Donna Dubisky is a businesswoman and executive who is best known for her work with Apple Computers. She began her career at Apple in the 1980s, and she played a major role in the company’s growth and success during that time. Donna is also credited with helping to develop some of Apple’s most iconic products, … Read more
Elon Musk is a famous business magnate, investor, and engineer. He is the founder, CEO, and CTO of SpaceX, co-founder of Tesla Motors, and chairman of SolarCity. He has also founded several other companies, including Zip2 and PayPal. Musk was born in South Africa in 1971. He showed an early interest in computers and technology, … Read more
Arnold Schwarzenegger is an American actor, film producer, entrepreneur, politician, and former professional bodybuilder. He served two terms as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011. Arnold was born in Thal, Austria, and started weight training at the age of 15. Arnold won the Mr. Universe title at age 20 and went on … Read more
John Milton was born in 1608, during the renaissance period. This was a time of great intellectual and artistic achievement, as well as political upheaval. Milton was highly educated, and spent his life writing poetry and prose. His most famous work is the epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’, which tells the story of Adam and Eve’s … Read more
Frederick Douglass was born in Tuckahoe, Maryland, near Hillsborough. He doesn’t know for sure of his age, he has seen no proof and his master will not inform him. Most masters prefer for their slaves to stay ignorant. He believes that he was around twenty-seven and twenty-eight when he began writing his narrative – he overheard his … Read more
Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the most influential figures in history. His life was full of ups and downs, but he always managed to maintain his composure and dignity. He was born into a noble family, but his parents were not wealthy. Napoleon had to make his own way in life, and he did so … Read more
William Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770 in Cockermouth, Cumberland. William’s father John Wordsworth was a legal agent and attorney who died when William was only 8 years old. William’s mother Ann Cookson Wordsworth remarried in 1783 to William Cookson. William has four siblings: Dorothy, John, Christopher, and Dora. In 1787, William attended Hawkshead … Read more
Bill Gates is often compared to figures from history like Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin. Like these great men, Bill Gates has renaissance man syndrome. This means that he is interested and successful in many different fields, not just one. Gates was born in Seattle, Washington in 1955. His father was a successful lawyer … Read more
Neal Cassady is a name that is synonymous with the counterculture movement of the 1950s and 1960s. He was a key figure in the Beat Generation and influenced many of the writers and thinkers of that time. Neal Cassady was a man who lived life to the fullest and his story is an inspiring one. … Read more
Nataniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts. He was the son of Nathaniel Hathorne and Elizabeth Clarke Manning. Hawthorne’s father was a sea captain who died before Nataniel was born. Hawthorne’s mother raised him and his two sisters. Hawthorne attended Bowdoin College from 1821 to 1824. During his time at college, … Read more
Bob Marley was a legendary figure in the history of reggae music. He was born in the rural Jamaican village of Nine Mile on February 6, 1945, and he died of cancer on May 11, 1981, at the age of 36. Bob Marley was a Rastafarian, and he was an advocate for human rights and … Read more
Vince Lombardi was an American football coach who is best known for his time with the Green Bay Packers. He is considered one of the most successful coaches in NFL history, winning five Vince Lombardi Trophies, six NFL championships, and two Super Bowls. Lombardi is also famous for his quotes, many of which are about … Read more
Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer and pianist who is considered one of the most influential and Igor Stravinsky Biography important composers of the 20th century. He is best known for his ballets, such as The Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring, which changed the course of classical music. Stravinsky was born on June … Read more
Jerome Murdoughs was a homeless veteran who died after spending weeks in jail on Rikers Island. Murdough, who suffered from mental illness and was homeless, was originally arrested for allegedly stealing $37 worth of heating fuel from a street cart. He was later found dead in his cell from what officials say was exposure to … Read more
Andrew Carnegie was born in Scotland in 1835. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 18 and started work as a telegraph operator. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the president of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the early 1800s, steel production was limited because there was no way to produce enough … Read more
James Dickey was a highly influential American poet whose work focused on themes of life, death, and nature. His poems are often dark and violent, examining the darker side of human nature and the primal instincts that drive us. Dickey was born in 1923 in Atlanta, Georgia. He served in the United States Army during … Read more
