a
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Louis Armstrong
Singer, Trumpet Player / 1901 - 1971
Louis Armstrong was a trumpeter, bandleader, singer, soloist, film star and comedian. Considered one of the most influential artists in jazz history, he is known for songs like "Star Dust," "La Via En Rose" and "What a Wonderful World."
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(1901-1971)
Singer, Trumpet Player
b
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James Baldwin
Writer / 1924 - 1987
James Baldwin was an essayist, playwright and novelist regarded as a highly insightful, iconic writer with works like The Fire Next Time and Another Country.
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(1924-1987)
Writer
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Ernest Borgnine
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor / 1917 - 2012
Actor Ernest Borgnine’s role in the film Marty transformed him from a stereotyped character actor to a leading man, earning him an Academy Award as Best Actor.
See full bio
(1917-2012)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor
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Bobby Brown
Singer / 1969 -
Singer Bobby Brown, known for hits including "Don't Be Cruel" and "Humpin' Around," is also famous for his troubled marriage to Whitney Houston.
See full bio
(1969-)
Singer
c
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Natalie Cole
Singer / 1950 -
Singer Natalie Cole is the daughter of mid-century crooner Nat King Cole and a platinum-selling, Grammy Award–winning musician in her own right.
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(1950-)
Singer
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Celia Cruz
Singer / 1925 - 2003
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American singer, best known as one of the most popular salsa performers of all time, recording 23 gold albums.
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(1925-2003)
Singer
d
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Willem Dafoe
Film Actor / 1955 -
Willem Dafoe is a gravelly voiced actor known for such films as Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ and Finding Nemo.
See full bio
(1955-)
Film Actor
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Angela Davis
Scholar, Civil Rights Activist, Women's Rights Activist, Academic Author / 1944 -
Angela Davis is an activist, scholar and writer who advocates for the oppressed. She has authored several books, including Women, Culture & Politics.
See full bio
(1944-)
Scholar, Civil Rights Activist, Women's Rights Activist, Academic Author
f
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Dave Foley
Television Actor, Comedian / 1963 -
Dave Foley was a founding member of the comedy troupe Kids in the Hall and was one of the leads on the TV sitcom NewsRadio.
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(1963-)
Television Actor, Comedian
g
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Louis Gossett, Jr.
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1936 -
Louis Gossett Jr. is an actor best known for his Oscar-winning performance in 1983's An Officer and a Gentleman.
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(1936-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
h
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Earl Hines
Pianist / 1903 - 1983
Jazz pianist Earl Hines made a mark on the 20th century jazz scene, especially when he played alongside trumpeter Louis Armstrong.
See full bio
(1903-1983)
Pianist
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Ron Howard
Film Actor, Television Actor, Director, Producer, Television Personality / 1954 -
Ron Howard is best known for his roles on the shows Happy Days and The Andy Griffith Show, and as the director for films, including A Beautiful Mind and Apollo 13.
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(1954-)
Film Actor, Television Actor, Director, Producer, Television Personality
i
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Julio Iglesias
Singer / 1943 -
Singer Julio Iglesias's was highly success during the 1970s and 1980s. Among his best-known songs is his duet "To All the Girls I've Loved Before."
See full bio
(1943-)
Singer
j
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Samuel L. Jackson
Film Actor / 1948 -
Samuel L. Jackson is known as one of the hardest-working Hollywood actors. In 2011, he was named the highest-grossing actor of all time.
See full bio
(1948-)
Film Actor
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Elton John
Songwriter, Singer / 1947 -
Elton John is a British singer, pianist and composer who was one of the most popular musicians of the 20th century. Along with selling more than 250 million records he has found success on Broadway, composing the music score for the Tony award winning hit Billy Elliot (2008).
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(1947-)
Songwriter, Singer
k
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Elena Kagan
Educator, Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Political Leader / 1960 -
First female politician,attorney to serve as solicitor general of the United States of America.
