Memorials & famous biographies

American industrialist and philanthropist known for founding the Standard Oil Company and his extensive contributions to education and medicine

American actor known as the 'King of Hollywood' who appeared in over 60 motion pictures across a 37-year career

American experimental physicist, Nobel laureate for work on the elementary charge of electricity and the photoelectric effect

American army officer and statesman who served as Chief of Staff during WWII, Secretary of State, and architect of the Marshall Plan, earning the Nobel Peace Prize

American astronomer who established extragalactic astronomy by proving galaxies existed beyond the Milky Way and used Cepheid variables to measure cosmic distances

American mathematician and economist who received the Nobel Prize in Economics and the Abel Prize for his foundational work in game theory and partial differential equations

American actor and First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989, known for her grace and public service

American playwright who introduced realism to U.S. drama, a Nobel laureate, and winner of four Pulitzer Prizes

American religious and political leader, prophet, and founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, publishing the Book of Mormon and attracting thousands of followers

An American actress known for her powerful, sardonic performances and two Academy Awards for Best Actress, Bette Davis was a Hollywood icon and the first woman to receive the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award.

American novelist whose 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature

American gangster and businessman who gained notoriety as the boss of the Chicago Outfit during the Prohibition era

American marine biologist, writer, and conservationist whose <em>Silent Spring</em> catalyzed the global environmental movement and advanced marine conservation

American fantasy and science fiction author known for her Hainish universe and Earthsea fantasy series, a major voice in American Letters

American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer who significantly shaped progressive education and pragmatic thought in the first half of the twentieth century

American poet, critic, and major figure in early modernist poetry, known for <em>Ripostes</em>, <em>Hugh Selwyn Mauberley</em>, and <em>The Cantos</em>, who also worked as a writer, composer, journalist, and translator, influencing 20th-century literature

American musician, composer, and satirist known for his stylistically diverse discography and nonconformist approach to music

American molecular biologist, geneticist, and Nobel Laureate known for co-discovering the double helix structure of DNA

American novelist, short story writer, and poet, celebrated for her beloved novel Little Women and its enduring sequels

American scientist, physicist, chemist, and peace activist, Linus Pauling, who received two unshared Nobel Prizes: for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and for his fight against the nuclear arms race

American actor and filmmaker remembered for his innovative work across film, radio, and theatre

American politician and businessperson who served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009

American playwright and essayist renowned for influential works such as Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, contributing significantly to 20th-century American theater

American singer, songwriter, and pianist known as the "Queen of Soul," twice named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time, whose iconic voice defined soul, gospel, and R&B music