l
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Lea Michele
Theater Actress, Television Actress, Singer / 1986 -
Actress Lea Michele landed the role of Rachel Berry, an ambitious teenager who dreams of stardom, on the TV show Glee.
See full bio
(1986-)
Theater Actress, Television Actress, Singer
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Bob Lemon
Baseball Player, Coach / 1920 - 2000
Bob Lemon was an All Star Major League Baseball pitcher who had his heyday in the 1940s and 1950s.
See full bio
(1920-2000)
Baseball Player, Coach
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Melissa Leo
Actress / 1960 -
Melissa Leo is an American actress best known for her Academy Award-winning performance in the 2010 film The Fighter.
See full bio
(1960-)
Actress
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Alain LeRoy Locke
Educator, Philosopher, Scholar, Journalist / 1886 - 1954
American educator, writer, and philosopher Alain LeRoy Locke is best remembered as the leader and chief interpreter of the Harlem Renaissance.
See full bio
(1886-1954)
Educator, Philosopher, Scholar, Journalist
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Ira Levin
Author, Playwright / 1929 - 2007
Author Ira Levin wrote some of the gripping novels of the 1960s and 1970s, including Rosemary's Baby and The Boys from Brazil.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1929-2007)
Author, Playwright
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Helen Levitt
Photographer, Filmmaker / 1913 - 2009
Helen Levitt was a photographer, film editor and director known for her captivating portraits of New York urban life.
See full bio
(1913-2009)
Photographer, Filmmaker
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Lennox Lewis
Boxer / 1965 -
Lennox Lewis was the first British boxer to hold the undisputed world heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons (who won the title in 1899). Lewis won Olympic gold in 1988.
See full bio
(1965-)
Boxer
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Sol Lewitt
Painter, Sculptor / 1928 - 2007
Sol Lewitt was an American artist best known for helping to launch Conceptual Art and Minimalism of the Post-War era.
See full bio
(1928-2007)
Painter, Sculptor
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Liliuokalani
Queen / 1838 - 1917
Liliuokalani was the queen of the Hawaiian Islands from 1891 to 1895.
See full bio
(1838-1917)
Queen
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Jeremy Lin
Basketball Player / 1988 -
With a string of wins in early 2012, New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin has become one of basketball's most famous players.
See full bio
(1988-)
Basketball Player
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Lisa Ling
Talk Show Host, Journalist / 1973 -
Lisa Ling became a television journalist at the age of 16 on a nationally syndicated newsmagazine. She was a war correspondent and a co-host on The View.
See full bio
(1973-)
Talk Show Host, Journalist
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James Lipton
Educator, Actor, Radio Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Writer / 1926 -
Actor, writer and producer James Lipton founded the Actors Studio Drama School and has hosted Bravo TV's Inside the Actors Studio since 1994.
See full bio
(1926-)
Educator, Actor, Radio Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Writer
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Blake Lively
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1987 -
Blake Lively is an actress notable for her role as Serena van der Woodsen on the CW network's teen drama Gossip Girl.
See full bio
(1987-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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John Locke
Philosopher / 1632 - 1704
English philosopher John Locke's works lie at the foundation of modern philosophical empiricism and political liberalism.
See full bio
(1632-1704)
Philosopher
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Huey Long
Lawyer, Governor, U.S. Representative / 1893 - 1935
Huey Long was a popular and radically outspoken U.S. Senator from Louisiana who pushed populist reforms during the Great Depression.
See full bio
(1893-1935)
Lawyer, Governor, U.S. Representative
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Shelley Long
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress, Comedian, Television Personality / 1949 -
Emmy-award winning television and film actress Shelley Long played Diane Chambers on the TV sitcom Cheers and was Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch: The Movie.
See full bio
(1949-)
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress, Comedian, Television Personality
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Sophia Loren
Film Actress, Television Actress, Pin-up / 1934 -
Sophia Loren is an Academy Award-winning Italian actress. A striking beauty, Loren is often listed among the world's all time most attractive women.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1934-)
Film Actress, Television Actress, Pin-up
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Louis XIV
Political Leader, King / 1638 - 1715
King Louis XIV of France led an absolute monarchy during France’s classical age. He revoked the Edict of Nantes and is known for his aggressive foreign policy.
