Biographies Story Briefs

We may know about a famous person's accomplishments, but what do we know about THEM? What is the human-interest story in THEIR lives? This biography collection features the stories behind the lives of some famous (and not-so-famous) individuals.

In this image we see General Douglas MacArthur returning to the Philippines.

History tells us that King Charles VI, of France, ultimately "went mad." In one episode, displaying his lack of reasoning, he turned on his own knight...

Ferdinand Magellan had an important goal whenhe leftthetown of Sevilleon the 10th of August, 1519: Find awestward routeto theSpice (Maluku) Islands.

Sailing in caravels, which are very uncomfortable, Magellan and his men encounter bad weather. Then they see "St. Elmo's Fire." Maybe something good...

Weeping for joy, Magellan realizes he's found a fabled passage when his ships sailed into the Pacific (from the Atlantic).

After Magellan dies, his remnant crew returns to Spain, completing the world's first circumnavigation. Extremely ill, the men do not realize their car...

This clip recreates the trial of Major Henry Wirz who was the superintendent of a prisoner-of-war camp - located in Andersonville, Georgia - at which ...

Desmond Tutu, in his "Setting Free the Past" lecture, told a Georgetown University gathering that Mandela had changed during his prison years:He had g...

Nelson Mandela and Evelyn Mase (then his girlfriend) are seen here at the wedding of Walter and Albertina Sisulu in April of 1944.

One year after his divorce from Evelyn Mase, Mandela married Winnie Madikizela.

Mandela and Sisulu were longtime friends. They also served prison time together on Robben Island.

Thembekile (known as Thembi) was Mandela's older son (with his first wife, Evelyn) and his third-born child.

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