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. As a Democrat known for her progressive views, she champions consumer protection, economic equality, and social welfare programs. Warren gained national attention as a 2020 presidential candidate, where she advocated for significant reforms. Before entering politics, she was a distinguished law professor specializing in bankruptcy. Her policy proposals and advocacy have positioned her as a leading voice in contemporary American political discourse, particularly on issues of economic fairness and corporate accountability.

Sections (6)

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

1911: Birth of Donald Jones Herring

In 1911, Donald Jones Herring, Elizabeth Warren's father, was born. He later served as a U.S. Army flight instructor during World War II.

1912: Birth of Pauline Louise Reed

In 1912, Pauline Louise Reed, Elizabeth Warren's mother, was born. She later married Donald Jones Herring and became a homemaker.

June 22, 1949: Elizabeth Warren Born in Oklahoma City

On June 22, 1949, Elizabeth Ann Herring, now known as Elizabeth Warren, was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

June 22, 1949: Elizabeth Warren's Birth

On June 22, 1949, Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring) was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

1968: Left George Washington University

In 1968, Elizabeth Warren left George Washington University after two years to marry James Robert "Jim" Warren, whom she had met in high school.

1970: Graduated from the University of Houston

In 1970, Elizabeth Warren graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science degree in speech pathology and audiology.

1970: Taught Children with Disabilities

In 1970, after obtaining her degree but before enrolling in law school, Elizabeth Warren taught children with disabilities for a year in a public school.

1976: Received Juris Doctor

In 1976, Elizabeth Warren received her Juris Doctor and passed the bar examination shortly thereafter. She also became pregnant with her second child, Alexander.

1976: Voted for Gerald Ford

In 1976, Elizabeth Warren voted for Gerald Ford in the presidential election, which was the only time she voted for the Republican nominee in the six presidential elections before 1996.

1977: Lecturer at Rutgers

In 1977, Elizabeth Warren began her career in academia as a lecturer at Rutgers University, Newark School of Law.

1978: Moved to University of Houston Law Center

In 1978, Elizabeth Warren moved to the University of Houston Law Center.

July 12, 1980: Warren Marries Bruce H. Mann

On July 12, 1980, Elizabeth Warren married law professor Bruce H. Mann, her second husband, but chose to retain her first husband's surname.

1980: Associate Dean at University of Houston

In 1980, Elizabeth Warren became an associate dean at the University of Houston Law Center.

1980: Published Article on Public Utilities

In 1980, Elizabeth Warren published an article in the Notre Dame Law Review arguing that public utilities were over-regulated and that automatic utility rate increases should be instituted.

1981: Tenure at University of Houston

In 1981, Elizabeth Warren obtained tenure at the University of Houston Law Center and was also a visiting associate professor at the University of Texas School of Law.

1983: University of Texas School of Law Professor

In 1983, Elizabeth Warren returned to the University of Texas School of Law as a full professor after being a visiting associate professor in 1981.

1984: Warren identified herself as Cherokee in cookbook

In 1984, Elizabeth Warren contributed recipes to a Native American cookbook and identified herself as Cherokee.

1985: Visiting Professor at University of Michigan

In 1985, Elizabeth Warren was a visiting professor at the University of Michigan.

1986: Warren identified her race as 'American Indian' on a State Bar of Texas form

In 1986, Elizabeth Warren identified her race as "American Indian" on a State Bar of Texas write-in form used for statistical information gathering.

1987: End of UT Austin Position

In 1987, Elizabeth Warren concluded her time as a research associate at the Population Research Center of the University of Texas at Austin and as a professor at the University of Texas School of Law.

1987: Joined University of Pennsylvania Law School

In 1987, Elizabeth Warren joined the University of Pennsylvania Law School as a full professor.

1989: Published 'As We Forgive Our Debtors'

In 1989, Elizabeth Warren, along with colleagues Teresa A. Sullivan and Jay Westbrook, published their research in the book "As We Forgive Our Debtors."

As We Forgive Our Debtors: Bankruptcy and Consumer Credit in America

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1990: Obtained Endowed Chair

In 1990, Elizabeth Warren obtained an endowed chair at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, becoming the William A. Schnader Professor of Commercial Law.

1991: Registered as a Republican

Elizabeth Warren was registered as a Republican from 1991 to 1996.

1992: Visiting Professor at Harvard Law School

In 1992, Elizabeth Warren taught for a year at Harvard Law School as the Robert Braucher Visiting Professor of Commercial Law.

1995: Public Policy Involvement

In 1995, Elizabeth Warren began her involvement in public policy by working to oppose what eventually became the 2005 act restricting bankruptcy access for individuals.

1995: Began Voting Democratic

In 1995, Elizabeth Warren began to vote Democratic because she no longer believed that the Republicans were the party who best supported markets.

1995: Professor at Harvard Law School

In 1995, Elizabeth Warren left the University of Pennsylvania to become the Leo Gottlieb Professor of Law at Harvard Law School.

1995: Advisor to National Bankruptcy Review Commission

In 1995, Elizabeth Warren was asked to advise the National Bankruptcy Review Commission by its chair, former congressman Mike Synar.

1995: Death of Pauline Louise

In 1995, Pauline Louise (Reed) Herring, Elizabeth Warren's mother, passed away.

1996: Republican Party Affiliation Ends

Elizabeth Warren's Republican Party affiliation ended in 1996, after being registered as a Republican since 1991.

1996: Highest-Paid Professor at Harvard

In 1996, Elizabeth Warren became the highest-paid professor at Harvard University who was not an administrator.

