Harry Belafonte, Actor, Singer and Activist

Harry Belafonte’s handsome looks and velvety voice, coupled with his talent as an actor and producer, have earned him fame and accolades. But he...

Horace Mann, “Father of American Education”

Horace Mann was an educational pioneer. At a time when many saw considerable problems in American education, he stepped forward to address the issues,...

Beverly Cleary, Author of the “Ramona” Books

Beverly Cleary captured the experiences of childhood and created a world of fiction that children have enjoyed for decades. Beloved characters such as Ramona...

Danica Patrick, First Woman to Win IndyCar Race

Auto racing has always appeared to be an aggressively masculine activity, with the role of women limited to the bikini-clad beauties handing out trophies....

Walter Cronkite, CBS News Anchor

To his colleagues, he was “Old Iron Pants,” and to everyone else, he was “The Most Trusted Man in America.” For more than half...

Brian Wilson, Co-founder of the Beach Boys

From the living room of his parents’ house to the world stage, Brian Wilson worked to establish the classic California surf sound with his...

Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize-Winning Author

Toni Morrison grew up in a house of African-American storytellers and developed a love for books. After earning a masters degree in English and...

Jean Piaget, Developmental Psychologist

Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget was the first to realize that the cognitive processes of children differ from those of adults. Over his 75-year career...

Margaret Thatcher, Former British Prime Minister

Known as the “Iron Lady,” British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was the first woman to lead a Western democracy, a position she held for...

William Shakespeare, Playwright, Poet and Actor

“He was not for an age but for all time,” said Ben Jonson in the dedication to William Shakespeare’s 1623 First Folio. It may...