The Founding 100

Early Modern era

William Shakespeare

1564 – April 23, 1616

English playwright and poet, the most performed dramatist in history

Early Modern era

Voltaire

November 21, 1694 – May 30, 1778

French Enlightenment writer and fighter for reason and tolerance

Early Modern era

Immanuel Kant

April 22, 1724 – February 12, 1804

German philosopher of the categorical imperative and human reason

Modern era

Karl Marx

May 5, 1818 – March 14, 1883

Philosopher and economist whose critique of capital shaped a century

Modern era

Jane Austen

December 16, 1775 – July 18, 1817

English novelist whose social comedies never left print

Modern era

Leo Tolstoy

August 28, 1828 – November 7, 1910

Russian novelist of War and Peace and moral philosopher

Contemporary era

Maya Angelou

April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014

Poet and memoirist of the American experience

Early Modern era

Michelangelo

March 6, 1475 – February 18, 1564

Sculptor and painter of the Sistine Chapel and David

Modern era

Vincent van Gogh

March 30, 1853 – July 29, 1890

Post-impressionist painter whose work sold for millions only after his death

Modern era

Pablo Picasso

October 25, 1881 – April 8, 1973

Co-founder of Cubism and the most influential artist of the 20th century

Modern era

Frida Kahlo

July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954

Mexican painter of unflinching self-portraits and identity

Early Modern era

Johann Sebastian Bach

March 21, 1685 – July 28, 1750

Baroque composer whose counterpoint remains music's foundation

Early Modern era

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791

Prodigy composer of over 600 works of enduring genius

Modern era

Ludwig van Beethoven

December 16, 1770 – March 26, 1827

German composer who carried music from the classical to the romantic age

Medieval era

Marco Polo

September 15, 1254 – January 8, 1324

Venetian merchant whose travels opened European eyes to Asia

Medieval era

Ibn Battuta

February 24, 1304 – 1368

Moroccan explorer who traveled 120,000 km across the medieval world

Early Modern era

Christopher Columbus

1450 – May 19, 1506

Genoese navigator whose Atlantic crossings joined two worlds

Early Modern era

Ferdinand Magellan

1480 – April 27, 1521

Portuguese explorer whose expedition first circled the globe

Modern era

Florence Nightingale

May 12, 1820 – August 13, 1910

Founder of modern nursing and pioneer of medical statistics

Modern era

Amelia Earhart

July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939

Aviation pioneer, first woman to fly the Atlantic solo

Contemporary era

Yuri Gagarin

March 9, 1934 – March 27, 1968

First human in space aboard Vostok 1

Contemporary era

Neil Armstrong

August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012

First human being to walk on the Moon

Contemporary era

Malala Yousafzai

b. July 12, 1997

Youngest Nobel laureate, voice for girls' education

Modern era

Charlie Chaplin

April 16, 1889 – December 25, 1977

Silent-film genius whose Tramp became cinema's first icon

Modern era

Walt Disney

December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966

Animator and showman who industrialized imagination

Contemporary era

Bruce Lee

November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973

Martial artist and actor who carried kung fu to the world

Contemporary era

Umm Kulthum

December 31, 1898 – February 3, 1975

Egyptian singer called the Voice of the Arabs

Contemporary era

Bob Marley

February 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981

Reggae prophet who carried one love from Kingston to the world

Contemporary era

Michael Jackson

August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009

The King of Pop, best-selling entertainer in history

Contemporary era

Usain Bolt

b. August 21, 1986

Jamaican sprinter, fastest human ever timed

Contemporary era

Muhammad Ali

January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016

Three-time heavyweight champion and conscience of his era

Contemporary era

Michael Jordan

b. February 17, 1963

Six-time NBA champion who globalized basketball

Contemporary era

Pelé

October 23, 1940 – December 29, 2022

Brazilian footballer, three-time World Cup winner, the game's first global king

Contemporary era

Diego Maradona

October 30, 1960 – November 25, 2020

Argentine footballer of the 'Hand of God' and the Goal of the Century

Contemporary era

Lionel Messi

b. June 24, 1987

Argentine forward, record Ballon d'Or winner and World Cup champion

Contemporary era

Cristiano Ronaldo

b. February 5, 1985

Portuguese forward, all-time top scorer in men's international football

Contemporary era

Serena Williams

b. September 26, 1981

Winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a tennis era unto herself

Contemporary era

Steve Jobs

February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011

Co-founder of Apple who fused technology with design

Contemporary era

Bill Gates

b. October 28, 1955

Co-founder of Microsoft turned global health philanthropist

Medieval era

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid

Businesswoman of Mecca and first believer in Islam