Early Life and Education of Hillary Clinton: A Complete Timeline
Discover the defining moments in the early life of Hillary Clinton. From birth to education, explore key events.
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is a prominent American politician and diplomat. She served as the 67th United States Secretary of State under President Barack Obama (2009-2013), a U.S. Senator for New York (2001-2009), and First Lady during Bill Clinton's presidency (1993-2001). As a member of the Democratic Party, Clinton secured the party's nomination in the 2016 presidential election, marking her as the first woman to achieve this milestone from a major U.S. party. Although she won the popular vote, she did not win the election. Notably, she remains the only First Lady to have pursued elected office.
October 26, 1947: Hillary Rodham Clinton's Birth
On October 26, 1947, Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton was born. She would later become a prominent American politician and diplomat.
1960: Canvassed Chicago's South Side
At age 13, after the very close 1960 U.S. presidential election, Hillary Rodham helped canvass Chicago's South Side. She stated that she saw evidence of electoral fraud against Republican candidate Richard Nixon.
1961: Letter to NASA
Around 1961, Hillary Rodham sent a letter to NASA asking what she could do to become an astronaut, but was informed that women were not being accepted into the program.
1962: Met Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1962, Hillary Rodham saw and briefly met civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. at a speech in Chicago's Orchestra Hall.
1964: Volunteered for Barry Goldwater
In 1964, Hillary Rodham volunteered to campaign for Republican candidate Barry Goldwater.
1965: Enrolled at Wellesley College
In 1965, Hillary Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College, where she majored in political science.
1965: Graduated High School
In 1965, Hillary Rodham graduated from Maine South High School in the top five percent of her class.
1968: Attended Republican National Convention
In 1968, Hillary Rodham attended the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, but left the Republican Party for good after being upset by Richard Nixon's campaign.
1968: Supported Eugene McCarthy
In early 1968, Hillary Rodham became a supporter of the antiwar presidential nomination campaign of Democrat Eugene McCarthy.
1969: Graduated from Wellesley College
In 1969, Hillary Rodham graduated from Wellesley College.
1969: Graduated Wellesley College and Spoke at Commencement
In 1969, Hillary Rodham graduated with honors from Wellesley College and became the first student in Wellesley College history to speak at commencement. She received a standing ovation, was featured in Life magazine, and appeared on television talk shows.
1969: President of Wellesley College Government Association
In early 1969, Hillary Rodham ended her term as president of the Wellesley College Government Association, a position she held since early 1968.
1970: Worked at Washington Research Project and Campaign of Joseph Duffey
In the summer of 1970, Hillary Rodham worked at Marian Wright Edelman's Washington Research Project and worked on the campaign of Joseph Duffey.
1971: Began Dating Bill Clinton
In the spring of 1971, Hillary Rodham began dating Bill Clinton.
1972: Campained for George McGovern
During the summer of 1972, Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton campaigned in Texas for unsuccessful Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.
1973: Worked on Seminal Work, Beyond the Best Interests of the Child
During her second year, in 1973 Hillary Rodham worked at the Yale Child Study Center, working as a research assistant on the seminal work, Beyond the Best Interests of the Child (1973).
1973: Graduated from Yale Law School
In 1973, Hillary Rodham graduated from Yale Law School.
1973: Juris Doctor Degree from Yale
In 1973, Hillary Rodham received a Juris Doctor degree from Yale.
1973: Published "Children Under the Law"
In late 1973, Hillary Rodham's first scholarly article, "Children Under the Law", was published in the Harvard Educational Review. The article became frequently cited in the field.
August 1974: Resignation of President Nixon
In August 1974, Hillary Rodham advised the House Committee on the Judiciary during the Watergate scandal. The committee's work culminated with the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
August 1974: Moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, joined University of Arkansas School of Law
In August 1974, Hillary Rodham moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas, becoming one of only two female faculty members at the University of Arkansas School of Law.
1974: Bill Clinton lost an Arkansas congressional race
In 1974, Bill Clinton lost an Arkansas congressional race against incumbent Republican John Paul Hammerschmidt.
October 11, 1975: Wedding to Bill Clinton
On October 11, 1975, Hillary Rodham married Bill Clinton in a Methodist ceremony in their living room and decided to retain her maiden name.
