Memorials & famous biographies

American businessman, Secretary of Defense, and World Bank president who modernized corporate management and later expressed regret for his role in the Vietnam War

American poet, playwright, and feminist known for her lyrical verse, bohemian lifestyle, and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

American politician, the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress, known for her advocacy for civil rights and women's rights, and for expanding food and nutrition programs for the poor

American economist and Nobel laureate who revolutionized understanding of human capital and agricultural development

American writer, poet, and activist who championed the liberation of all oppressed peoples through her powerful words and deeds

American economist who won the Nobel Prize for his work on financial markets and advised President Kennedy

American actor and former professional wrestler known for his roles as Deebo in the 'Friday' films and Zeus in the WWF

American singer and actor known for his powerful voice, theatrical live shows, and the multi-platinum <i>Bat Out of Hell</i> album trilogy

American geneticist who, with Edward Tatum, discovered the "One gene-one enzyme hypothesis," revealing how genes control biochemical events

American actor best known for playing the ruthless oil baron J.R. Ewing in Dallas and the charming astronaut Major Anthony Nelson in I Dream of Jeannie

American statesman and determined opponent of slavery who served as Secretary of State during the Civil War and negotiated the Alaska Purchase

American philosopher, educator, and author bell hooks explored the intersections of race, feminism, and class, founding the bell hooks Institute at Berea College

American Nobel Prize-winning chemist who illuminated the nature of chemical bonding, especially in boranes, and later studied protein structures

American biochemist who won the Nobel Prize for discovering the mechanisms of DNA synthesis and isolating DNA polymerase I

American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer known for his swashbuckling silent film roles and for being "The King of Hollywood"

American First Lady known for extensive travels, volunteerism, and resilience

American architect known as a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" for his innovative designs and the phrase "form follows function"

American astronaut and Air Force colonel who commanded Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the Moon

American chemist and Nobel laureate who developed pioneering catalysts for olefin metathesis, revolutionizing organic synthesis

American composer who created a distinctive 'American sound' in classical music, earning him the title 'Dean of American Music'

American musician, composer, and singer, celebrated as the lead vocalist of Soundgarden and Audioslave, known for his powerful voice and extensive songwriting

American geneticist who discovered X-ray induced mutations and warned of radiation dangers

American actress known for her Triple Crown of Acting achievement, starring on Broadway in <i>Come Back, Little Sheba</i> and on television in <i>Hazel</i>

American football legend, Heisman Trophy winner, and actor whose later life was consumed by legal controversy