The civil rights icon met his end on April 4, 1968, while seeking victory for the Memphis' struggling sanitation workers.

After his injury, the 'Superman' actor devoted his life fighting for medical advancements as he lived out his final years as a quadriplegic.

An over-reliance on psychedelic drugs drove the rock star from the bounds of reality and forced his bandmates to cut ties to keep their musical dreams alive.

The pontiff cited advanced age as the reason behind his shocking move in February 2013, though his decision may have been aided by the difficulties of bringing the Church into the 21st century.

The then-unknown actor lit up the screen with his charisma and one-liners, turning the coming-of-age comedy into a cult favorite.

The on-the-job devotion of the man who discovered a bomb at the 1996 Olympic Games also triggered the investigation that made him the FBI's chief suspect and upended his life.

Deodorant, drunken antics and a breakup fueled the creation of the song that launched grunge into the mainstream and made the rocker a household name.

The up-and-coming songwriter and country music singer found common ground on a crossover classic that cemented both artists' reputations.

The country star was supposed to be on the plane that crashed and took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper on February 3, 1959.

The country singer and the baseball pitcher found their peace and forged a genuine bond despite Tug's longtime refusal to acknowledge paternity.

The early hours of March 16, 1991, brought the terrible news that those close to the singer perished when their plane collided with a mountain.

The evangelist quietly headed a group that sowed doubts about a Roman Catholic's ability to govern the country without being influenced by the Vatican.

Known as the “Gainesville Ripper,” Rolling terrorized the Florida college town during a three-day murderous rampage in late summer 1990.

The British hit-making duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley delivered a boundary-breaking concert in Beijing, linking the East and West.

The labor leader turned the struggles of Mexican American farmworkers into a national issue, impressing the minister who had led the way in the Civil Rights Movement.

Brought to life in 1940, the Caped Crusader's arch-nemesis has continued to inspire artists and actors, with Joaquin Phoenix as the latest to don the clown makeup.

The baseball icon became one of his sport’s great players and left a legacy defined by his compassion and commitment to the well-being of others.

Eight women were mysteriously murdered in Jennings, Louisiana from 2005-2009 and as the investigation progressed, the small town's dark secrets began to unravel.

The 10-time Grammy winner soldiers on through a debilitating illness that robbed her – and fans – of one of popular music's cherished singing voices.

Pulled together by a casting call, the foursome had to learn to resemble a functional band before finding fame as TV and music stars.

A talent for harmonizing carried the "Stayin' Alive" singers from the streets of Manchester, England, to the doorstep of fame in Australia.

The musicians eventually rallied around the flamboyant frontman to form one of the most innovative and successful rock bands of the 1970s.

The director had his heart set on becoming a race car driver before a brush with death sent him down a different path to a galaxy far, far away.

The March 1971 boxing match generated a greater conversation about anti-war and establishment.