Julius Caesar was a great leader who brought many changes to Rome. He improved the roads and bridges, which made transportation much easier. He also reformed the tax system, which made it more fair. Caesar was known for his military skills, and he led his troops to many victories. He was also a great orator, … Read more
Joan of Arc was born in the village of Domrémy, in the Champagne region of northeastern France, in 1412. Joan said she had been visited by saints who instructed her to lead the French army against the English. In May 1429, she arrived at the siege of Orléans and convinced the commander of the French … Read more
Vince Lombardi is one of the most iconic and renowned coaches in the history of sport. Winning is the only thing that mattered to him – he dedicated his life to it. Lombardi was an intense, passionate coach who demanded the best from his players. He was a hard taskmaster, but also a mentor and … Read more
F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1896. He was educated at Princeton University, and after graduating, he worked as a reporter for The Baltimore Evening Sun. Fitzgerald married Zelda Sayre in 1920, and the two moved to Paris, where Fitzgerald began writing his most famous novels, including The Great Gatsby. After … Read more
Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. Louis had a difficult childhood, and experienced a great deal of poverty. However, Louis’ passion for music helped him overcome these struggles. Louis began playing the cornet (a type of trumpet) at the age of twelve, and he quickly developed into an incredible … Read more
Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) was an American singer and drummer. She and her brother, Richard Carpenter, formed the 1970s duo The Carpenters. Karen’s voice was identified as one of the most widely recognisable in United States during the 20th-century. Karen died at age 32 from heart failure caused by … Read more
John D. Rockefeller was the son of a con artist but grew up to become one of the wealthiest men in history. John’s father known as Big Bill, or Devil Bill , would sell herbal medicine that claimed to cure everything from cancer to bad eyesight, get caught by his angry customers, and get released … Read more
Cleopatra VII Philopator (69 BC – August 12, 30 BC), more commonly known simply as Cleopatra, was the last person to rule Egypt as an Egyptian pharaoh. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great ‘s death during the Hellenistic period. Cleopatra was … Read more
Emily Dickinson’s poetry has been a source of inspiration for many people. Emily was born in Amherst, Massachusetts on December 10, 1830 and died there on May 15, 1886. Emily wrote over 1800 poems during her life that were discovered by her sister Lavinia after Emily’s death. Emily publicly shared fewer than a dozen of … Read more
Ernest Hemingway is considered one of the best American authors. Ernest Hemingway’s novel, The Sun Also Rises, is an international classic. Ernest Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954. Ernest Hemingway’s work influences countless writers. Ernest Hemingway killed himself at age 61 with a shotgun to the head. Ernest Hemingway was a heavy … Read more
Willa Cather was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. At age 21 she was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Nebraska (1902). She received critical recognition for … Read more
Michael Jerome Oher (born Michael Jerome Williams; January 11, 1986) is an American football offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for The University of Mississippi, and was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. In 2013, he signed … Read more
Nelson Mandela is a man who needs no introduction. The iconic South African leader became an international figure at the age of 71 when he was elected president, four years after his release from prison where he had spent 27 years fighting for equal rights in South Africa. The Nelson Mandela Foundation managed to publish … Read more
Walt Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, and international icon. Disney is famous for its influence in the field of entertainment during the twentieth century. Walt Disney helped to make motion pictures what they are today with creations such as Mickey Mouse. After being involved in business and … Read more
For Jennifer Lopez, her life has always had more than its fair share of drama. Jennifer Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in the South Bronx area of New York City to Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez. Jennifer Lopez spent most of her childhood living with family members after her parents … Read more
Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor and literary critic. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging … Read more
Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer and founder of the Coco Chanel brand and style. She was born on 19 August 1883 in Saumur, France, where her father worked as a wine merchant. Coco’s mother, Jeanne Devolle, died when Coco was 6 years old which forced Coco to grow up very quickly. Coco did … Read more
Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor and musician known for portraying Ted Logan in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), Neo in The Matrix Trilogy (1999–2003) and John Constantine in the 2005 film adaptation of the DC comic book, Hellblazer. He has also appeared in successful films such as Point Break (1991), My Own Private … Read more
