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Isaac Asimov
Writer / 1920 - 1992
Scholar Isaac Asimov was one of the 20th century's most prolific writers, writing in many genres. He was known for sci-fi works like Foundation and I, Robot.
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(1920-1992)
Writer
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Henri Becquerel
Philosopher, Physicist / 1852 - 1908
Henri Becquerel was a French physicist who discovered radioactivity, an achievement for which he won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1903.
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(1852-1908)
Philosopher, Physicist
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Alexander Graham Bell
Educator, Linguist, Inventor, Scientist / 1847 - 1922
Alexander Graham Bell was one of the primary inventors of the telephone, did important work in communication for the deaf and held more than 18 patents.
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(1847-1922)
Educator, Linguist, Inventor, Scientist
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Karl Benz
Entrepreneur, Engineer, Inventor / 1844 - 1929
German mechanical engineer Karl Benz designed and built the first practical automobile powered by an internal-combustion engine.
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(1844-1929)
Entrepreneur, Engineer, Inventor
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George Best
Soccer Player / 1946 - 2005
Athlete George Best played for Manchester United and was named European Footballer of the Year in 1968. His brief career ended by the time he was 25.
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(1946-2005)
Soccer Player
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Mathew Brady
Photographer, Entrepreneur / 1823 - 1896
Mathew Brady was a 19th-century photographer best known for his Civil War photography and portraits.
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(1823-1896)
Photographer, Entrepreneur
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Johannes Brahms
Songwriter, Pianist / 1833 - 1897
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist who wrote symphonies, concerti, chamber music, piano works, and choral compositions.
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(1833-1897)
Songwriter, Pianist
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Ambrose Burnside
General, U.S. Governor / 1824 - 1881
Ambrose Burnside is best known for his leadership as a general of the Union army in the Civil War, and for originating the fashion of sideburns in the United States.
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(1824-1881)
General, U.S. Governor
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Richard Burton
Linguist, Scholar, Explorer / 1821 - 1890
Sir Richard Burton was a British explorer and linguist. He translated The Arabian Nights, and wrote extensively about his travels in Asia, Africa and America.
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(1821-1890)
Linguist, Scholar, Explorer
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Venustiano Carranza
Military Leader, World Leader / 1859 - 1920
Venustiano Carranza was a revolutionary during Mexico's civil war and became the Mexican Republic's first president in 1917.
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(1859-1920)
Military Leader, World Leader
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Peter Cooper
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Political Leader / 1791 - 1883
Peter Cooper was an American industrialist and inventor, best known for designing and building the first steam locomotive in the United States.
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(1791-1883)
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Political Leader
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Leonardo da Vinci
Mathematician, Artist, Inventor, Musician, Writer / 1452 - 1519
Leonardo da Vinci was an Italian painter and a genius in many realms of science. He is best known for two paintings: the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper."
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(1452-1519)
Mathematician, Artist, Inventor, Musician, Writer
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Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Author / 1821 - 1881
Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote the classics Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov. His work explored psychology and existentialism.
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(1821-1881)
Author
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Victor Emmanuel II
General, King / 1820 - 1878
Victor Emmanuel II was king of Sardinia–Piedmont and became the first king of a united Italy.
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(1820-1878)
General, King
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Zach Galifianakis
Film Actor, Comedian / 1969 -
Zach Galifianakis is a comedic actor who struck Hollywood gold after appearing in the 2009 blockbuster The Hangover.
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(1969-)
Film Actor, Comedian
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Henry Highland Garnet
Activist, Political Leader, Minister / 1815 - 1882
Henry Highland Garnet was an African-American best known as an abolitionist whose “Call to Rebellion” speech encouraged slaves to rebel against their owners.
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(1815-1882)
Activist, Political Leader, Minister
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Thomas Hardy
Author, Poet / 1840 - 1928
Thomas Hardy was an English novelist and poet who set his work--including The Return of the Native and Far from the Madding Crowd--in the semi-fictionalized county of Wessex.
