Henry VIII, King of England

Henry VIII was larger than life, famous for his seemingly insatiable appetite for women, war, hunting and food. Henry’s Early Days Henry VIII was born on...

Edmund Hillary, First Man to Summit Mt. Everest

An explorer at heart, humble New Zealand beekeeper Edmund Hillary became the first man to reach the peak of Mount Everest in 1953, and...

Lillian Moller Gilbreth, Engineer and Psychologist

Lillian Moller Gilbreth fought the social conventions of her time to become one of the first PhD-holding female engineers. She was also a psychologist...

Johann Sebastian Bach, Baroque Organist and Composer

During his lifetime Johann Sebastian Bach was better known as a virtuoso organist, harpsichordist and organ builder than as a composer. It wasn’t until...

Peter O’Toole, Star of “Lawrence of Arabia”

Peter O’Toole is considered one of the most distinguished actors of the 20th century. His role in “Lawrence of Arabia” catapulted him to international...

Richard Wright, Groundbreaking Author of “Black Boy” and “Native Son”

Richard Wright, the first African-American man to make a living as an author, is known for landmark books like “Native Son” and “Black Boy.” Richard...

Mildred Loving, Activist for Interracial Marriage

Mildred Loving, a black woman married to a white man, missed her home in Virginia. But a state ban against interracial marriage prevented the...

Maimonides, Jewish Philosopher and Theologian

Maimonides’ ability to harmonize philosophies of the Greco-Roman, medieval Western, Jewish and Islamic civilizations in the context of his own religious beliefs has established...

Fred Astaire, Dancing Film Star and Elegant Showman

A Broadway star who ventured to Hollywood mid-career, Fred Astaire quickly became the era’s icon of grace, style and perfection. Alone or with a...

Osamu Tezuka, Japan’s “God of Comics”

Osamu Tezuka has been called the “god of comics” in Japan. After writing his first comic strip in third grade, Tezuka published his first...