Past Persons of the Year: Where Are They Now?

9 minute read

Here’s what 25 recipients of the title in years past have been up to recently:

1. Elizabeth II, Person of the Year for 1952

Jan. 5, 1953
Queen Elizabeth, as Person of the Year for 1952, on the Jan. 5, 1953, cover of TIMECover Credit: BORIS CHALIAPIN

The Queen was celebrated in the year she took the throne, as “a fresh young blossom on roots that had weathered many a season of wintry doubt.” She has since set the record for the longest-reigning monarch in British history.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: Defender of the Faith

2-4. Apollo 8 astronauts William Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell, People of the Year for 1968

1968: The Apollo 8 astronauts
1968: The Apollo 8 AstronautsTIME

They “transfixed their fellowmen and inscribed on the history books names to be remembered along with those of Marco Polo and Amundsen, Captain Cook and Colonel Lindbergh” as the first astronauts to leave Earth’s gravity. All three had long careers at NASA and in business and are still living.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: Men of the Year

5. Henry Kissinger, Person of the Year for 1972 (Shared)

1972: President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger
1972: President Richard Nixon and Henry KissingerTIME

Kissinger, along with President Nixon, had “labored at a new global design” with a more open relationship with Russia and China, despite continuing struggle in Vietnam. He is still a leading voice in international affairs. His most recent book, World Order, was released in 2014.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: Triumph and Trial

6. Jimmy Carter, Person of the Year for 1976

1976: President Jimmy CarterTIME

Back then, he was about to be inaugurated as President, having campaigned as “a rather different kind of politician.” This year, the 91-year-old former president has taken a smaller role at the Carter Center, his peace-promoting non-profit organization, as he battles cancer—a battle that is going well, as he recently announced that he has been declared cancer-free.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: I’m Jimmy Carter, and…

7. Lech Walesa, Person of the Year for 1981

1981: Lech Wałęsa
1981: Lech WałęsaTIME

The man who was “the heart and soul of Poland’s battle with a corrupt Communist regime” was active in the nation’s politics well into the 1990s. More recently, he’s stirred up controversy with his conservative views on the migrant and refugee crisis in Europe.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: He Dared to Hope

8. Mikhail Gorbachev, Person of the Year for 1987 and 1989

Gorbachev POY Covers
1987 and 1989: Mikhail GorbachevTIME

Gorbachev “reinvented the idea of a Soviet leader” and then “became the patron of change,” to the extent that he was named not just Man of the Year but Man of the Decade at the end of the 1980s. He started a humanitarian and research foundation shortly after leaving office, and since has also founded several Russian political parties.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: 1987 and 1989

9. George H.W. Bush, Person of the Year for 1990

1990: President George H.W. BushTIME

The U.S. president was notable for “a foreign policy profile that was a study in resoluteness and mastery [and] a domestic visage just as strongly marked by wavering and confusion.” Bush’s health has faltered in recent years, but he remains in the public eye—especially as son Jeb campaigns for his father’s old office.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: A Tale of Two Bushes

10. Ted Turner, Person of the Year for 1991

1991: Ted Turner
1991: Ted TurnerTIME

Turner “[turned] viewers in 150 countries into instant witnesses of history” with CNN’s coverage of that year’s news. In more recent years, he has concentrated on philanthropy—including a billion-dollar pledge to the United Nations in 1997. He’s also opened Ted’s Montana Grill, a steakhouse chain. Most recently, his philanthropic focus has been on sustainable energy.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: The Taming of Ted Turner

11. Bill Clinton, Person of the Year for 1992 and 1998 (shared)

Clinton POY Covers
1992 and 1998: Bill ClintonTIME

He was elected president with a campaign that TIME said was “conducted with dignity” and “served to rehabilitate and restore the legitimacy of American politics”—and six years later he shared the title with Ken Starr, the man who pursued him for what editors called Clinton’s “low-life behavior.” Though he continues to pursue glob-trotting philanthropy, his most recent place in the news is as a potential First Spouse.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: 1992 and 1998

