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.

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was born 21 years after the United States Supreme Court declared that "separate but equal" - between whites and people of...

Frank Vining Smith (1879- 1967) was a prolific artist from Massachusetts who specialized in marine painting. His impressionistic style made his painti...

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark exceeded all expectations during their Corps of Discovery exploration.

Esther Morris was an early pioneer and feminist.

James Madison, America's 4th President, was also the drafter of the U.S. Constitution and the country's Bill of Rights.

William Barret Travis was a lawyer born in Conecuh County (Alabama) on the 9th of August, 1809. He became famous at the Alamo.

This image depicts an area of Leiden known as William Brewstersteeg (William Brewster Alley). Brewster, an American Pilgrim, lived here before he left...

William Ernest Henley (1849-1903), the author of "Invictus" - a poem which sustained Nelson Mandela through his decades of imprisonment - was himself ...

William Haines Lytle was born in Cincinnati, November 2, 1826. He wrote a famous poem, commemorating the death of Jesse James.

William H. Seward - who had served as New York's 12th governor (between 1839-1842) and as New York's U.S. Senator - wanted to become America's Preside...

William J. O'Brien recounts the banzai attack at Saipan.

William Parsons, an avid astronomer, owned the world's largest telescope of the 19th century. Measuring 72-inches, the huge telescope was known as the...

Show tooltips