Diana Ross's Life in Photos

Diana Ross has lived a life marked by personal and professional triumphs. Not only was she in one of the most popular and successful Motown groups during the '60s, but she consistently topped the charts as a solo artist too. As a singer, actress, and fashion icon, Ross is the original diva and we're not worthy. In tribute to the icon, we're sharing this collection of rare photos.

Diana Ross was born on March 26, 1944. She was the second eldest of six children for her mother Ernestine and father Fred Ross. Ross grew up in Detroit, Michigan and started singing as a teenager, which eventually led to her discovery.

When Diana Ross was in high school, she was asked to join the Primettes, the all-female counterpart to the popular singing group the Primes. The group consisted of Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Barbara Martin.

After an introduction to a Motown Records executive, the group caught the eye of founder Berry Gordy, then signed a record deal with the label in 1961. They officially changed their name to the Supremes not long after, and became a trio when Barbara Martin dropped out.

One of the group's first songs, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," shot to number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963 and it became clear the group had massive potential.

Around this time, the Supremes began touring and making appearances on television shows. Here, they perform with Sammy Davis Jr. on a TV special.

In the early '60s, the Supremes began working with Motown's writing group Holland–Dozier–Holland. The collaboration resulted in their first number one hit, "Where Did Our Love Go?"

The group promptly proved that their first hit was no fluke, following it up with four more consecutive number one hit songs.

Diana Ross's relationship with Motown producer Berry Gordy turned from professional to romantic in 1965. The couple continued to work together while dating and were in a relationship for several years.

The Supremes's released another hit song, "You Can't Hurry Love," in 1966, which also earned a number one spot on the charts.

Throughout the '60s, the group became one of Motown's biggest and most successful groups. Here, Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard, and Diana Ross perform in their classic matching outfits in their hometown of Detroit.

In 1966, the group traveled to Japan as part of an international tour. Ross wears a bright blue crepe pencil skirt and silk blouse for the press event at their hotel in Tokyo.

The Supremes saw some major shake-ups in 1967, as Florence Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong (far right). Ballard left the group after a series of personal disputes with Motown.

Since the group's inception, former member Florence Ballard had been seen as the showrunner amongst the women. Ballard not only chose the name the Supremes, but also sang lead vocals on many of their first songs. After her departure, Motown changed the group's name to Diana Ross and the Supremes and Ross became the clear lead vocalist in the band.

The women were reunited with the Primes, who by then were known as the Temptations, when Motown introduced a collaboration between the two singing groups in 1968.

Diana Ross (right) got her first taste of acting in 1968 when she and her fellow singing partners guest-starred on the television show, Tarzan, as a group of nuns from a convent.

By the late '60s, the group started to stray from their classic matching ensembles and began to show more individualism in their appearances. Ross remained the clear lead singer and started dressing in more distinct outfits for performances.

Diana Ross left the Supremes to pursue a solo career in 1969. In 1970, she released her first solo studio album, which housed the hit single "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

After ending her on again, off again relationship with Berry Gordy, Diana Ross married her music business manager Robert Ellis Silberstein on January 20, 1971.

Diana Ross gave birth to Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein seven months later on August 14, 1971. Although Robert Ellis Silberstein raised Rhonda as his own, her biological father was Berry Gordy. Ross didn't tell her daughter about her biological father until she was 13 years old.

Diana Ross pivoted into acting in 1972, landing her first starring role in Lady Sings the Blues. Ross also released a soundtrack for the film of the same name, which was a hit.

Diana Ross attended the Academy Awards in 1973 as a nominee for Best Actress for her role in Lady Sings the Blues, but Liza Minnelli won the category for her role in Cabaret. Here, Ross and her husband, Robert Ellis Silberstein, arrive at the awards show.

Throughout the '70s, Diana Ross and Robert Ellis Silberstein grew their family, welcoming a second daughter, Tracee, in 1972 and a third, Chudney, in 1975.

Ross followed up her successful film debut with another leading role. This time she played an emerging fashion designer in Mahogany.

By the mid-'70s, the performer had firmly earned a place as one of fashion's biggest icons thanks to her over-the-top red carpet looks and glamorous stage outfits.

After six years of marriage, Diana Ross and Robert Ellis Silberstein filed for divorce in 1977.

The performer was enlisted to play Dorothy in Universal's remake of The Wizard of Oz in 1978. Ross was joined by costars Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross in the film.

A frequent reveler at New York City's Studio 54, here the singer belts it out on the DJ booth in 1980. Diana Ross capitalized on the disco dance craze with a few albums, the first being Love Hangover, which she released in 1976.

Diana Ross released her album Diana in 1980, which went platinum and included the song "I'm Coming Out."

In 1980, Diana Ross began dating Kiss singer Gene Simmons. The two performers dated until 1983.

Diana Ross recorded the soundtrack to the film Endless Love with Lionel Richie, which was a hit. The duo is seen here performing in 1981.

Diana Ross's performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl XVI in 1982 was far more significant than just a stellar rendition of the national anthem. Ross was the first pop star to be selected to perform, a tradition which now attracts some of the biggest names in the music industry. In 1996, Ross returned for the halftime show.

Diana Ross continued to tour internationally and record new music throughout the '80s. She released her 13th studio album, Silk Electric, in 1982.

Diana Ross met Norwegian shipping magnet Arne Naess Jr. in 1985. The pair married a year later in Switzerland, where Ross wore a stunning satin and lace wedding gown for the ceremony. The couple had two sons, Ross who was born in 1987 and Evan who arrived in 1988, however they divorced in 2000.

Diana Ross was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for her work with the Supremes in 1988. She was not, however, recognized by the organization for her solo work.

The singer performed at the Lincoln Memorial for the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993. That same year, the Guinness World Records dubbed her the most successful female singer in the world, due to both her record-selling and chart-topping success.

In 2000, Diana Ross led the charge on a Supremes reunion tour. However, she failed to secure many of the original members. Florence Ballard died in 1976, but neither Mary Wilson nor her replacement, Cindy Birdsong, participated in the tour. The tour was not well-attended and was canceled early.

Following a 1999 altercation with a London Heathrow Airport security guard, Diana Ross struggled with numerous personal issues. In 2002, she was arrested for driving under the influence in Tucson, Arizona and served 48 hours in jail, which she carried out in Greenwich, Connecticut near her family's home.

Diana Ross was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 2012. The tribute was Ross's first-ever Grammy, despite being nominated 12 times throughout her incredible career.

The singer was recognized for her contribution to the arts by President Obama in 2016, when he granted her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor in the country.

Diana Ross and her entire family celebrated her career when the American Music Awards honored her with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. Joining her on the red carpet were her five children and five grandchildren.