November 1976: Bill Clinton elected Arkansas Attorney General
In November 1976, Bill Clinton was elected as the Arkansas Attorney General, prompting Hillary and Bill to move to Little Rock.
1977: Co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
In 1977, Hillary Clinton co-founded Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.
November 1978: Bill Clinton Elected Governor of Arkansas
Following her husband's election in November 1978, Bill Clinton became governor of Arkansas.
1978: Cattle Futures Trading
During 1978, Hillary Rodham engaged in trading of cattle futures contracts to supplement her and Bill's income, generating significant profit in a short time.
January 1979: Became First Lady of Arkansas
In January 1979, Hillary Rodham became the First Lady of Arkansas.
1979: First Woman Partner at Rose Law Firm
In 1979, Hillary Clinton became the first woman partner at Little Rock's Rose Law Firm.
February 27, 1980: Birth of Daughter Chelsea
On February 27, 1980, Hillary Rodham Clinton gave birth to the couple's only child, a daughter named Chelsea.
November 1980: Bill Clinton defeated for re-election
In November 1980, Bill Clinton was defeated in his bid for re-election as governor.
1981: End of first term as First Lady of Arkansas
Hillary Rodham Clinton served as First Lady of Arkansas from 1979-1981.
1981: End of First Lady of Arkansas term
In 1981, Hillary Clinton's first term as First Lady of Arkansas ended.
1982: Bill Clinton Returned to Governorship
In 1982, Bill Clinton was re-elected as the governor of Arkansas. During his campaign, Hillary began using the name "Hillary Clinton."
1983: Started Second Term as First Lady of Arkansas
Hillary Rodham Clinton served as First Lady of Arkansas from 1983-1992.
1983: Returned as First Lady of Arkansas
In 1983, Hillary Clinton returned as the First Lady of Arkansas.
1992: End of Second Term as First Lady of Arkansas
Hillary Rodham Clinton served as First Lady of Arkansas from 1983-1992.
January 1993: Became First Lady of the United States
In January 1993, Hillary Rodham Clinton became the First Lady of the United States when Bill Clinton took office as president.
1993: Became First Lady of the United States
In 1993, Hillary Clinton became the First Lady of the United States, as the wife of President Bill Clinton.
1994: Healthcare Plan Failed to Gain Approval
In 1994, Hillary Clinton's health care plan failed to gain approval from Congress.
1995: No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project
Since the Beijing conference in 1995, Hillary Clinton also led the No Ceilings: The Full Participation Project, a partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to gather and study data on the progress of women and girls around the world.
1997: Promoted State Children's Health Insurance Program
In 1997, Hillary Clinton played a leading role in promoting the creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
1998: Lewinsky Scandal and Commitment to Marriage
In 1998, the Lewinsky scandal brought Hillary Clinton's marital relationship under public scrutiny, leading her to publicly reaffirm her commitment to her marriage.
September 1999: Clintons purchase home in Chappaqua, NY
In September 1999, the Clintons purchased a home in Chappaqua, New York, north of New York City, after Hillary Clinton decided to run for Senate.
1999: Promoted Adoption and Safe Families Act and Foster Care Independence Act
In 1999, Hillary Clinton played a leading role in promoting the creation of the Adoption and Safe Families Act and the Foster Care Independence Act.
November 2000: White House bicentennial state dinner
In November 2000, Hillary Clinton hosted a state dinner honoring the bicentennial of the White House.
2000: Elected to U.S. Senate
In 2000, Hillary Clinton was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first female senator from New York and the first First Lady to simultaneously hold elected office.
2000: Increase in Wealth
Since 2000, the Clintons had earned over $100 million, as revealed in later disclosure statements.
2001: Served as U.S. Senator for New York
In 2001, Hillary Clinton began her term as a U.S. Senator representing New York.
2003: Chaired Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee
From 2003, Hillary Clinton chaired the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee.
2003: Rated Votes
From 2003, The Almanac of American Politics, rated Hillary Clinton's votes as liberal on economics, social issues, and foreign policy.
2003: Preparation for Presidential Candidacy
In early 2003, Hillary Clinton had begun preparing for a potential candidacy for U.S. president.
2004: Average Bounce in Conventions
Around 2004, the average bounce in conventions was in line with the bounce that Trump had during the Republican National Convention.
2004: National Journal's Study
National Journal's 2004 study of roll-call votes assigned Clinton a rating of 30 on the political spectrum.
