Pelé, Brazilian Soccer Star

Pelé turned a childhood of playing soccer in a small Brazilian village into athletic stardom. Known as “The King of Football,” he spent his...

Margaret Sanger, Founder of Birth Control League (Planned Parenthood)

After seeing what she felt were too many women dying a result of unintended pregnancy, Margaret Sanger decided it was time for a revolution....

Abigail Adams, First Lady

First Lady Abigail Adams became the first presidential wife to live in the White House when she joined her husband, John Adams, in Washington...

Menachem Begin, Israeli Prime Minister

Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin is best remembered for signing the 1978 Camp David Accords with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and a subsequent 1979...

Madame Marie Tussaud, Wax Sculptor and Museum Owner

After showing early artistic skill, Marie Tussaud apprenticed under one of the greatest wax modelers of her time. She made it—just barely—through the French...

Enrico Fermi, Nuclear Physicist

Enrico Fermi’s pioneering work in the field of nuclear fission won him a Nobel Prize, and ushered in the nuclear age. His discoveries led...

Allen Ginsberg, Beat Poet

Allen Ginsberg helped launch a literary revolution in the United States during the mid-20th century. As a central figure in the Beat generation, Ginsberg’s...

Dr. Spock, Pioneering Pediatrician

Pediatrician and psychoanalyst Dr. Benjamin Spock revolutionized modern child care when he encouraged parents to openly express affection and eschew physical discipline for their...

E.B. White, Essayist and Author of “Charlotte’s Web”

Revered by children for books such as “Charlotte’s Web” and “Stuart Little,” renowned among writers for the invaluable Strunk & White’s “The Elements of...

Aesop, Ancient Creator of Fables

Aesop, who was most likely a Greek slave, is credited with creating numerous fables that were originally intended for adults but have evolved, over...