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History
B.B. King: The King of the Blues
B.B. King (1925–2015) was an American blues guitarist recognized as the single most important electric guitarist of the 20th century and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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History
Nile Kinnick: Heisman Winner and Naval Aviator
Nile Kinnick (1918–1943) won the 1939 Heisman Trophy as a consensus All-American for Iowa. He died as a Navy aviator in World War II.
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History
Jack Kelly: The Maverick Who Stayed
Jack Kelly (1927–1992) was an American actor best known for playing Bart Maverick in the ABC western series Maverick, appearing in 75 episodes across five seasons.
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History
John VI of Portugal: Absolute Monarch in Turbulent Times
John VI of Portugal (1767–1826) was the last absolute monarch of Portugal, ruling during the Napoleonic Wars. He fled to Brazil and helped establish institutions that shaped the modern Brazilian…
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History
Jan III Sobieski: Poland’s Saviour of Vienna
Jan III Sobieski (1629–1696) was King of Poland whose victory at the Battle of Vienna in 1683 earned him recognition as saviour of Western Christendom.
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History
Christopher Columbus: Navigator of the Atlantic
Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) was an Italian explorer whose 1492 voyage across the Atlantic opened the Americas to European exploration and colonization.
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History
Saint Edith of Wilton: Royal Nun and Reluctant Heir
Saint Edith of Wilton (c. 961–984) was an English saint and nun who refused both abbess positions and the English throne to live a religious life.
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History
Augustus: Founder of the Roman Empire
Augustus (63 BC–AD 14) was the founder and first emperor of the Roman Empire, establishing the Pax Romana and the principate system of government.
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History
Prince Rogers Nelson: The Minneapolis Sound Pioneer
Prince Rogers Nelson (1958–2016) was an American singer-songwriter who pioneered the Minneapolis sound and became one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
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History
John D. MacDonald: Master of Crime and Suspense
John D. MacDonald (1916–1986) was an American crime and suspense novelist who sold 70 million books and created the Travis McGee series. His 1957 novel The Executioners became Cape Fear.
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History
Billy Taylor: Jazz Pioneer and Educator
Billy Taylor (1921–2010) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator who served as artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center and founded The Jazz Foundation of America.
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History
Agatha Christie: Queen of Detective Fiction
Agatha Christie (1890–1976) was an English author and the best-selling novelist of all time, known for detective novels featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
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History
Leo Ornstein: Pioneer of the Tone Cluster
Leo Ornstein (1895–2002) was an American experimental composer and pianist who pioneered the tone cluster in classical music and became a controversial avant-garde figure.
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History
Gordon Willis: Cinematographer of the 1970s
Gordon Willis (1931–2014) was an American cinematographer who defined the visual look of 1970s cinema through work on the Godfather trilogy and films with Woody Allen.
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History
Theodor Herzl: Founder of Modern Political Zionism
Theodor Herzl (1860–1904): Hungarian journalist and founder of modern political Zionism. Established the Zionist Organization and is the spiritual father of the Jewish State.
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