Aaron Burr (1756–1836) was an American politician, lawyer, and soldier, best known for his role as the third Vice President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson and for his infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton. Born on February 6, 1756, in Newark, New Jersey, Burr was raised in a prominent family and attended Princeton University….
Cyrus the Great (c. 600-530 BCE) was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, one of the largest empires of the ancient world. Born into the Persian royal family, he rose to power by uniting Persian tribes and defeating the Medes, Lydia, and Babylon. Cyrus is noted for his innovative and humane governance, including respecting local…
Byron White (1917-2002) was an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1962 to 1993. Born in Fort Collins, Colorado, White graduated from the University of Colorado and attended Yale Law School. Before joining the Supreme Court, he had a notable career as a lawyer and played professional football with the Pittsburgh Pirates (now…
Benjamin Rush (1746–1813) was a foundational figure in American medicine and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. A distinguished physician, educator, and social reformer from Philadelphia, Rush’s contributions to medicine and public health were immense and multifaceted. He is often referred to as the “Father of American Psychiatry” for his progressive approach to mental…
James Parkinson (1755–1824) was a multifaceted English medical pioneer, best known for his groundbreaking identification of Parkinson’s disease in his 1817 work, “An Essay on the Shaking Palsy.” As a surgeon, apothecary, geologist, and political activist, Parkinson’s contributions extended well beyond medicine into geology and social reform. His detailed description of the symptoms of what…
Miriam Makeba, born in 1932 in Johannesburg, South Africa, was a renowned singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist. Known as “Mama Africa,” she gained international acclaim for her powerful vocals and fusion of traditional African music with jazz and pop. Makeba used her platform to speak out against apartheid, leading to her exile from South…
Thomas Hodgkin (1798–1866) was an English physician, pathologist, and early advocate for preventive medicine. He is best known for his research in the field of pathology and for describing Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer of the lymphatic system, which was later named after him. Hodgkin was one of the pioneers in the use of…