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(1840-1928)
Author, Poet
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John Harvard
Philanthropist, Religious Leader / 1607 - 1638
John Harvard was a New England colonist whose bequest permitted the firm establishment of Harvard College.
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(1607-1638)
Philanthropist, Religious Leader
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Wild Bill Hickok
Police Officer, Folk Hero / 1837 - 1876
Wild Bill Hickok was an American frontiersman, army scout and lawman who helped bring order to the frontier West.
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(1837-1876)
Police Officer, Folk Hero
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Hulk Hogan
Animal Rights Activist, Athlete, Reality Television Star / 1953 -
Hulk Hogan was one of the most beloved figures in the World Wrestling Federation in the 1980s, known for his flamboyance and the frenzy of his fans—Hulkamania.
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(1953-)
Animal Rights Activist, Athlete, Reality Television Star
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Doc Holliday
Criminal, Folk Hero / 1851 - 1887
Doc Holliday is a figure from the Old West, a gunman and a gambler who was part of the legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral.
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(1851-1887)
Criminal, Folk Hero
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Henry Hudson
Explorer / 1565 - 1611
English explorer Henry Hudson embarked on multiple sailing voyages that provided new information on North American water routes.
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(1565-1611)
Explorer
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Henrik Ibsen
Playwright / 1828 - 1906
Exiled Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler, the latter of which featured one of theater's most notorious characters.
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(1828-1906)
Playwright
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Ned Kelly
Criminal / 1855 - 1880
Australian outlaw Ned Kelly (1855–1880) was leader of the Kelly gang, notorious for robberies and police shootings in the 19th century.
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(1855-1880)
Criminal
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Charles Kingsley
Priest, Writer / 1819 - 1875
Charles Kingsley was an English clergyman who wrote Hypatia. He debated mightily with John Henry Newman about the Anglican church's trend toward Catholicism.
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(1819-1875)
Priest, Writer
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Henry Lawson
Author, Poet / 1867 - 1922
Henry Lawson was a revered Australian writer of short stories and poetry.
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(1867-1922)
Author, Poet
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Joseph Lister
Doctor, Scientist / 1827 - 1912
British surgeon and medical scientist Joseph Lister is regarded as the founder of antiseptic medicine, which he implemented with amputee patients.
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(1827-1912)
Doctor, Scientist
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Author, Poet / 1807 - 1882
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a famed 19th century scholar, novelist and poet known for works like Voices of the Night, Evangeline and The Song of Hiawatha.
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(1807-1882)
Author, Poet
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John R. Lynch
U.S. Representative / 1847 - 1939
John R. Lynch was a black politician who served in the Mississippi state legislature and U.S. House of Representatives after the American Civil War.
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(1847-1939)
U.S. Representative
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Edouard Manet
Painter / 1832 - 1883
Edouard Manet was a French painter who depicted everyday scenes of people and city life. He was a leading artist in the transition from realism to impressionism.
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(1832-1883)
Painter
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Damian Marley
Songwriter, Music Producer, Rapper / 1978 -
Damian Marley is a Grammy Award-winning reggae musician and the son of Bob Marley. His biggest hit is the song "Welcome to Jamrock."
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(1978-)
Songwriter, Music Producer, Rapper
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Karl Marx
Historian, Economist, Journalist / 1818 - 1883
German philosopher and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx published The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital, anticapitalist works that form the basis of Marxism.
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(1818-1883)
Historian, Economist, Journalist
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James Abbott McNeill Whistler
Painter / 1834 - 1903
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was a U.S.-born British painter who was highly influential in the late 19th century. His best-known work is "Whistler's Mother."
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(1834-1903)
Painter
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Herman Melville
Author, Poet / 1819 - 1891
Herman Melville wrote the classic American novel Moby-Dick (1851), a whaling adventure which regarded as one of the greatest literary works of all time.