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| Watch video
(1638-1715)
Political Leader, King
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Louis XVI
King / 1754 - 1793
Louis XVI was the last king of France (1774–92) in the line of Bourbon monarchs preceding the French Revolution of 1789. He was executed for treason by guillotine in 1793.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1754-1793)
King
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Frank Lucas
Drug Dealer / 1930 -
By the 1960s, gangster and drug kingpin Frank Lucas had constructed an international drug ring that spanned from New York to South East Asia.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1930-)
Drug Dealer
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Henry Lee Lucas
Murderer / 1936 - 2001
Henry Lee Lucas was a murderer best known for allegedly killing hundreds of people in the 1960s and '70s, though only three (including his mother) were confirmed.
See full bio
(1936-2001)
Murderer
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Leonard Lucas
Serial Killer / 1936 -
Leonard Lucas is a serial killer who was convicted of killing only two people but who confessed to killing hundreds more.
See full bio
(1936-)
Serial Killer
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Andrew Luck
Football Player / 1989 -
Quarterback Andrew Luck was a two-time Heisman finalist at Stanford University. The Indianapolis Colts selected him with the number one pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
See full bio
(1989-)
Football Player
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Ludacris
Film Actor, Rapper / 1977 -
Ludicris is a rapper and actor known for personifying the "Dirty South" style of rap music.
See full bio
(1977-)
Film Actor, Rapper
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Baz Luhrmann
Director, Screenwriter / 1962 -
Baz Luhrmann is an Australian director and screenwriter best known for his films Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge.
See full bio
(1962-)
Director, Screenwriter
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Luis Federico Leloir
Chemist / 1906 - 1987
Luis Federico Leloir received the 1970 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery and study of sugar nucleotides.
See full bio
(1906-1987)
Chemist
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Joan Lunden
Talk Show Host, News Anchor, Journalist / 1950 -
Journalist, television personality and author Joan London was on Good Morning America for nearly two decades, and was one of the most popular TV co-hosts.
See full bio
(1950-)
Talk Show Host, News Anchor, Journalist
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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.
See full bio
(1847-1939)
U.S. Representative
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Rene Levesque
Political Leader / 1922 - 1987
Canadian reporter René Lévesque is best known for being the first Quebec politician since Confederation to attempt to negotiate political separation for Quebec.
See full bio
(1922-1987)
Political Leader
m
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John D MacArthur
Entrepreneur / 1767 - 1834
John D. McArthur was an agriculturist and promoter who helped found the Australian wool industry, which became the world's largest.
See full bio
(1767-1834)
Entrepreneur
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Kirkpatrick Macmillan
Inventor / 1812 - 1878
Kirkpatrick Macmillan is best known for inventing the first pedal bicycle.
See full bio
(1812-1878)
Inventor
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Fred MacMurray
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1908 - 1991
Comedic actor Fred MacMurray starred in films from the ‘30s through the ‘60s, but was known for his role as the father in the 1960s TV show My Three Sons.
See full bio
(1908-1991)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Ramon Magsaysay
World Leader / 1907 - 1957
Ramon Magsaysay became the third president of the Philippines in 1953, and is credited with restoring law and order during the Philippine crisis of the 1950s.
See full bio
(1907-1957)
World Leader
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Shirley Manson
Singer / 1966 -
Shirley Manson is a Scottish singer best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Garbage.
See full bio
(1966-)
Singer
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Fredric March
Film Actor, Theater Actor / 1897 - 1975
Actor Frederic March won his first Oscar for the title role in the 1931 film Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His stage and film career lasted until 1973.
See full bio
(1897-1975)
Film Actor, Theater Actor
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Rocky Marciano
Boxer / 1923 - 1969
American professional boxer and world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano beat Jersey Joe Walcott for the title and won an unrivaled 49 straight fights.
See full bio
(1923-1969)
Boxer
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Ferdinand Marcos
Lawyer, Dictator / 1917 - 1989
Known for running a corrupt, undemocratic regime, Ferdinand Marcos was the president of the Philippines from 1966 to 1986.
See full bio
(1917-1989)
Lawyer, Dictator
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Dan Marino
Football Player / 1961 -
Dan Marino was a Hall of Fame quarterback for the Miami Dolphins from 1984-2000.
See full bio
(1961-)
Football Player
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Roger Maris
Athlete / 1934 - 1985
American baseball player Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961 to break the single-season record held by the legendary Babe Ruth.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1934-1985)
Athlete
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J. Willard Marriott
Entrepreneur / 1900 - 1985
J. Willard Marriott is a 20th-century American entrepreneur who started in food service and eventually opened a hotel chain.
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| Watch video
(1900-1985)
Entrepreneur
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Branford Marsalis
Saxophonist / 1960 -
An innovative saxophonist, Branford Marsalis has been making jazz albums for over 30 years and was briefly the musical director on the Tonight Show.