2006: Liberal Senator Ranking
In 2006, National Journal's ranking placed Hillary Clinton as the 32nd-most liberal senator.
January 20, 2007: Announced Presidential Exploratory Committee
On January 20, 2007, Hillary Clinton announced the formation of a presidential exploratory committee for the 2008 election, declaring "I'm in and I'm in to win."
April 2007: Liquidated Blind Trust
In April 2007, the Clintons liquidated their blind trust to avoid potential ethical conflicts during Hillary Clinton's presidential race.
2007: Clintons' Earnings
As of 2007, the Clintons had earned almost $141 million, paid approximately $56 million in federal and state taxes, and donated around $15 million to charity.
2007: End of Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee Chair
In 2007, Hillary Clinton ended her tenure as chair of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee.
2007: Liberal Senator Ranking
In 2007, National Journal's ranking placed Hillary Clinton as the 16th-most liberal senator.
2008: Past Campaign
In 2008, Clinton had a past campaign that was affected by management turmoil.
2008: Guest Appearance on Saturday Night Live
In 2008, Hillary Clinton made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live to face off with her doppelgänger.
2008: Lost Presidential Primaries
In 2008, Hillary Clinton ran for president but lost to Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries.
January 21, 2009: Confirmed as Secretary of State
On January 21, 2009, Hillary Clinton was confirmed as Secretary of State by the full Senate. She resigned from the Senate later that day, becoming the first former first lady to be a member of the United States Cabinet.
2009: Appointed Secretary of State
In 2009, Hillary Clinton became the 67th United States Secretary of State in the Barack Obama administration.
2009: Resigned from Senate to become Secretary of State
In 2009, Hillary Clinton resigned from the Senate to become Barack Obama's Secretary of State.
August 2011: Called for Assad to Resign
In August 2011, amidst escalating government violence during the Syrian Civil War, Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign from the presidency.
December 2011: Gay Rights are Human Rights
In December 2011, Hillary Clinton declared before the United Nations Human Rights Council that "Gay rights are human rights" and affirmed the U.S. commitment to advocating for gay rights and legal protections for gay people internationally.
2011: Advocated Military Intervention in Libya
In 2011, Hillary Clinton responded to the Arab Spring by advocating the military intervention in Libya.
2011: Appointed Honorary Founding Chair
In 2011, Hillary Clinton was appointed the Honorary Founding Chair of the Institute for Women, Peace and Security at Georgetown University.
May 2012: Statement on Future Candidacy
In May 2012, Hillary Clinton stated in an interview that she would not seek the presidency again.
September 11, 2012: Attack on U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Benghazi
On September 11, 2012, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked, resulting in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
December 2012: Hospitalized for a Blood Clot
In December 2012, Hillary Clinton was hospitalized for a few days to treat a blood clot in her right transverse venous sinus, which was discovered during a follow-up exam for a concussion she sustained weeks earlier. The clot was treated with anticoagulant medication, and her doctors reported a full recovery.
2012: Plan to Arm Syrian Rebels Rejected
During mid-2012, Clinton created a plan with CIA Director David Petraeus to arm and train vetted groups of Syrian rebels. The White House officials rejected the proposal fearing that extremists hidden among the rebels might turn the weapons against other targets.
2012: Benghazi Attack
In 2012, Hillary Clinton was criticized by Republicans for the failure to prevent or adequately respond to the Benghazi attack.
January 23, 2013: Testimony on Benghazi Attack
On January 23, 2013, Hillary Clinton testified before two congressional foreign affairs committees regarding the Benghazi attack. She defended her actions and, while accepting formal responsibility, stated she had no direct role in specific discussions regarding consulate security beforehand.
2013: End of term as Secretary of State
In 2013, Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State concluded.
May 2014: House Select Committee on Benghazi Created
In May 2014, the Republican-led House Select Committee on Benghazi was created to conduct an investigation related to the 2012 attack, criticized for being partisan.
November 2014: House Intelligence Committee Report on Benghazi
In November 2014, the House Intelligence Committee issued a report that concluded there had been no wrongdoing in the Obama administration's response to the Benghazi attack.
2014: Published Second Memoir
In 2014, Hillary Clinton published her second memoir, titled "Hard Choices," which focused on her time as secretary of state.
2014: Hard Choices Autobiography
In 2014, Hillary Clinton wrote in her autobiography 'Hard Choices' that she had not decided if she would seek the presidency again.