12. Newt Gingrich, Person of the Year for 1995

1995: Newt GingrichTIME

After changing “the way Washington sees reality,” Gingrich served as Speaker of the House for a few years. For more than a decade now, he’s been a prominent conservative commentator but has not held public office. He ran for the Republican nomination for President in 2012 and has published more than two dozen books—including, in Oct. 2015, the thriller Duplicity.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: Master of the House

13. David Ho, Person of the Year for 1996

1996: Dr. David HoTIME

The “disease detective” had made impressive strides in combating HIV and AIDS—and in the decades since, he’s continued that work. The world is still without an AIDS vaccine, but the disease is no longer a death sentence, thanks in part to Ho’s efforts.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: AIDS Researcher

14. Andrew Grove, Person of the Year for 1997

1997: Andrew Grove
1997: Andrew GroveTIME

The man made Intel, and Intel made the chips that powered “the year cell phones, Websites and E-mail became ubiquitous.” Since his own diagnosis with Parkinson’s in 2000, Grove has made disease research one of his philanthropic priorities.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: The Passion of Andrew Grove

15. Jeff Bezos, Person of the Year for 1999

1999: Jeff Bezos
1999: Jeff BezosTIME

Bezos had “peered into the maze of connected computers called the World Wide Web and realized that the future of retailing was glowing back at him.” He was right—that future was Amazon—and has since expanded his holdings to include the Washington Post and Blue Origin, a commercial spaceflight company.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: An Eye on the Future

16. George W. Bush, Person of the Year for 2000 and 2004

Bush POY Covers
2000 and 2004: George W. BushTIME

He was elected president with one of the most controversial results in American history, and had to “find a way to restore confidence in America’s political and judicial institutions”; four years later, he “sounded as though he is prepared to leave as his second-term legacy the Death of Compromise.” Since leaving office, he has made several trips to Africa to promote the health causes that he began championing as president.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault and on Time.com: 2000 and 2004

17. Rudolph Giuliani, Person of the Year for 2001

2001: Rudy Giuliani
2001: Rudy GiulianiTIME

After the Sept. 11 attacks, the mayor of New York City became “Mayor of the World.” His bid for the presidency in 2008 failed, but he has remained a prominent commentator on political issues, especially terrorism.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: Tower of Strength

18-20. Bono, Bill Gates and Melinda Gates, People of the Year for 2005

2005: The Good Samaritans: Bill Gates, Bono, Melinda Gates
2005: The Good Samaritans: Bill Gates, Bono, Melinda GatesTIME

The three had joined forces and were “being shrewd about doing good, for rewiring politics and re-engineering justice, for making mercy smarter and hope strategic and then daring the rest of us to follow.” All three continue to be major global philanthropic voices—and U2 is working on a new album, Songs of Experience, to pair with 2014’s Songs of Innocence.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: The Good Samaritans

21. Vladimir Putin, Person of the Year for 2007

2007: Vladimir Putin
2007: Vladimir PutinTIME

Putin “brought Russia back as a world power.” In recent years, as Russia has become involved in Ukraine and Syria, Putin has shown his desire to lead his world power in opposition to the United States.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: Tsar of the New Russia

22. Barack Obama, Person of the Year for 2008 and 2012

Obama POY Covers
2008 and 2012: Barack ObamaTIME

The current sitting president was elected by “the steady march of seemingly impossible accomplishments” and then “reasserted himself as a potent architect for a changing America.” As his presidency winds down, he confronts a Republican-controlled Congress and is working to secure his legacy.

Read the full stories here, in the TIME Vault and on Time.com: 2008 and 2012

23. Ben Bernanke, Person of the Year for 2009

2009: Ben BernankeTIME

As chairman of the Federal Reserve, he was “the most powerful nerd on the planet.” He served two terms at the Fed and this fall published a book about the financial crisis, The Courage to Act.

