Richard Stallman

By StudentJustin

  • Birth of Richard Stallman

    Born in New York City, USA. He would later become a key figure in the free software movement.

  • Started Work at MIT AI Lab

    Joined the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab, where he was immersed in a culture of software sharing.

  • GNU Project

    Announced the GNU Project with the goal of developing a free Unix-like operating system.

  • Founded the Free Software Foundation (FSF)

    Established FSF to support the free software movement and promote freedom-respecting computing.

  • Released the GNU General Public License (GPL)

    Introduced the GPL, a free software license that ensures user freedoms to run, modify, and share software.

  • Received the MacArthur Fellowship

    Awarded the prestigious MacArthur “Genius Grant” for his contributions to software development and digital rights.

  • Stepped Down from MIT and FSF

    Resigned from positions at MIT and FSF after controversy, though he later returned to FSF’s board in 2021.