See full bio
(1960-)
Saxophonist
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James Marsden
Actor / 1973 -
James Marsden is an American actor best known for his role as Cyclops in the action adventure movie X-Men and its two sequels.
See full bio
(1973-)
Actor
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George R. R. Martin
Author / 1948 -
Fantasy writer George R. R. Martin created A Song of Ice and Fire, one of the most popular book series today and includes 1996's Game of Thrones
See full bio
(1948-)
Author
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Eric Massa
U.S. Representative / 1959 -
Former U.S. Representative Eric Massa served just over a year in the House before he was accused of sexual misconduct with a male staffer.
See full bio
(1959-)
U.S. Representative
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Edgar Lee Masters
Author, Poet / 1868 - 1950
Poet and novelist Edgar Lee Masters wrote Spoon River Anthology, a series of epitaphs spoken from the grave by former residents of a fictitious small town.
See full bio
(1868-1950)
Author, Poet
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Marlee Matlin
Film Actress, Theater Actress / 1965 -
Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin, who pursued a professional acting career despite being legally deaf, is an inspirational role model to many.
See full bio
(1965-)
Film Actress, Theater Actress
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Christa McAuliffe
Educator / 1948 - 1986
High school teacher Christa McAuliffe was the first American civilian selected to go into space. She died in the space shuttle Challenger’s explosion in 1986.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1948-1986)
Educator
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John McCain
Military Leader, U.S. Representative / 1936 -
John McCain is a military hero and Republican U.S. Senator defeated by Barack Obama in the 2008 United States presidential election.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1936-)
Military Leader, U.S. Representative
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Melissa McCarthy
Actress, Comedian, Producer, Writer / 1970 -
Actress Melissa McCarthy starred as Sookie in the show Gilmore Girls. In 2011, she received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in the film Bridesmaids.
See full bio
(1970-)
Actress, Comedian, Producer, Writer
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Stella McCartney
Animal Rights Activist, Fashion Designer / 1971 -
Fashion designer and committed vegetarian Stella McCartney is the daughter of ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his late wife, Linda.
See full bio
(1971-)
Animal Rights Activist, Fashion Designer
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Roddy McDowall
Film Actor / 1928 - 1998
Actor Roddy McDowall had a recurring role on the Batman television series, and played Cornelius in the film and TV versions of Planet of the Apes.
See full bio
(1928-1998)
Film Actor
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Rose McGowan
Actress / 1973 -
Rose McGowan in an American actress whose pin-up looks and bad-girl demeanor attracted a devoted following in the 1990s.
See full bio
(1973-)
Actress
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Dr. Phil McGraw
Talk Show Host / 1950 -
Psychologist and life strategist Dr. Phil McGraw was a regular on The Oprah Winfrey Show before he launched his own TV series.
See full bio
(1950-)
Talk Show Host
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Tug McGraw
Baseball Player / 1944 - 2004
Tug McGraw was a professional baseball pitcher, notably with the Mets and Phillies, and father of country star Tim McGraw.
See full bio
(1944-2004)
Baseball Player
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Kenneth McGriff
Drug Dealer, Organized Crime Boss / 1960 -
Kenneth McGriff was the leader of the Supreme Team gang, a main player in the Baisley Park crack-cocaine scene. In 2007, he was sentenced to life in prison.
See full bio
(1960-)
Drug Dealer, Organized Crime Boss
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Claude McKay
Children's Activist, Civil Rights Activist, Author, Poet / 1890 - 1948
Claude McKay was a Jamaican-born poet and novelist whose Home to Harlem (1928) was the most popular novel written by an American black to that time.
See full bio
(1890-1948)
Children's Activist, Civil Rights Activist, Author, Poet
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Vince McMahon
Business Leader, Television Personality / 1945 -
Vince McMahon is the chairman of the World Wrestling Federation, representing the third generation of McMahons in the business.
See full bio
(1945-)
Business Leader, Television Personality
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Kristy McNichol
Television Actress / 1962 -
Kristy McNichol is an Emmy award-winning actress and singer, active on film and television during the 1970s-1980s.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1962-)
Television Actress
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Penny Singleton
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Singer / 1908 - 2003
Penny Singleton is an actress and singer who had a long career in show business and best known for her role as the legendary comic strip character Blondie.
See full bio
(1908-2003)
Film Actress, Theater Actress, Singer
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James Alan McPherson
Scholar, Author / 1943 -
James Alan McPherson is an award-winning African-American short-story writer who focuses his character-driven works on racial tension, isolation and love.
See full bio
(1943-)
Scholar, Author
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Dmitry Medvedev
World Leader / 1965 -
Dmitry Medvedev served under Vladimir Putin and succeeded him as president of Russia in 2008.