See full bio
(1960-)
Educator, Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Political Leader
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Walter Kohn
Chemist, Physicist / 1923 -
Walter Kohn is a physicist who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1998 for his work in quantum chemistry.
See full bio
(1923-)
Chemist, Physicist
l
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Denis Leary
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1957 -
Denis Leary is a comedian and actor who has become as well known for his TV drama Rescue Me as for any comedy he's done.
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(1957-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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David Letterman
Comedian, Talk Show Host / 1947 -
Comedian and late-night talk show host David Letterman is known for his irreverent sense of humor and cynical, mocking style.
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(1947-)
Comedian, Talk Show Host
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Little Eva
Singer / 1943 - 2003
Little Eva was a singer best known for the overnight stardom brought to her through her #1 smash "The Loco-Motion."
See full bio
(1943-2003)
Singer
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Vince Lombardi
Coach / 1913 - 1970
Vince Lombardi was an NFL coach, notably for the Green Bay Packers, a team he led to five championships.
See full bio
(1913-1970)
Coach
m
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Madonna
Film Actress, Singer / 1958 -
Pop legend Madonna is known for her constant reinvention as a performer. Her biggest hits include "Papa Don't Preach," "Like a Prayer" and "Vogue."
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(1958-)
Film Actress, Singer
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Jo Marie Payton
Television Actress / 1950 -
Jo Marie Payton won over television audiences as Harriette Winslow, a quick-witted and long-suffering wife and mother, on the situation comedy Family Matters.
See full bio
(1950-)
Television Actress
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Chris Martin
Activist, Guitarist, Pianist, Singer / 1977 -
Chris Martin is lead singer, rhythm guitarist and pianist for the alternative band Coldplay, which has won two Grammy awards one being for its debut album.
See full bio
(1977-)
Activist, Guitarist, Pianist, Singer
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Johnny Mercer
Songwriter / 1909 - 1976
Songwriter Johnny Mercer cofounded Capitol Records. His songs for films won four Academy Awards. He collaborated with composers such as Henry Mancini.
See full bio
(1909-1976)
Songwriter
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Walter Mosley
Author / 1952 -
Walter Mosley is a writer of mystery stories noted for their realistic portrayals of segregated inner-city life.
See full bio
(1952-)
Author
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Eddie Murphy
Film Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Director / 1961 -
Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy began doing stand-up as a teenager. He became a popular Saturday Night Live cast member and starred in several box-office hits.
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(1961-)
Film Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Director
n
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Mike Nichols
Director / 1931 -
Mike Nichols in an American theater and film director, best known for his 1967 classic, The Graduate. He's won an Academy Award, as well as multiple Tony and Emmy Awards.
See full bio
(1931-)
Director
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Oliver North
Government Official / 1943 -
Oliver North, former deputy-director of the National Security Council, was implicated in the Iran-Contra affair and forced to resign. Charges were cleared in 1990.
See full bio
(1943-)
Government Official
o
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Kevin O'Connor
Entrepreneur / 1961 -
Business leader and entrepreneur Kevin O'Connor is a co-founder and the CEO of the internet advertising technology company DoubleClick.
See full bio
(1961-)
Entrepreneur
p
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Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
Diplomat / 1900 - 1990
Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was an Indian political leader and diplomat, one of the world's leading women in public life in the 20th century.
See full bio
(1900-1990)
Diplomat
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Anna Paquin
Film Actress, Television Actress / 1982 -
Academy Award-winning actress Anna Paquin has appeared in such films as The Piano and X-Men, and the television drama True Blood.
See full bio
(1982-)
Film Actress, Television Actress
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Vanessa Paradis
Film Actress, Singer / 1972 -
Vanessa Paradis is a French superstar in both the worlds of music and film and has two children with actor Johnny Depp.
See full bio
(1972-)
Film Actress, Singer
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Charley Pride
Guitarist, Singer / 1938 -
Charley Pride is one of the few black country musicians to have had considerable success in the largely white country music industry, and was the first black musician to perform at the Grand Ole Opry.