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(1819-1891)
Author, Poet
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Dmitri Mendeleyev
Academic, Chemist / 1834 - 1907
Dmitri Mendeleyev was a Russian chemist who developed the periodic classification of the elements.
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(1834-1907)
Academic, Chemist
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Modest Mussorgsky
Songwriter / 1839 - 1881
Modest Mussorgsky was a 19th century Russian composer. His most famous works include "Night on Bald Mountain," "Boris Godunov" and "Pictures at an Exhibition."
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(1839-1881)
Songwriter
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Napoleon III
Military Leader, Emperor / 1808 - 1873
Napoleon III, the nephew of Napoleon I, was emperor of France from 1852 to 1870. His downfall came during the Franco-Prussian War, when his efforts to defeat Otto Von Bismarck ended in his capture.
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(1808-1873)
Military Leader, Emperor
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Thomas Nast
Illustrator, Journalist / 1840 - 1902
Thomas Nast is known as the “Father of the American Cartoon,” having created satirical art during the 19th century that critiqued slavery and crime.
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(1840-1902)
Illustrator, Journalist
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Nicholas Nikolaevich
Military Leader / 1856 - 1929
Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia was commander in chief of Tzar Nicholas II's army during WWI. The Russian Revolution ended his career.
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(1856-1929)
Military Leader
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Álvaro Obregón
Military Leader, World Leader / 1880 - 1928
Álvaro Obregón was a statesman, soldier and reformer who, as president, restored order to Mexico after a decade of political upheavals and civil war.
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(1880-1928)
Military Leader, World Leader
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Jacques Offenbach
Songwriter / 1819 - 1880
Jacques Offenbach was a prolific composer who created a new type French comic opera called the operette.
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(1819-1880)
Songwriter
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Ivan Petrovich Pavlov
Surgeon, Scientist / 1849 - 1936
Russian physiologist Ivan Petrovich Pavlov studied "conditioned reflex" through an experiment that made hungry dogs salivate at the sound of a dinner bell.
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(1849-1936)
Surgeon, Scientist
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Vincent Price
Film Actor / 1911 - 1993
American actor Vincent Price starred as the villain in the 1953 film House of Wax, which revitalized the horror genre, and was one of the first films shot in 3D.
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(1911-1993)
Film Actor
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Marcel Proust
Author / 1871 - 1922
Marcel Proust is a French author best known for writing the seven part novel In Search of Lost Time, or Remembrance of Things Past.
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(1871-1922)
Author
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Alonzo J. Ransier
Civil Rights Activist, Governor, U.S. Representative / 1834 - 1882
Alonzo J. Ransier was an African-American politician from South Carolina served during post-Civil War Reconstruction.
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(1834-1882)
Civil Rights Activist, Governor, U.S. Representative
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Rasputin
Religious Leader / 1869 - 1916
Rasputin is best known for his role as a mystical adviser in the court of Czar Nicholas II of Russia.
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(1869-1916)
Religious Leader
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Louis Riel
Political Leader / 1844 - 1885
Louis Riel was the leader of the Métis in western Canada who led his people in revolt against Canadian sovereignty.
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(1844-1885)
Political Leader
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Geraldo Rivera
Talk Show Host, Journalist / 1943 -
Though best known for his controversial talk shows, television personality Geraldo Rivera also worked as a journalist for several major news outlets.
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(1943-)
Talk Show Host, Journalist
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Auguste Rodin
Sculptor / 1840 - 1917
French sculptor Auguste Rodin is known for creating several iconic works, including "The Age of Bronze," "The Thinker," "The Kiss" and "The Burghers of Calais."
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(1840-1917)
Sculptor
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Edmond Rostand
Playwright / 1868 - 1918
French dramatist Edmond Rostand is best known for Cyrano de Bergerac, one of the last examples of the Romantic period.
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(1868-1918)
Playwright
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Théodore Rousseau
Painter / 1812 - 1867
Théodore Rousseau was a French painter known for his landscapes and unruly depictions of nature. He was a member of the Barbizon School of artists in France.