Read the full story here, on Time.com: Federal Reserve Chairman

24. Mark Zuckerberg, Person of the Year for 2010

2010: Mark Zuckerberg
2010: Mark ZuckerbergTIME

The Facebook founder helped change the “way we connect with one another and with the institutions in our lives.” In the five years since, the number of Facebook users has ballooned to more than 1.5 billion monthly active visitors and Zuckerberg has also expanded into the virtual reality space. This month, Zuckerberg announced he has become a father and that he and his wife Priscilla Chan plan to give away 99% of his Facebook fortune to fight disease and poverty.

Read the full story here, on TIME.com: The Connector

25. Pope Francis, Person of the Year for 2013

2013: Pope Francis
2013: Pope FrancisTIME

The then-new Pope “placed himself at the very center of the central conversations of our time: about wealth and poverty, fairness and justice, transparency, modernity, globalization, the role of women, the nature of marriage, the temptations of power.” By now he’s spread his message in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America.

Read the full story here, in the TIME Vault: The People’s Pope

See Every Person Of The Year Cover Ever

Photograph by Mark Mahaney for TIME
Portrait by Jason Seiler for TIME
Greta Thunberg Time Person of the Year Cover
Photograph by Evgenia Arbugaeva for TIME
2018: The GuardiansPhotographs by Moises Saman-Magnum Photos for TIME
TIME Person of the Year 2017: The Silence BreakersBilly & Hells for TIME
2016: Donald Trump person of the year
2016: Donald TrumpTIME
TIME person of the year angela merkel 2015
2015: Angela MerkelTIME
TIME Person of the Year 2014 Magazine Cover: The Ebola Fighters 141222
2014: The Ebola FightersTIME
2013: Pope Francis
2013: Pope FrancisTIME
2012: Barack Obama
2012: President Barack ObamaTIME
2011: The Protester
2011: The ProtesterTIME
2010: Mark Zuckerberg
2010: Mark Zuckerberg TIME
2009: Ben Bernanke TIME
2008: Barack Obama
2008: President Barack ObamaTIME
2007: Vladimir Putin
2007: Vladimir PutinTIME
2006: YouTIME
2005: The Good Samaritans: Bill Gates, Bono, Melinda Gates
2005: The Good Samaritans: Bill Gates, Bono, Melinda GatesTIME
2004: President George W. Bush
2004: President George W. BushTIME
2003: The American Soldier
2003: The American SoldierTIME
2002: The Whistleblowers
2002: The Whistleblowers: Cynthia Cooper, Coleen Rowley and Sherron Watkins TIME
2001: Rudy Giuliani
2001: Rudy Giuliani TIME
2000: President George W. Bush
2000: President George W. BushTIME
1999: Jeff Bezos
1999: Jeff BezosTIME
1998: Kenneth Starr ad Bill Clinton
1998: Kenneth Starr and Bill ClintonTIME
1997: Andrew Grove
1997: Andrew GroveTIME
1996: Dr. David HoTIME
1995: Newt GingrichTIME
1994: Pope John Paul II
1994: Pope John Paul IITIME
1993: The Peacemakers: Yitzhak Rabin, Nelson Mandela, F.W. De Klerk, Yasser ArafatTIME
TIME COVERS - THE 90'S
1992: President Bill ClintonTIME
1991: Ted Turner
1991: Ted TurnerTIME
1990: President George H.W. BushTIME
1989: Mikhail Gorbachev
1989: Mikhail GorbachevTIME
1988: Endangered EarthTIME
1987: Mikhail Gorbachev
1987: Mikhail GorbachevTIME
1986: Corazon Aquino
1986: Corazon AquinoTIME
1985: Deng Xiaoping
1985: Deng XiaopingTIME
1984: Peter Ueberroth
1984: Peter UeberrothTIME