See full bio
(1938-)
Guitarist, Singer
r
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Charles Rangel
Activist, U.S. Representative / 1930 -
Congressman Charles Rangel has served New York's Harlem district since 1971. He was censured by his peers for ethics violations in 2010.
See full bio
(1930-)
Activist, U.S. Representative
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Bernice Johnson Reagon
Civil Rights Activist, Songwriter, Singer / 1942 -
Musician and historian Bernice Johnson Reagon was a civil rights activist known for her political songs.
See full bio
(1942-)
Civil Rights Activist, Songwriter, Singer
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Rob Reiner
Activist, Actor, Filmmaker, Screenwriter / 1947 -
American actor, director and producer Rob Reiner is best known for directing the classic hits Stand By Me (1996) and When Harry Met Sally (1989).
See full bio
(1947-)
Activist, Actor, Filmmaker, Screenwriter
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Condoleezza Rice
Government Official / 1954 -
Condoleezza Rice is the first black woman to serve as the United States' national security adviser, as well as the first black woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State (2005-09).
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(1954-)
Government Official
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Esther Rolle
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress / 1920 - 1998
A stage, film and TV actress, Esther Rolle is best remembered as Florida Evans -- a character she played on two comedy series, Maude and Good Times.
See full bio
(1920-1998)
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress
s
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Earl Scruggs
Musician / 1924 - 2012
Earl Scruggs is a bluegrass musician who pioneered the Scruggs Style, a method of banjo playing.
See full bio
(1924-2012)
Musician
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Wesley Snipes
Film Actor / 1962 -
Wesley Snipes is an actor known for his action roles in such films as Blade and Passenger 57 and for his trouble with the law over unpaid taxes.
See full bio
(1962-)
Film Actor
t
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Ted Turner
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist / 1938 -
Ted Turner is a television and media magnate who founded CNN, the first 24-Hour cable news network.
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(1938-)
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
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Mike Tyson
Boxer / 1966 -
Mike Tyson is a former heavyweight boxing champion who's served jail time and also appeared in several films.
See full bio
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(1966-)
Boxer
v
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Dick Van Dyke
Television Actor, Comedian, Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Writer / 1925 -
Dick Van Dyke is an American actor and comedian best known for hosting The Dick Van Dyke Show. He's also known for starring on Diagnosis Murder and for roles in films like Mary Poppins, Dick Tracy and Night at the Museum.
See full bio
(1925-)
Television Actor, Comedian, Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Writer
w
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Wendy Wasserstein
Playwright / 1950 - 2006
Wendy Wasserstein was an award-winning playwright of such works as The Sisters Rosensweig and An American Daughter.
See full bio
(1950-2006)
Playwright
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Ethel Waters
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress, Singer / 1896 - 1977
Ethel Waters was a blues and jazz singer and dramatic actress whose singing, based in the blues tradition, featured her full-bodied voice and slow vibrato.
See full bio
(1896-1977)
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress, Singer
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Cornel West
Educator, Philosopher, Scholar, Civil Rights Activist, Academic Author / 1953 -
Cornel West is a scholar of African American studies, and political activist. He published Race Matters in 1993 and appeared in the Matrix sequels.
See full bio
(1953-)
Educator, Philosopher, Scholar, Civil Rights Activist, Academic Author
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Amy Winehouse
Entrepreneur, Songwriter, Singer / 1983 - 2011
Amy Winehouse won five Grammy Awards for her 2006 album Back to Black, and is remembered for songs like "Rehab," "Back to Black" and "Valerie." She died in 2011, at age 27.
See full bio
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(1983-2011)
Entrepreneur, Songwriter, Singer
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Elijah Wood
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1981 -
Elijah Wood is known for playing the hobbit Frodo in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, as well as for parts in The Ice Storm, Sin City and Happy Feet.
See full bio
(1981-)
Film Actor, Television Actor