March 2015: Earnings from Speeches
In March 2015, it was reported that over the prior fifteen months, Hillary Clinton had earned over $11 million from speeches, primarily to Wall Street firms and business conventions.
April 12, 2015: Presidential Candidacy Announcement
On April 12, 2015, Hillary Clinton formally announced her candidacy for president in the 2016 election, with a campaign focused on middle-class incomes, universal preschool, affordable college, and improvements to the Affordable Care Act.
April 2015: Resignation from Clinton Foundation Board
In April 2015, Hillary Clinton resigned from the board of the Clinton Foundation as she began her presidential campaign, and the foundation restricted its acceptance of new foreign governmental donations.
July 15, 2015: Inspectors General Release Joint Statement on Emails
On July 15, 2015, the inspectors general of the State Department and the intelligence community released a joint statement indicating their review of Hillary Clinton's emails found information that was classified when sent and should never have been transmitted via an unclassified personal system.
July 2015: Sold Copies of Second Memoir
As of July 2015, Hillary Clinton's second memoir, "Hard Choices", had sold about 280,000 copies.
October 22, 2015: Testified Before Benghazi Committee
On October 22, 2015, Hillary Clinton testified at an all-day and nighttime session before the House Select Committee on Benghazi and was widely seen as emerging largely unscathed from the hearing.
2015: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
In 2015, Hillary Clinton helped to organize a regime of international sanctions against Iran, which eventually led to the multinational Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
2015: Guest Appearance on Saturday Night Live
In 2015, Hillary Clinton made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live to face off with her doppelgänger.
2015: Re-entering Elective Politics
In 2015, after Hillary Clinton reentered elective politics, organizations provided recent assessments of her political positions.
February 4, 2016: No Classified Material Sent or Received
During a Democratic debate with Bernie Sanders on February 4, 2016, Hillary Clinton stated, "I never sent or received any classified material—they are retroactively classifying it."
February 2016: Retroactive Classification of Emails
In February 2016, The New York Times reported that nearly 2,100 emails stored on Hillary Clinton's server were retroactively marked classified by the State Department.
March 2016: Detailed Economic Plan
In March 2016, Hillary Clinton laid out a detailed economic plan based on inclusive capitalism, including incentives for companies that share profits, increased collective bargaining rights, and an exit tax on companies moving headquarters overseas.
May 2016: State Department Inspector General Criticizes Email Use
In May 2016, the inspector general of the State Department criticized Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, stating that she had not requested permission for this and would not have received it if she had asked.
June 5, 2016: Presumptive Nominee Status
By June 5, 2016, Hillary Clinton had earned enough pledged delegates and supportive superdelegates to be considered the presumptive nominee.
June 2016: Benghazi Committee Issues Final Reports
In June 2016, the House Select Committee on Benghazi issued competing final reports; the Republican report offered no evidence of culpability by Hillary Clinton.
July 2, 2016: Repeated Statement on Classified Material
On July 2, 2016, Hillary Clinton stated: "Let me repeat what I have repeated for many months now, I never received nor sent any material that was marked classified."
July 5, 2016: FBI Concluded Investigation
On July 5, 2016, the FBI concluded its investigation into Hillary Clinton's email practices.
July 6, 2016: No Criminal Charges
On July 6, 2016, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch confirmed that the probe into Hillary Clinton's use of private email servers would be closed without criminal charges.
July 26, 2016: Nomination at Democratic National Convention
On July 26, 2016, Hillary Clinton was formally nominated at the Democratic National Convention, becoming the first woman to be nominated for president by a major U.S. political party.
October 28, 2016: FBI Reopens Email Investigation
On October 28, 2016, just weeks before the election, FBI Director James Comey notified Congress that the FBI had begun looking into newly discovered emails related to Hillary Clinton's private email server.
November 8, 2016: Presidential Election Defeat
On November 8, 2016, Hillary Clinton was defeated by Donald Trump in the presidential election, despite winning the popular vote by more than 2.8 million votes.
December 19, 2016: Faithless Electors
On December 19, 2016, Hillary Clinton lost five electoral votes due to faithless electors, with three Washington votes cast for Colin Powell, one for Faith Spotted Eagle, and one Hawaii vote for Bernie Sanders.
