For nearly four decades, American composer Aaron Copland achieved a distinctive musical characterization of American themes in an expressive modern style.
1900-1990
Stephen Crane was a 19th century American writer best known for his novels The Red Badge of Courage and Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.
1871-1900
Michael Crichton was an American author best known for his sci-fi and medical thrillers. The movie based on his book, Jurassic Park, was one of the highest-grossing films in history.
1942-2008
1916-2009
1929-
Marie Curie was a Polish-born French physicist famous for her work on radioactivity and twice a winner of the Nobel Prize.
1867-1934
Ann Curry is an American television jouralist who once anchored Dateline NBC, and co-anchored NBC's Today program from 2011 to 2012.
1956-
1787-1851
Dorothy Dandridge was an American actress and popular singer, and was the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for best actress.
1922-1965
In 1996, Dominique Dawes won Olympic gold with the U.S. women's gymnastics team as well as an individual bronze medal—becoming the first African American to win an individual Olympic medal in women's gymnastics.
1976-
British comedian Richard Dawson is best known for his role as Corporal Newkirk in the World War II sitcom Hogan's Heroes and as the host of Family Feud.
1932-2012
Dorothy Day was an activist who worked for such social causes as pacifism and women's suffrage through the prism of the Catholic Church.
1897-1980
1979-
American politician Howard Dean is best known for running for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination.
1948-
1855-1926
Ruby Dee is an American actress, playwright, screenwriter, activist, poet and journalist, perhaps best known for starring in the 1961 film A Raisin in the Sun. She's also known for her civic work with husband Ossie Davis.
1924-
1936-
Director and producer Ted Demme created Yo! MTV Raps, and worked on the films Beautiful Girls, Life and Blow.
1963-2002
1941-2007
1956-
American track athlete Gail Devers overcame Graves disease, a thyroid disorder, to win Olympic gold medals in 1992 and 1996.
1966-
American actor Danny DeVito began his rise to fame on the TV show Taxi. Since then, he's starred in feature films such as Twins and Ruthless People, and on the popular show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
1944-
A member of the Beastie Boys, Mike D has demonstrated his talents as a rapper, crafting clever quirky and often humorous lyrics.
1966-
Leonardo DiCaprio has starred in such films as Titanic, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Inception and Django Unchained.
1974-
Often referred to as the "penman of the Revolution," John Dickinson was an American statesman, delegate to the Continental Congress and one of the writers of the Articles of Confederation.
1732-1808
A controversial figure, U.S. Congressman Martin Dies, Jr. led the Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities from 1937 to 1944, targeting alleged communists.
1901-1972
Rocco DiSpirito is an American celebrity chef best known for his cooking show The Melting Pot and reality show The Restaurant.
1966-
Domitian was a Roman emperor from years AD 81 to 96 and was known for the reign of terror members of the Senate lived under in his last years.
51-96
Jack Dorsey is an American businessman best known as the founder of the social networking site Twitter.
1976-
Tommy Dorsey was an American trombonist and band leader who, with his brother Jimmy, was best known as one-half of The Dorsey Brothers during the Big Band and Swing eras.
1905-1956
1821-1881
TV and rap star Drake is best known in Canada for playing wheelchair-bound Jimmy Brooks on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and for hit songs like "Best I Ever Had" and "Take Care."
1986-
1868-1934
Richard Dreyfuss is an American actor known for his roles in Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, American Graffiti and The Goodbye Girl.
1947-
1925-2009
1816-1894
American swimmer Gertrude Ederle achieved fame when she competed in the 1924 Olympics and became the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926.
1905-2003
Annie Edson Taylor was a teacher and daredevil who was the first person to ride down Niagara Falls in a barrel.
1838-1921
King Edward VII took over the British throne after the death of Queen Victoria. He was a popular ruler who strengthened his country prior to World War I.
1841-1910
Mamie Eisenhower was first lady of the United States when her husband, Dwight Eisenhower, was president from 1953 to 1961.
1896-1979
1846-1935
Dale Evans was the longtime screen partner and wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers. She wrote several hit songs, including "Happy Trails to You."
1912-2001
1903-1975
Isabella Farnese was the Queen consort of Spain, wife of Philip V of Spain. She exerted tremendous influence of Spain's foreign policy and expansion.
1692-1766
Allyson Felix is a three-time Olympic gold medalist. At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, she won two gold medals, in the women's 200 and the 4-by-100-meter relay.
1985-
1918-2010
Sally Field is an American actress best known TV and film roles such as Gidget, The Flying Nun, Smokey and the Bandit, Sybil and Places in the Heart.
1946-
Actress Joely FIsher is best known for her work on the popular 1990s sitcom Ellen.
1967-
Actress Calista Flockhart played the title role on the popular television show Ally McBeal.