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(1812-1867)
Painter
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Rick Rubin
Film Actor, Guitarist, Music Producer / 1963 -
American record producer Rick Rubin is best known for helping promote the career of a tremendous number of musical artists, including Johnny Cash.
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(1963-)
Film Actor, Guitarist, Music Producer
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Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen
Physicist / 1845 - 1923
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen was a Nobel-winning German scientist who is credited with the discovery of X-rays.
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(1845-1923)
Physicist
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John Philip Sousa
Inventor, Songwriter / 1854 - 1932
U.S. bandmaster and composer John Philip Sousa was known as “The March King.” In the 1890s he developed a type of bass tuba now known as the sousaphone.
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(1854-1932)
Inventor, Songwriter
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Wole Soyinka
Activist, Playwright / 1934 -
Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright and political activist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986.
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(1934-)
Activist, Playwright
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Phil Spector
Murderer, Musician / 1940 -
Phil Spector is best known for writing several No. 1 hit songs, and for being convicted of the murder of Lana Clarkson.
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(1940-)
Murderer, Musician
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Robert Louis Stevenson
Author / 1850 - 1894
Robert Louis Stevenson was a 19th century Scottish writer notable for such novels as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
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(1850-1894)
Author
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Jeb Stuart
General / 1833 - 1864
Jeb Stuart was a General and cavalry leader for the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He worked closely with General Robert E. Lee.
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(1833-1864)
General
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William Howard Taft
Academic, Supreme Court Justice, U.S. President / 1857 - 1930
William Howard Taft, the 27th president of the United States, fulfilled a lifelong dream when he was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court, becoming the only person to have served as both a U.S. chief justice and president.
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(1857-1930)
Academic, Supreme Court Justice, U.S. President
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Rabindranath Tagore
Painter, Author, Playwright, Poet, Screenwriter
Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet, novelist and painter best known for being the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.
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Painter, Author, Playwright, Poet, Screenwriter
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Alfred Tennyson
Poet / 1809 - 1892
Alfred, Lord Tennyson was Queen Victoria's poet laureate. His lasting works include "Ulysses," "The Lady of Shalott," and Idylls of the King.
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(1809-1892)
Poet
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Leo Tolstoy
Author / 1828 - 1910
Russian author Leo Tolstoy wrote the acclaimed novels War and Peace, Anna Karenina and The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and still ranks among the world's top writers.
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(1828-1910)
Author
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Mark Twain
Writer / 1835 - 1910
An adventurer and wily intellectual, Mark Twain wrote the classic American novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
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(1835-1910)
Writer
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Martin Van Buren
Governor, U.S. President, U.S. Vice President, U.S. Representative / 1782 - 1862
Martin Van Buren was the eighth president of the United States. His shrewd dealings laid the foundations for the Democratic Party and the modern political machine.
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(1782-1862)
Governor, U.S. President, U.S. Vice President, U.S. Representative
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George Westinghouse
Inventor, Scientist / 1846 - 1914
George Westinghouse is best known for his inventions and the development of his company, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing.
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(1846-1914)
Inventor, Scientist
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Walt Whitman
Journalist, Poet / 1819 - 1892
Walt Whitman was an American poet whose verse collection Leaves of Grass is a landmark in the history of American literature.
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(1819-1892)
Journalist, Poet
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William I
King / 1797 - 1888
William I is best known for ruling Prussia as regent, and king, and later as German emperor.
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(1797-1888)
King
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Daniel Hale Williams
Surgeon / 1856 - 1931
Daniel Hale Williams was a physician who performed the first known open-heart surgery in the United States and who founded a hospital with an interracial staff.
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(1856-1931)
Surgeon
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José Zorrilla
Playwright, Poet / 1817 - 1893
Spanish poet and dramatist José Zorrilla, a major figure of the nationalist wing of the Spanish Romantic movement, made his name with verse leyendas (legends).
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(1817-1893)
Playwright, Poet