In October 2013, Elizabeth Warren joined 15 women Democratic senators in signing a letter that encouraged Hillary Clinton to run for president.
2013: Became Senator
In 2013, Elizabeth Warren began serving as the senior United States senator from Massachusetts.
June 9, 2016: Endorses Hillary Clinton for President
On June 9, 2016, after the California Democratic primary, Elizabeth Warren formally endorsed Hillary Clinton for president.
December 2016: Gains Seat on Senate Armed Services Committee
In December 2016, Elizabeth Warren was appointed to the Senate Armed Services Committee, a position that fueled speculation about a possible 2020 bid for president.
January 6, 2017: Announces Run for Second Term
On January 6, 2017, Elizabeth Warren announced in an email to supporters that she would run for a second term as a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, vowing to fight against the policies of Donald Trump and his administration.
February 2017: "Nevertheless, She Persisted"
In February 2017, during the debate on Jeff Sessions's nomination, Elizabeth Warren was silenced for reading a letter from Coretta Scott King. Mitch McConnell's phrase 'Nevertheless, she persisted' became a slogan.
July 2018: Trump's Montana Rally
At a July 2018 Montana rally, Donald Trump mocked Warren for her Native American ancestry, promising to donate $1 million to her charity if a DNA test showed she was an Indian.
September 29, 2018: Considering a 2020 Presidential Run
On September 29, 2018, at a town hall meeting in Holyoke, Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren stated that she would 'take a hard look' at running for president in the 2020 election after the 2018 United States elections concluded.
October 2018: Released DNA test results
In October 2018, Warren released an analysis of a DNA test that suggested she had a Native American ancestor, likely 6 to 10 generations ago.
2018: Boston Globe investigation into Native American claims
A 2018 Boston Globe investigation found that Warren's reported ethnicity played no role in her rise in the academic legal profession.
December 31, 2018: Forms Exploratory Committee for President
On December 31, 2018, Elizabeth Warren announced the formation of an exploratory committee to run for president.
January 2019: Responded to DNA testing questions in Iowa
During a January 2019 public appearance in Sioux City, Iowa, Warren addressed questions about her DNA testing and clarified the difference between ancestry and tribal citizenship. She also contacted Cherokee Nation to apologize for any confusion caused.
February 9, 2019: Announced Presidential Candidacy
On February 9, 2019, Elizabeth Warren announced her candidacy for the 2020 United States presidential election.
February 2019: Warren apologized for identifying as Native American
In February 2019, Warren apologized for having identified as Native American.
February 2019: Surprise visit to Native American conference
In February 2019, Warren received a standing ovation during a surprise visit to a Native American conference, introduced by Representative Deb Haaland.
July 2019: Endorsed for president by Deb Haaland
In July 2019, Deb Haaland endorsed Warren for president, calling her a "great partner for Indian Country".
August 2019: Apologized at Native American Forum
In August 2019, Warren apologized again before a Native American Forum in Iowa for any harm caused by her ancestry claims.
2019: Political Shift Highlighted
In 2019, Politico highlighted Elizabeth Warren's shift from being a "diehard conservative" in high school to her later political views.
April 23, 2020: Brother's Death from COVID-19
On April 23, 2020, Elizabeth Warren announced on Twitter that her eldest brother, Don Reed Herring, had died of COVID-19 two days prior.
August 11, 2020: Harris Announced as Running Mate
On August 11, 2020, Kamala Harris was officially announced as Joe Biden's running mate, ending speculation about other candidates, including Elizabeth Warren.
November 2020: Mentioned as Possible Treasury Secretary
In November 2020, Elizabeth Warren was considered a candidate for Secretary of the Treasury in the Biden Administration.
2020: Presidential Campaign
In 2020, Elizabeth Warren was a candidate in the Democratic Party presidential primaries, ultimately finishing third.
October 1, 2021: Brother's Death from Cancer
On October 1, 2021, Elizabeth Warren announced that her brother, John Herring, had died of cancer.
March 10, 2023: Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
April 2024: Rated Among Top Senators
In April 2024, Elizabeth Warren was rated among the top 10 most popular senators in a poll by Morning Consult.
