Catherine Hughes, Radio and TV Executive

From a high school dropout and single teenaged mother to the first woman owner of a number one radio station and the first African-American...

Lincoln Steffens, One of the First Muckrakers

Lincoln Steffens was an American journalist active during the early 20th century. A famous muckraker, Steffens is remembered for pioneering a style of critical,...

Fred Rogers, Host of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”

For more than 30 years Fred Rogers welcomed children and their parents into a realm of imagination on his show, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” Through...

Elizabeth Blackwell, First Female Physician in America

When Elizabeth Blackwell was born in 1821, there were no formally trained female physicians in the Western world. But Blackwell graduated first in her...

Jack Kemp, Football Star and Politician

After a successful career as an AFL quarterback, Jack Kemp entered politics and spent 18 years in Congress before becoming secretary of Housing and...

Claude Monet, Leader of the Impressionist School of Painting

French painter Claude Monet was the central figure of the Impressionist movement in the late 19th century, producing colorful, vibrant studies of natural and...

Nelson Mandela, First Black President of South Africa

Nelson Mandela was elected during the first election when South African blacks were allowed to vote. A leader of the resistance for years, Mandela...

Alfred Hitchcock, Master of Suspense Films

Known for thrillers like “Rear Window” and “The Birds,” Alfred Hitchcock is a master of bringing audiences to the edge of their seats. Alfred Hitchcock’s...

Nadine Gordimer, 1991 Winner of Nobel Prize in Literature

Writer Nadine Gordimer has devoted her life to fighting for the rights and health of the less fortunate and oppressed. She won the Nobel...

Nina Simone, “The High Priestess of Soul”

Jazz singer Nina Simone revolutionized popular music and emerged as one of the finest songwriters and musicians of her time. In addition to captivating...