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...

Pablo Picasso, Groundbreaking Painter

From his Cubist works to his famous Blue Period, painter Pablo Picasso changed the face of art forever. Picasso's Early Days Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born...

Tim Burton, Director and Animator

Tim Burton is a maverick auteur in a world where filmmakers are often relegated to pleasing Hollywood studios and producers. But his quirky and...

Michael Phelps, Record-Breaking Swimmer

Michael Phelps is one of the most decorated athletes in Olympic history, with 28 total medals, 23 of which are gold. At the 2008 Beijing...

Joseph Pulitzer, Founder of the Pulitzer Prizes

Hungarian immigrant Joseph Pulitzer was a lawyer, politician, journalist and publisher of the nation’s most widely circulated newspaper. He is remembered best as the...

Sidney Poitier, Pioneering African-American Actor

Sidney Poitier was the child of tomato farmers in the Bahamas. He moved to New York as a teenager and worked as a dishwasher...

Charles Schulz, Creator of Peanuts Comic Strip

For more than 50 years, Charles Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts has been an essential part of the newspaper’s daily comics page for millions of...

Ravi Shankar, Renowned Indian Musician

Ravi Shankar, India’s most famous sitar player and composer, is credited with popularizing Indian music in the Western world, and with influencing musicians in...

Nat King Cole, Singer and Jazz Pioneer

Nat King Cole’s musical upbringing forged a career that would delve the nuances of the jazz trio and fashion a more subtle approach to...

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...