2016: Clinton's Email Controversy during Presidential Campaign
During the 2016 presidential election campaign, the controversy surrounding Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state became a prominent issue.
2016: Won Presidential Nomination
In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the Democratic Party's nominee for president, marking the first time a woman had won a presidential nomination from a major U.S. political party.
2016: Presidential Candidacy
In 2016, Hillary Clinton formally announced her candidacy for president. Her campaign focused on raising middle class incomes, establishing universal preschool, making college more affordable and improving the Affordable Care Act.
2016: Low Profile in the Months Following Defeat
In 2016, Hillary Clinton kept a low profile following her defeat in the presidential election.
2016: Lost General Election to Donald Trump
In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination, but lost the general election to Donald Trump in the Electoral College, while winning the popular vote. Her use of a private email server was the subject of intense scrutiny.
2016: Reference to Trump's chants during his campaign
In 2016, Trump's chants of 'Lock her up!' were in reference to Clinton's email scandal during his campaign.
2016: Polling Lead and Email Investigation
Throughout most of 2016, Hillary Clinton held a significant lead in national polls over Donald Trump. However, in early July, they were tied following the FBI's conclusion of its investigation into her emails.
January 20, 2017: Attendance at Trump's Inauguration
On January 20, 2017, Hillary Clinton attended the inauguration of Donald Trump to honor democracy and its enduring values.
March 17, 2017: St. Patrick's Day Speech
On March 17, 2017, Hillary Clinton delivered a St. Patrick's Day speech in Scranton, Pennsylvania, indicating her readiness to become politically active again.
May 2017: Formation of Onward Together
In May 2017, Hillary Clinton announced the formation of Onward Together, a political action committee dedicated to advancing a progressive vision.
September 12, 2017: Release of 'What Happened'
On September 12, 2017, Hillary Clinton released her book of personal essays, 'What Happened', reflecting on her defeat in the 2016 election.
2018: Vacant Chancellor Position
In 2018, The Chancellor position had been vacant at the Queen's University Belfast.
March 2019: Confirmation Not Seeking Public Office
In March 2019, Hillary Clinton reiterated that she would not seek public office again.
September 2019: State Department Finished Internal Review
In September 2019, the State Department finished its internal review of Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email server, concluding that while it increased the risk of information being compromised, there was no evidence of "systemic, deliberate mishandling of classified information."
2019: Co-authored 'The Book of Gutsy Women'
In 2019, Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea co-authored 'The Book of Gutsy Women'.
January 2, 2020: Appointment as Chancellor at Queen's University Belfast
On January 2, 2020, Hillary Clinton was announced as the new Chancellor at Queen's University Belfast, becoming the first female chancellor.
March 2020: Release of 'Hillary' Documentary
In March 2020, Hillary Clinton collaborated with director Nanette Burstein on the documentary film 'Hillary', which was released on Hulu.
April 28, 2020: Endorsement of Joe Biden
On April 28, 2020, Hillary Clinton endorsed Joe Biden for president in the 2020 election.
September 29, 2020: Launch of 'You and Me Both' Podcast
On September 29, 2020, Hillary Clinton launched an interview podcast in collaboration with iHeartRadio titled 'You and Me Both'.
2020: Co-authored 'Grandma's Gardens'
In 2020, Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea co-authored 'Grandma's Gardens'.
2020: Confirmation Not Running for President
In 2020, Hillary Clinton stated she would not run for president.
2020: Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast
Since 2020, Hillary Clinton has served as Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast.
October 12, 2021: Co-authored Fiction Novel Release
On October 12, 2021, Hillary Clinton co-authored the fiction novel State of Terror with Louise Penny.
January 2023: Appointment at Columbia University
In January 2023, Columbia University announced that Hillary Clinton would join the university as a professor of practice and presidential fellow.
2023: Professor at Columbia University
In 2023, Hillary Clinton joined Columbia University as a Professor of Practice at the School of International and Public Affairs.
July 21, 2024: Endorsement of Kamala Harris
On July 21, 2024, Hillary Clinton endorsed Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election.
August 2024: Speech at 2024 Democratic National Convention
In August 2024, Hillary Clinton spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, referencing Donald Trump's felony convictions, which prompted chants of 'Lock him up!'
September 17, 2024: Release of Another Memoir
On September 17, 2024, Hillary Clinton is set to release another memoir, Something Lost, Something Gained.