Daniel Defoe was born in the year 1660 to Alice and James Foe. Daniel’s father James Foe was a tallow chandler and a member of the Butchers’ Company. Daniel later changed his last name to Defoe, the name of his maternal grandfather. Daniel had no schooling until he was approximately twelve years old. Daniel was … Read more
Maya Angelou is a writer, poet and civil rights activist. Maya was born in 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. Maya’s father was abandoned by his parents as a child and he attempted to find family members to stay with but they were no longer alive. Maya’s mother was a very strong woman who worked as … Read more
Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest and most ingenious men that history has ever known. Leonardo’s genius was not limited to one aspect of life, but spanned many fields; including science, art, music and mathematics. Leonardo is widely considered to be one of the greatest painters of all time, who pioneered new standards in … Read more
John Angelo Gotti was born December 27, 1940 to John and Fannie Gotti. John had three brothers: Peter, Richard, and Gene. John’s family lived in the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City near the East Harlem area during John’s childhood years. John was the last child born into his family. John attended Public School … Read more
Ruby Bridges (born September 8, 1954 in Tylertown, Mississippi) is an American civil rights activist. In 1960 Ruby Bridges was one of the first black children to attend a previously all-white elementary school in Louisiana as ordered by the court following the U. S Supreme Court ruling on Brown v. Board of Education . Ruby … Read more
Henrik Ibsen is the “father of realism” in drama. Henrik Ibsen was an important, influential playwright during his time and even to this day because he wrote about realistic events that could happen in everyday life. Henrik Ibsen used symbolism to represent the characters’ mentalities and reactions that they portray through their dialogue. Henrik Ibsen … Read more
James Dickey (1923-1997) was an American poet, literary critic, novelist, and screenwriter. James Dickey received the National Medal for Literature Award in 1996. James Dickey is most known for his poem “Falling”. James Dickey is also known for his novel Deliverance which was adapted into a film of the same name in 1972. James Dickey … Read more
Coco Chanel was born on August 19th, 1883 in Saumur France, where she grew up. Coco did not have the best background. Coco had a wealthy businessman for a father who let Coco’s mother manage their money. Coco’s parents divorced when Coco was young and Coco’s father left her family without any help financially. Coco’s … Read more
While each man was defined by different characteristics, their similarities were greater than their differences. Their lives were also marked by many similar occurrences in which they began to achieve great economical advancements during times of economic depression and periods of rapid industrialization (Randel 1). Thomas Edison is recognized as one of the greatest inventors … Read more
Augustus Caesar was a political leader in Roman Empire. Augustus was born Gaius Julius Caesar in Rome on September 23, 63 BC. Augustus became the first Roman Emperor Augustus in 27 BC when his great uncle and adoptive father Augustus died. Augustus is known for improving the lives of people in Roman Empire during his … Read more
Langston Hughes was an African-American writer best known for “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and poetry chronicling the struggle of African Americans. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, on February 1, 1902. His father moved to Mexico when Langston was only two years old because he didn’t think black people were treated fairly in … Read more
Bob Marley was born on February 6th, 1945 in Nine Mile, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica. Bob Marley would later become known as a world-renowned reggae musician and poet best remembered for songs like “No Woman, No Cry” and “Redemption Song. ” Dying at the age of 36 from melanoma skin cancer Bob Marley left behind … Read more
Antonio Vivaldi was born March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy. Antonio’s father was Giovanni Battista Antonio, a dyer, and his mother was Margarita. Antonio had three older siblings, but only one sister survived infancy. Antonio began composing music at the age of five or six years old. Antonio learned to play many instruments as well. … Read more
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson was born on December 10, 1830 in Amherst Massachusetts. Emily Dickinson is known for her unusual poetry- which is controversial because it does not rhyme and the ordering of the lines are not conventional. Emily Dickinson died on May 15, 1886 at age 55 from Bright’s disease (inflammation of the kidneys). Emily … Read more
Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895. His father was a professional bar owner who moved his family to Boston when he retired in 1902. The young George Herman “Babe” Ruth quickly gained stature as the best baseball player in the area, and he played for various local teams until 1914 … Read more
Bill Gates is a Renaissance man, a person who is skilled in multiple fields or has a broad base of knowledge. Renaissance means “rebirth” because it is viewed as a time when art and literature reinvented itself. The Renaissance began in Italy in the late 1400s & began to spread throughout Europe during the 1500s. … Read more