Pablo Neruda, the “People’s Poet” of Chile

One of the most beloved and widely read Latin American poets, Pablo Neruda defies categorization. His work was as stylistically varied—from sensuous love poetry...

Anton van Leeuwenhoek, the “Father of Microbiology”

The “Father of Microbiology,” Anton van Leeuwenhoek was not a trained scientist, yet he made some of the most astounding scientific discoveries of his...

David Hockney, British Pop Artist

The British Pop Art Movement gained a fresh energy when David Hockney emerged on the scene. He’s both a controversial and highly influential figure,...

Bill Bowerman, Track Coach and Nike Co-founder

A legendary track coach at the University of Oregon, Bill Bowerman coached 33 Olympians, including the talented Steve Prefontaine. He also designed lightweight running...

Ursula K. Le Guin, Writer

Novelist, poet and translator Ursula Le Guin is best known for creating worlds of fantasy and of the far future, but that is only...

Friedrich Nietzsche, Philosopher

“Nietzsche’s actual thought is a…system, at the beginning of which stands the death of God…the ensuing nihilism, and at its end the self-surmounting of...

Cole Porter, Broadway Lyricist and Composer

A talented writer and musician, Porter took Broadway by storm with his piercing wit. “Anything Goes” and “Kiss Me, Kate” are considered classics and...

Robert A. Heinlein, Author of “Stranger in a Strange Land”

Science fiction Grand Master Robert A. Heinlein inspired many readers with his predictions of technologies to come, his vivid descriptions of outer space, and...

Chiune Sugihara, the “Japanese Schindler”

Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese consul during World War II who helped save the lives of thousands of Polish Jewish refugees by signing visas...

Malcolm X, Civil Rights Activist

Though often eclipsed by Martin Luther King, Jr. in the historical record, Malcolm X was a leading figure of the mid-20th century civil rights...