Martin Luther King Jr. (1929)

English playwright and poet, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His works include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth.

South African anti-apartheid leader who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He spent 27 years in prison before leading the transition from apartheid to democracy.

Indian lawyer and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for Indian independence from British rule, inspiring civil rights movements worldwide.

German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity. His work on the photoelectric effect earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.

English mathematician, physicist, and astronomer widely recognized as one of the most influential scientists of all time. His Principia Mathematica laid the foundations for classical mechanics.

English naturalist best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. His book On the Origin of Species established natural selection as the foundation of evolutionary biology.