See full bio
(1965-)
World Leader
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H.L. Mencken
Literary Critic, Editor, Journalist / 1880 - 1956
Known for his wit and cynicism, journalist and editor H. L. Mencken was an influential American literary critic.
See full bio
(1880-1956)
Literary Critic, Editor, Journalist
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Robert Merle
Author / 1908 - 2004
Robert Merle was a French novelist who is best known for publishing war memoirs and novels inspired by English genres.
See full bio
(1908-2004)
Author
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Reinhold Messner
Explorer / 1944 -
Explorer and mountaineer Reinhold Messner is famous for making the first solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.
See full bio
(1944-)
Explorer
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Pippa Middleton
1983 -
Pippa Middleton is best known as the younger sister of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge and wife of Prince Charles.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1983-)
-
Vera Miles
Actress / 1929 -
Vera Miles is a prolific American film and TV actress. She's best known for her role as Lila Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
See full bio
(1929-)
Actress
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Abby Lee Miller
Educator, Choreographer, Reality Television Star / 1966 -
Abby Lee Miller, who runs a Pittsburgh dance studio, is known for her tirades and tough training as star of Lifetime TV's reality show Dance Moms.
See full bio
(1966-)
Educator, Choreographer, Reality Television Star
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C. Wright Mills
Activist, Journalist, Sociologist / 1916 - 1962
Sociologist C. Wright Mills believed sociology should be used to advocate for social change and he disapproved of “abstract empiricalism.”
See full bio
(1916-1962)
Activist, Journalist, Sociologist
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Yao Ming
Basketball Player / 1980 -
Yao Ming is a Chinese basketball player who became an international star as a center for the Houston Rockets of the NBA.
See full bio
(1980-)
Basketball Player
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Felix Mitchell
Drug Dealer, Organized Crime Boss / 1954 - 1986
Felix Mitchell was a drug kingpin who assembled a backing crew of notorious criminals and dubbed them the "69 Mob."
See full bio
(1954-1986)
Drug Dealer, Organized Crime Boss
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Jay Mohr
Film Actor, Comedian / 1970 -
Jay Mohr is a stand-up comedian, actor and television host known for his stint on Saturday Night Live and for hosting Last Comic Standing.
See full bio
(1970-)
Film Actor, Comedian
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Maria Montessori
Educator, Academic Author / 1870 - 1952
Italian physician Maria Montessori was a pioneer of theories in early childhood education, which are still implemented in Montessori schools all over the globe.
See full bio
(1870-1952)
Educator, Academic Author
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Juan Pablo Montoya
Race Car Driver, Philanthropist / 1975 -
Juan Pablo Montoya reigned as the Colombian National Carting Champion from 1981 through 1984. By 1992, he was winning Colombian Formula Renault races.
See full bio
(1975-)
Race Car Driver, Philanthropist
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Roh Moo-hyun
Lawyer, World Leader / 1946 - 2009
Roh Moo-hyun was a lawyer and human rights activist who was the president of South Korea from 2003-'08.
See full bio
(1946-2009)
Lawyer, World Leader
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Anne Moody
Civil Rights Activist, Journalist, Author / 1940 -
Anne Moody is an African-American author whose writings about her personal and political struggles during the American Civil Rights Movement became classic.
See full bio
(1940-)
Civil Rights Activist, Journalist, Author
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Keith Moon
Drummer / 1946 - 1978
Keith Moon was a legendary drummer for the rock band the Who before his untimely death by accidental drug overdose in 1978.
See full bio
(1946-1978)
Drummer
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Pink
Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress, Dancer, Guitarist, Pianist, Singer / 1979 -
Contrasting her edgy, tomboyish style with that of her female popstar peers, Pink has had huge success with hits like "You Make Me Sick" and "There You Go".
See full bio
| Watch video
(1979-)
Animal Rights Activist, Film Actress, Dancer, Guitarist, Pianist, Singer
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Brian Moore
Author / 1921 - 1999
Brian Moore is best known for his first novel, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1955), about an aging, alcoholic spinster.
See full bio
(1921-1999)
Author
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Clayton Moore
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1914 - 1999
Actor Clayton Moore appeared in approximately 70 feature films and played the Lone Ranger on a ABC network television version of the radio program.
See full bio
(1914-1999)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Joe Morgan
Baseball Player / 1943 -
Baseball player Joe Morgan won consecutive National League MVP awards 1975–1976, when he led the Cincinnati Reds to back-to-back World Series championships.
See full bio
(1943-)
Baseball Player
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J.P. Morgan Jr.