1997: Death of Donald Jones Herring

In 1997, Donald Jones Herring, Elizabeth Warren's father, passed away.

2004: Appearance on Dr. Phil Show

In 2004, Elizabeth Warren began to rise in prominence with an appearance on the Dr. Phil show, and published several books including The Two-Income Trap.

The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Parents Are (Still) Going Broke

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2004: Article in Washington University Law Review

In 2004, Elizabeth Warren published an article in the Washington University Law Review arguing that correlating middle-class struggles with over-consumption was a fallacy.

2005: Most-Cited Scholars

From 2005 to 2009, Elizabeth Warren was among the three most-cited scholars in the fields of bankruptcy and commercial law.

2005: Bankruptcy Act Opposition

In 2005, an act restricting bankruptcy access for individuals, which Elizabeth Warren had opposed since 1995, was passed.

2005: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act Passed

In 2005, despite Elizabeth Warren's opposition, Congress passed the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, which curtailed consumers' ability to file for bankruptcy.

2006: Member of FDIC Advisory Committee

From 2006 to 2010, Elizabeth Warren was a member of the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion.

November 14, 2008: Appointed Chair of Congressional Oversight Panel

On November 14, 2008, Elizabeth Warren was appointed by U.S. Senate majority leader Harry Reid to chair the five-member Congressional Oversight Panel created to oversee the implementation of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.

2008: Advocacy for Banking Regulations

In 2008, Elizabeth Warren's national profile grew due to her strong public stances in favor of stricter banking regulations after the 2008 financial crisis.

2009: Most-Cited Scholars

From 2005 to 2009, Elizabeth Warren was among the three most-cited scholars in the fields of bankruptcy and commercial law.

July 2010: CFPB Established by Dodd-Frank Act

In July 2010, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was established by the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed into law by President Obama.

September 2010: Named Special Advisor for CFPB

In September 2010, President Obama named Elizabeth Warren Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury on the CFPB to set up the new agency.

2010: Member of FDIC Advisory Committee

From 2006 to 2010, Elizabeth Warren was a member of the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) Advisory Committee on Economic Inclusion.

2010: Brown Won Senate Seat

In 2010, Republican Scott Brown had won the U.S. Senate seat in a special election after Ted Kennedy's death, which Elizabeth Warren sought to win back in 2012.

September 14, 2011: Declared 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: Harvard's Only Tenured Public Law School Professor

As of 2011, Elizabeth Warren was Harvard's only tenured law professor who had attended law school at an American public university.

2011: Impetus for CFPB Establishment

In 2011, Elizabeth Warren's scholarship and public advocacy were the impetus for establishing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

January 2012: Cordray Appointed to CFPB

In January 2012, President Obama appointed former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray as the director of the CFPB in a recess appointment, due to concerns that Elizabeth Warren could not win Senate confirmation.

2012: Campaign for US Senate

In 2012, Elizabeth Warren campaigned for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.

2012: Elected as U.S. Senator

In 2012, Elizabeth Warren defeated incumbent Republican Scott Brown and became the first female U.S. senator from Massachusetts.

2012: Warren says being Native American has been part of her story

In 2012, Elizabeth Warren stated that "being Native American has been part of my story, I guess, since the day I was born".

2012: Obama Echoed Warren's Sentiments

In 2012, President Obama echoed Elizabeth Warren's sentiments in an election campaign speech.

2013: Became U.S. Senator

In 2013, Elizabeth Warren became the senior United States Senator from the state of Massachusetts.

October 2018: Warren releases DNA test analysis

In October 2018, Elizabeth Warren released an analysis of a DNA test by geneticist Carlos D. Bustamante that found her ancestry to be mostly European but "strongly support[ed] the existence of an unadmixed Native American ancestor".

2018: Re-elected as U.S. Senator

In 2018, Elizabeth Warren was reelected as a U.S. Senator, defeating Republican nominee Geoff Diehl.

January 2019: Warren discusses DNA testing in Iowa

During a January 2019 public appearance in Sioux City, Iowa, Elizabeth Warren responded to a question about her DNA testing, clarifying that she is not a person of color or a citizen of a tribe and that tribal citizenship is determined by tribes, not DNA tests.

February 9, 2019: Announced Presidential Candidacy

On February 9, 2019, Elizabeth Warren announced her candidacy in the 2020 United States presidential election.

February 2019: Warren visits Native American conference

In February 2019, Elizabeth Warren received a standing ovation during a surprise visit to a Native American conference, where she was introduced by Representative Deb Haaland.

2019: Politico Article on Warren's Political Views

In 2019, Politico reported that a close high-school friend described Elizabeth Warren as a "diehard conservative" in high school, and colleagues noted changes in her political views over time.

March 5, 2020: Withdrew from Presidential Race

On March 5, 2020, after Super Tuesday, Elizabeth Warren withdrew from the 2020 United States presidential election.

April 23, 2020: Warren announces her brother's death

On April 23, 2020, Elizabeth Warren announced on Twitter that her eldest brother, Don Reed Herring, had died two days prior from COVID-19.

2020: 2020 Presidential Campaign

In 2020, Elizabeth Warren was a candidate in the Democratic Party presidential primaries, finishing third after Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.

October 1, 2021: Warren announces her brother John's death

On October 1, 2021, Elizabeth Warren announced that her brother, John Herring, had died of cancer.

2022: Combined income of $1 million reported

In 2022, Elizabeth Warren and her husband reported a combined income of $1 million, with her salary as a U.S. Senator accounting for only a fifth of that sum.