Martha Stewart Fast Facts

Here’s a look at the life of author, television personality and entrepreneur, Martha Stewart.

Birth date: August 3, 1941

Birth place: Jersey City, New Jersey

Birth name: Martha Helen Kostyra

Father: Edward Kostyra, pharmaceuticals salesman

Mother: Martha (Ruszkowski) Kostyra, schoolteacher

Marriage: Andrew Stewart (1961-1990, divorced)

Children: Alexis

Education: Barnard College, B.A., 1963

Baby-sat Mickey Mantle’s children.

Was a fashion model for Chanel.

Has published more than 90 books.

1968-1973 – Works as a stockbroker for the firm Monness, Horstman, Williams and Sidel.

1976 – Launches a catering business in Westport, Connecticut.

1982 – Publishes her first book, “Entertaining.”

1987 – Is appointed K-Mart’s lifestyle consultant.

1991 – Time Inc. begins publishing the Martha Stewart Living magazine.

1993 – Syndicated TV show, “Martha Stewart Living,” debuts.

1995 – Begins writing a weekly syndicated newspaper column. Martha by Mail, a direct-mail catalog business, is launched.

1997 – Buys-out Time Inc.’s share of Martha Stewart Enterprises, valued at approximately $53 million. Changes the company’s name to Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

October 19, 1999 – Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia launches its initial public offering, raising close to $130 million on its first day of trading. Stewart becomes America’s first self-made female billionaire.

December 27, 2001 – Stewart sells almost 4,000 shares of ImClone Systems, headed by her friend Samuel Waksal.

June 6, 2002 – Stewart comes under investigation by the Justice Department and the SEC for her sale of shares of ImClone Systems the day before a company announcement that sent the price of ImClone plummeting.

June 4, 2003 – Is indicted on nine charges, including securities fraud and obstruction of justice, Stewart pleads not guilty. Stewart steps down as chairman and CEO of Martha Stewart Omnimedia, but remains on the board and takes role of chief creative officer.

March 5, 2004 – Is found guilty on four counts: two counts of making false statements, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of conspiracy.

March 8, 2004 – Viacom announces it is dropping Stewart’s television show, “Martha Stewart Living,” from its CBS and UPN television networks. Revlon announces that Stewart has submitted her resignation from the company’s board of directors.

March 15, 2004 – Resigns as chief creative officer of Martha Stewart Omnimedia.

May 18, 2004 – Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announces that Martha Stewart Living Television will be put on hold for Season 12, the 2004-2005 season.

July 16, 2004 – Is sentenced to five months in prison, five months home confinement after release, two years’ probation, and fined $30,000.

September 15, 2004 – Announces that she will begin her prison sentence before her appeal is completed.

October 8, 2004 – Reports to prison in Alderson, West Virginia.

March 4, 2005 – Is released from prison.

August 31, 2005 – Stewart’s home confinement ends.

September 12, 2005 – Stewart’s daily talk show, “Martha,” debuts.

September 21, 2005 – “The Apprentice: Martha Stewart” debuts on NBC.

October 2005 – Stewart enters a deal with home building company KB Homes in which KB Homes builds a subdivision of houses based on designs by Stewart. The first neighborhood of houses is to be built in North Carolina.

August 8, 2006 – Stewart agrees to pay $195,000 to settle an insider trading probe with the SEC. She is barred from serving as chief executive or chief financial officer of any public company for five years.

September 2009 – Stewart announces a new product partnership with The Home Depot, launching in 2010.

January 2010 – The partnership between Stewart and Kmart ends.

March 8, 2011 – Daughter Alexis has a daughter by gestational surrogate.

September 2011 – Rejoins the board of directors of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

October 18, 2011 – Stewart’s daughter Alexis releases the book “Whateverland: Learning to Live Here,” in which she criticizes Stewart’s parenting. Stewart responds by praising the book as “hilarious and enlightening.”

December 7, 2011 – J.C. Penney invests $38.5 million for a 16.6% stake in Stewart’s Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and enters a 10-year retail partnership showcasing Stewart’s products.

January 6, 2012 – The Hallmark Channel announces that “The Martha Stewart Show” will air until the end of summer 2012.

January 2012 – Macy’s Inc. sues Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia for breach of contract. Macy’s claims that by reaching a deal with J.C. Penney in 2011, a 2006 agreement that granted Macy’s exclusive rights to sell selected Martha Stewart-branded products was violated.

January 2012 – Launches a new line of home office supplies at Staples.

October 2012 – “Martha Stewart’s Cooking School” premieres on PBS.

March 5, 2013 – Stewart appears in New York State Supreme Court to defend her decision to sign a deal with J.C. Penney even though she already had a contract with rival department store Macy’s.

October 2013 – J.C. Penney announces that it has scaled back its partnership with Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in the face of legal pressure from Macy’s.

January 2, 2014 – Macy’s and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia settle their legal dispute. The terms of the settlement are not disclosed.

June 16, 2014 – A judge rules that J.C. Penney “interfered” with a deal between rival Macy’s and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.

June 22, 2015 – Sequential Brands Group announces that it will acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Stewart will stay on as chief creative officer in the new company and sit on the board of directors.

November 7, 2016 – VH1 network airs “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party,” where Stewart pairs with rap icon Snoop Dogg to share recipes and host celebrity guests.

February 28, 2019 – Stewart joins Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth as an adviser to help develop cannabis-derived products for people and animals.

April 16, 2019 – Sequential Brands Group announces that it will sell Stewart’s and Emeril Lagasse’s brands to licensing and marketing company Marquee Brands for $175 million.

July 31, 2020 – “Martha Knows Best” premieres on HGTV.

June 22, 2022 – “The first episode of “The Martha Stewart Podcast” is released.

May 15, 2023 – Is revealed as a cover model for the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Stewart is the oldest swimsuit model to be featured by the magazine.