1964-
When Larry Flynt published an unflattering parody of Jerry Falwell in Hustler, Falwell waged a suit that eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court. It ruled in Flynt's favor, citing the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech.
1942-
Shelby Foote was an American historian and novelist who wrote The Civil War: A Narrative. He was also a significant contributor to the Ken Burns series The Civil War.
1916-2005
Jodie Foster is an award-winning American actress best known for her roles in the films Taxi Driver, The Accused and The Silence of the Lambs.
1962-
1924-
Bethenny Frankel starred on the reality-TV show The Real Housewives of New York City and two spinoffs. She also launched the brand Skinnygirl.
1970-
Associate Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter was a noted law scholar who served as the high court's leading exponent of the doctrine of judicial self-restraint.
1882-1965
1944-
Empress Frederick was the oldest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of England. She married the future German Emperor Frederick III in 1858, thusly becoming empress of Germany and queen of Prussia.
1840-1901
American engineer and inventor Robert Fulton is best know for developing the first successful steamboat and the world's first steam warship.
1765-1815
Indira Gandhi was India's third prime minister, serving from 1966 until 1984, when her life ended in assassination. She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister.
1917-1984
James Garfield is best known as the 20th president of the United States. He was assassinated after only a few months in office.
1831-1881
Art Garfunkel is a singer and one half of the 60s folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel.
1941-
Merrick Garland is a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals. He supervised the prosecution of the Oklahoma City bombing and Unibomber case.
1952-
1961-
Entrepreneur Bill Gates founded the world's largest software business, Microsoft, with Paul Allen and became one of the richest men in the world.
1955-
Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye is best known for his explorations of the northern U.S. and Canadian provinces.
1685-1749
Martha Gellhorn was a distinguished war correspondent who covered every war that occurred across the globe over a period extending nearly 60 years.
1908-1998
1979-
American dancer and choreographer Savion Glover is best known for his unique style of tapping dancing, called "hitting."
1973-
Joseph Goebbels was minister of propaganda for the German Third Reich under Adolf Hitler. He presented a favorable image of the Nazi regime to the Germans.
1897-1945
1947-
Roberto Críspulo Goizueta served as chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company. Over 16-years, he increased Coca-Cola's market value from $4 to $150 billion.
1931-1997
1955-
1730-1774
1923-
Ryan Gosling is a Canadian actor best known for his film roles in The Notebook, Half Nelson and Crazy, Stupid, Love.
1980-
John Gotti was an organized crime leader who became head of the Gambino family.
1940-2002
Nancy Grace is the outspoken host of HLN's top-rated show, Nancy Grace.
1958-
A highly popular film actress in the 1950s, Grace Kelly starred in movies such as Dial M for Murder and To Catch a Thief. She married Prince Rainier III of Monaco.
1929-1982
1907-1944
Greg Graffin is the frontman of the punk group Bad Religion, which created albums like How Could Hell Be Any Worse? and Into the Unknown.
1963-
Billy Graham was an evangelist at revival meetings, and on radio and television for over 40 years. He preached to more individuals than anyone else in history.
1918-
Hetty Green was an American businesswoman who lived in the 1800s and was best known as one of the first women to make a fortune on Wall Street.
1834-1916
1933-1977
Ellie Greenwich is best known as the writer of hit songs from the 1960's through the 1980's.
1940-2009
American professional baseball player Ken Griffey, Jr. was a dominant power hitter of the 1990s and ranked among the best defensive outfielders of all time.
1969-
Comedian Kathy Griffin relishes in dishing celeb dirt. She poked plenty of fun at her own life too on her reality show, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.
1960-
1978-
Benjamin Guggenheim was an heir in the wealthy Guggenheim family. Following a trip to Europe, he decided to sail on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.
1865-1912
Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness was the grandson of Arthur Guinness, the founder of Guinness Brewery. Benjamin Guiness made the stout beer brand famous.
1798-1868
1977-
1926-1993
Actor Harry Hamlin starred in the television series L.A. Law as lawyer Michael Kuzak for five seasons and was voted People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 1987.
1951-
Son of famed music producer John H. Hammond, John P. Hammond is a Grammy-winning American blues singer and guitarist. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011.
1942-
W.C. Handy was an African-American composer and a leader in popularizing blues music in the early 20th century, with hits like "Memphis Blues" and "St. Louis Blues."
1873-1958
1968-
1970-
Warren G. Harding was elected the 29th U.S. president on his birthday, and served from 1921 to 1923. His term followed World War I and a campaign promising a "return to normalcy."
1865-1923
1904-1961
American actress Anne Hathaway has starred in films like The Devil Wears Prada, Becoming Jane, Love and Other Drugs, and Les Miserables.
1982-
Ethan Hawke is an actor, director, screenwriter and novelist first gained fame playing a prep school student in the 1989 film Dead Poet’s Society.
1970-