Business Leader, Philanthropist / 1867 - 1943
J.P. Morgan Jr. was a finance executive who followed in his father’s footsteps to head the firm J.P. Morgan and Co.
See full bio
(1867-1943)
Business Leader, Philanthropist
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Van Morrison
Songwriter, Singer / 1945 -
Van Morrison is an Irish singer/songwriter known for his inventiveness and originality as a solo artist.
See full bio
(1945-)
Songwriter, Singer
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Edwin Moses
Track and Field Athlete / 1955 -
Olympic athlete Edwin Moses was unbeaten in the 400-meter hurdles from 1977 to 1987.
See full bio
(1955-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Shane Mosley
Boxer / 1971 -
Boxer "Sugar" Shane Mosley won championships in three separate weight classes to forge a legacy as one of the sport's most accomplished performers.
See full bio
(1971-)
Boxer
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Jon Moss
Drummer / 1957 -
Being the drummer of Culture Club
See full bio
(1957-)
Drummer
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Mother Teresa
Nun, Saint / 1910 - 1997
Mother Teresa was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the poor.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1910-1997)
Nun, Saint
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Constance Baker Motley
Civil Rights Activist, Lawyer, Judge, Government Official / 1921 - 2005
Constance Baker Motley was a legal advocate in the Civil Rights Movement. She became the first female African-American federal judge in 1966.
See full bio
(1921-2005)
Civil Rights Activist, Lawyer, Judge, Government Official
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Paul Muni
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1895 - 1967
American actor Paul Muni is best known for his film and stage portrayals of noted historical figures. He was nominated five times for the Academy Awards.
See full bio
(1895-1967)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Bill Murray
Film Actor, Television Actor, Radio Personality / 1950 -
Comedian and actor Bill Murray is best known for his roles on Saturday Night Live and in the classic comedies Caddy Shack and Stripes. More recently, he was cast as FDR in the film Hyde Park on Hudson.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1950-)
Film Actor, Television Actor, Radio Personality
n
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Nas
Rapper / 1973 -
East Coast rapper Nas made it big with albums Illmatic (1994), It Was Written (1996) and Stillmatic (2001).
See full bio
(1973-)
Rapper
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Hassan Nasrallah
Military Leader, Political Leader / 1960 -
Hassan Nasrallah became the leader of Hezbollah in 1992 after his predecessor was killed.
See full bio
(1960-)
Military Leader, Political Leader
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Jennifer Nettles
Songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist, Philanthropist / 1974 -
Jennifer Nettles is an American country music vocalist, best known as the lead singer of the popular group Sugarland.
See full bio
(1974-)
Songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist, Philanthropist
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A.C. Nielsen
Entrepreneur / 1897 - 1980
A.C. Nielsen was an American market-research engineer and business executive, best known for creating Nielsen ratings, a national rating of television viewing.
See full bio
(1897-1980)
Entrepreneur
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Kwame Nkrumah
World Leader, Prime Minister / 1909 - 1972
Kwame Nkrumah was a Ghanaian nationalist leader who led the Gold Coast's independence from Britain and presided over its emergence as the new nation of Ghana
See full bio
(1909-1972)
World Leader, Prime Minister
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Peggy Noonan
Journalist / 1950 -
Brooklyn born Peggy Noonan is a respected journalist who is most well-known for her role as President Ronald Reagan's special assistant and speechwriter.
See full bio
(1950-)
Journalist
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Jessye Norman
Singer / 1945 -
In the 1980s, Jessye Norman’s roles in Aïda and Les Troyen made her one of the most popular and highest paid soprano opera singers worldwide.
See full bio
(1945-)
Singer
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Antonia C Novello
Surgeon, Political Leader / 1944 -
Antonia C. Novello is a former U.S. surgeon general who was the first woman and first person of Latin descent to hold the position.
See full bio
(1944-)
Surgeon, Political Leader
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Bill Nye
Journalist / 1850 - 1896
Bill Nye is a humorous writer best known for founding the Laramie Boomerang. His newspaper and writings quickly became popular across America.
See full bio
(1850-1896)
Journalist
o
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Donald O'Connor
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Dancer / 1925 - 2004
Trouper Donald O'Connor starred with Francis the Talking Mule, danced in Singing In the Rain, and was a familiar face on 1950s television.
See full bio
(1925-2004)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Dancer
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Joseph O'Connor
Journalist, Author / 1963 -
The brother of singer Sinéad O'Connor, writer Joseph O'Connor wrote the novel Cowboys and Indians, which was on the short list for the Whitbread Prize.
See full bio
(1963-)
Journalist, Author