Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia, was born in 1955.

Jimmy Donal 'Jimbo' Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia and Fandom, was born in Huntsville, Alabama. He later became a prominent Internet entrepreneur and webmaster.

Jimmy Donal Wales, the co-founder of Wikipedia, was born in Huntsville, Madison County, to Jimmy Wales and Doris Ann Dudley Wales. He was raised in a family of educators and grocers, which influenced his later entrepreneurial endeavors.

At the age of three in 1968, Jimmy Wales's mother bought a World Book Encyclopedia, which became a significant source of knowledge for him during his childhood.

In 1969, Jimmy Wales's parents bought him his first encyclopedia, the World Book, from a door-to-door salesman in Huntsville, Alabama. This event sparked his interest in knowledge and learning.

Jimmy Wales was enrolled in the Randolph School in Huntsville, which offered computer science courses, sparking his interest in technology and innovation from a young age.

Jimmy Wales graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor's degree in finance at the age of 16, showcasing his academic prowess and early success.

Jimmy Wales completed his master's degree in finance at the University of Alabama, furthering his academic achievements and knowledge in the field.

In 1992, Jimmy Wales founded an electronic mailing list dedicated to 'Moderated Discussion of Objectivist Philosophy', influenced by Ayn Rand's philosophy of reason, individualism, and capitalism.

In 1996, Jimmy Wales, along with two partners, started Bomis, an Internet portal that featured entertainment and adult content. Bomis later provided funding for Nupedia (2000–2003) and eventually for Wikipedia.

In 1997, Jimmy Wales married Christine Rohan, with whom he later had one daughter.

Jimmy Wales transitioned from a finance background to web development and Internet fantasy games after his early education at the Randolph School in Huntsville, where he developed a passion for education.

In 1999, Jimmy Wales began exploring the idea of creating a user-built, free online encyclopedia.

In March 2000, Jimmy Wales launched Nupedia, a peer-reviewed, open-content encyclopedia with the goal of having expert-written entries on various topics. The project aimed to sell advertising alongside entries to generate profit.

During his time as research director at Chicago Options Associates, Jimmy Wales created the early web portal Bomis, which featured user-generated webrings. This marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial path that eventually led to the creation of Wikipedia.

In 2002, Jimmy Wales relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, and established the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation to manage Wikipedia's operations and finances. He also transferred control of the site to the foundation.

In mid-2003, Jimmy Wales set up the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) in St. Petersburg, Florida, later headquartered in San Francisco, California. The foundation was created to support Wikipedia and its sister projects, with Wales serving as the chairman and board member.

In 2004, Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley founded the for-profit company Wikia, a wiki farm hosting various wikis on different subjects. Wales later stepped down as CEO, and the company ventured into projects like Wikia Search to challenge Google, which was eventually abandoned in 2009.

During an appearance on C-SPAN's Q&A in September 2005, Jimmy Wales mentioned Ayn Rand's influence on him, citing integrity and the virtue of independence as personally important. He labeled himself a libertarian and expressed his guiding principles as freedom, liberty, and individual rights.

In January 2006, Jimmy Wales refused a request from the People's Republic of China to censor politically sensitive Wikipedia articles, standing by Wikipedia's policy of freedom of information despite other companies complying with Chinese government pressure.

On December 11, 2007, Jimmy Wales testified before the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

In March 2008, Jimmy Wales faced accusations of misusing Wikimedia Foundation funds for recreational purposes by former employee Danny Wool. However, Wales and other foundation officials denied any wrongdoing, stating that expenses were accounted for and any missing receipts were covered by Wales personally.

In 2010, Jimmy Wales founded the Wiki Education Foundation, which later gained significant recognition in 2014.

On November 4, 2011, Jimmy Wales delivered an hour-long address at The Sage Gateshead in the United Kingdom to launch the 2011 Free Thinking Festival on BBC Radio Three. His speech focused on 'The Future of the Internet' with a significant emphasis on Wikipedia.

On November 24, 2011, Jimmy Wales appeared on the British topical debate television program Question Time.

On March 11, 2012, Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia chief, was appointed to advise Whitehall on policy.

On October 6, 2012, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales married Tony Blair's former aide.

On December 5, 2013, Jimmy Wales was honored with the UNESCO Niels Bohr Medal in Copenhagen for his contributions to an open world and advocating for the expansion of Wikipedia.

On March 21, 2014, Jimmy Wales spoke on a panel at a Clinton Global Initiative University conference held at Arizona State University. The discussion revolved around 'the age of participation' and the role of citizens in expressing opinions and pursuing education.

In May 2014, Jimmy Wales strongly criticized the European Court of Justice's ruling on the right of individuals to request the removal of information from Google's search results, calling it a significant internet censorship ruling. He expressed concerns about the impact on privacy and the suppression of knowledge.

On May 26, 2014, Google appointed Jimmy Wales to serve on a committee on privacy in response to Google v. Gonzalez, aiming to address requests to remove websites from search results.

On July 10, 2014, Jimmy Wales was presented with the UK Tech4Good Awards Special Award for his role in establishing Wikipedia, recognizing his use of digital technology for social good.

Jimmy Wales and other Wikipedia employees with authority were involved in a dispute regarding the media and videos on Wikipedia, particularly focusing on accessibility and viewership.

Jimmy Wales, the Founder of Wikipedia, gave a lecture at Purdue Series on Corporate Citizenship and Ethics. He discussed the origins of Wikipedia and his motivations behind creating the platform.

On May 17, 2015, Jimmy Wales was awarded the Dan David Prize of $1 million for launching the world's largest online encyclopedia.

On February 2, 2016, Jimmy Wales received a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Université Catholique de Louvain.

In May 2017, Jimmy Wales stated on Quora that he identifies as a centrist and a gradualist, believing in slow step-by-step change for sustainable progress.

In September 2017, Jimmy Wales was awarded the President's Medal of the British Academy for his work in creating and developing Wikipedia.

In October 2019, Jimmy Wales launched WT Social, an ad-free social network.

In November 2019, Jimmy Wales accused Twitter of showing preferential treatment to figures like Trump and Elon Musk by not taking action against their controversial statements.

In September 2021, Jimmy Wales suggested deploying volunteer moderators on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to combat misinformation and abuse.

In May 2022, Jimmy Wales shared his thoughts on Elon Musk's potential acquisition of Twitter, mentioning both positive and negative aspects of the idea and its impact on the platform's future.