1983: President Ronald Reagan and Yuri Andropov
1983: President Ronald Reagan and Yuri AndropovTIME
1982: The ComputerTIME
1981: Lech Wałęsa
1981: Lech Wałęsa TIME
1980: President Ronald Reagan
1980: President Ronald ReaganTIME
1979: Ayatollah Khomeini
1979: Ayatollah KhomeiniTIME
1978: Deng Xiaoping
1978: Deng XiaopingTIME
1977: Anwar Sadat
1977: Anwar SadatTIME
1976: President Jimmy CarterTIME
1975: American Women
1975: American WomenTIME
1974: King FaisalTIME
1973: John Sirica
1973: John SiricaTIME
1972: President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger
1972: President Richard Nixon and Henry KissingerTIME
1971: President Richard Nixon
1971: President Richard NixonTIME
1970: Willy Brandt
1970: Willy BrandtTIME
1969: The Middle Americans
1969: The Middle AmericansTIME
1968: The Apollo 8 astronauts
1968: The Apollo 8 AstronautsTIME
1967: President Lyndon B. Johnson
1967: President Lyndon B. JohnsonTIME
1966: Men and Women 25 and UnderTIME
1965: William Westmoreland
1965: William WestmorelandTIME
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson
1964: Lyndon B. JohnsonTIME
1963: Martin Luther King, Jr.
1963: Martin Luther King, Jr.TIME
1962: Pope John XXIII
1962: Pope John XXIIITIME
1961: President John F. Kennedy
1961: President John F. KennedyTIME
1960: U.S. Scientists
1960: U.S. ScientistsTIME
1959: President Dwight D. Eisenhower
1959: President Dwight D. EisenhowerTIME
1958: Charles de Gaulle
1958: Charles de GaulleTIME
1957: Nikita Khrushchev
1957: Nikita KhrushchevTIME
1956: The Hungarian Freedom FighterTIME
1955: Harlow Curtice
1955: Harlow CurticeTIME
1954: John Foster Dulles
1954: John Foster DullesTIME
1953: Konrad Adenauer
1953: Konrad AdenauerTIME
1952: Queen Elizabeth II
1952: Queen Elizabeth IITIME
1951: Mohammad Mossadegh
1951: Mohammad MossadeghTIME
1950: The American Fighting Man
1950: The American Fighting Man TIME
1949: Winston Churchill
1949: Winston ChurchillTIME
1948: President Harry S. Truman
1948: President Harry S. TrumanTIME
1947: George MarshallTIME
1946: James F. Byrnes
1946: James F. ByrnesTIME
1945: President Harry S. Truman
1945: President Harry S. TrumanTIME
1944: Dwight D. Eisenhower
1944: Dwight D. EisenhowerTIME
1943: George Marshall
1943: George MarshallTIME
1942: Joseph Stalin
1942: Joseph StalinTIME
1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt
1941: President Franklin D. RooseveltTIME
1940: Winston Churchill
1940: Winston ChurchillTIME
1939: Joseph Stalin
1939: Joseph StalinTIME
1938: Adolf Hitler
1938: Adolf HitlerTIME
1937: Chiang Kai-shek and Soong May-ling
1937: Chiang Kai-shek and Soong May-lingTIME
1936: Wallis Simpson
1936: Wallis SimpsonTIME
1935: Haile Selassie
1935: Haile SelassieTIME
1934: President Franklin D. Roosevelt
1934: President Franklin D. RooseveltTIME
1933: Hugh S. Johnson
1933: Hugh S. JohnsonTIME
1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt
1932: Franklin D. RooseveltTIME
1931: Pierre Laval
1931: Pierre LavalTIME
1930: Mahatma Gandhi
1930: Mahatma GandhiTIME
1929: Owen D. Young
1929: Owen D. YoungTIME
1928: Walter Chrysler
1928: Walter ChryslerTIME
TIME Man of the Year 1927: Charles Lindbergh
1927: Charles LindberghTIME

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Write to Lily Rothman at lily.rothman@time.com