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Richard Stallman is born on March 16, 1953 in New York City. -
Stallman attends Harvard University for his undergraduate studies. He receives a degree in physics in 1974. -
Attends graduate school at MIT, leaving after one year to "[focus] his full attention on his programming at the MIT Laboratory"(Roy). -
Stallman begins working on the GNU (standing for GNU's Not Unix), which he wanted to create in order to give users access to free software. They would be able to modify, add to, and copy software -
The concept of copyleft, which was developed by Stallman, becomes a way to offer and distribute software to the public for free. -
The GNU Manifesto tells of Stallman's hope for a world in which free software can become the norm. It also shows his desire for GNU to expand. -
Stallman is the founder of the Free Software Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that was created to "promote computer user freedom"(fsf.org). -
Though invented by Linus Torvalds, the Linux kernel is created for free using GNU tools, which has massive impacts on the tech world at the time. -
The Right to Read, a short story written by Stallman, is published. The story highlights the dangers of losing the right to share books and literature. -
He receives the Pioneer Award from the Electronic Frontier Foundation which is awarded to those that empower people to use and learn with computers. -
Stallman convinces the Indian government of Kerala to change school computer programs to free software programming in schools, rather than using Windows. -
The International Music Score Library Project receives a cease and desist from Universal; Stallman helps to get them back up and running. -
Stallman publicly talks on his support of Edward Snowden after he exposed the US government for surveillance. Stallman calls mobile phones "'portable surveillance and tracking devices'". -
Stallman makes the decision to resign from MIT after making comments in an email chain regarding a victim of Jeffery Epstein's is released. -
Stallman announces that he wants to return to the Free Software Foundation, but many call on his removal soon after his return.