wing of the archive
The Modern Era
The industrial and imperial centuries: inventors, statesmen, artists, and the makers of the modern world.
Modern era
Komitas
September 26, 1869 – October 22, 1935
Ottoman Armenian priest, musicologist, composer and vardapet (1869–1935)
Modern era
Aram Khachaturian
May 24, 1903 – May 1, 1978
Soviet Armenian composer (1903–1978)
Modern era
Amir Kabir
1807 – January 9, 1852
Prime Minister of Iran (1807-1852)
Modern era
Mohammad Mosaddegh
May 19, 1882 – March 5, 1967
Former Prime Minister of Iran (1882–1967)
Modern era
Forugh Farrokhzad
January 5, 1935 – February 13, 1967
Iranian poet (1935-1967)
Modern era
Nazim Hikmet
January 15, 1902 – June 3, 1963
Turkish communist poet, playwright and novelist (1902–1963)
Modern era
Halide Edib Adivar
June 11, 1884 – January 9, 1964
Turkish social reformer and statesperson (1884–1964)
Modern era
Faisal I of Iraq
May 20, 1885 – September 7, 1933
1st king of Hashemite Iraq from 1921 to 1933
Modern era
May Ziadeh
February 11, 1886 – October 17, 1941
Lebanese-Palestinian writer (1886-1941)
Modern era
Nizar Qabbani
March 21, 1923 – April 30, 1998
Syrian diplomat, poet and publisher (1923-1998)
Modern era
Ahmed Orabi
March 31, 1841 – September 21, 1911
Egyptian army officer and revolutionary (1841–1911)
Modern era
Saad Zaghloul
1858 – August 23, 1927
Prime Minister of Egypt (1859–1927)
Modern era
Hoda Shaarawi
June 23, 1879 – December 12, 1947
Egyptian feminist and nationalist (1879–1947)
Modern era
Taha Hussein
November 14, 1889 – October 28, 1973
Egyptian writer and literary critic (1889–1973)
Modern era
Abd el-Krim
January 12, 1882 – February 6, 1963
War leader and president of the Rif Republic from 1921 to 1926
Modern era
Emir Abdelkader
September 6, 1808 – May 26, 1883
Algerian religious and military leader (1808–1883)
Modern era
Abdelhamid Ben Badis
December 4, 1889 – April 16, 1940
Muslim scholar (1889–1940)
Modern era
Habib Bourguiba
August 3, 1903 – April 6, 2000
Tunisian politician (1903–2000)
Modern era
Muhammad Ahmad al-Mahdi
August 12, 1844 – June 22, 1885
Religious leader in the Sudan, self-proclaimed as the Mahdi (1844-1885)
Modern era
Mohammed Abdullah Hassan
April 7, 1856 – December 21, 1920
Emir of Diiriye Guure and his Dervish Kingdom (1856-1920)
Modern era
Tewodros II
1818 – April 13, 1868
Emperor of Ethiopia (1818–1868)
Modern era
Taytu Betul
1851 – February 11, 1918
Ethiopian Empress Consort (1851-1918)
Modern era
Yaa Asantewaa
1832 – October 17, 1921
Ashanti Queen Mother and military leader
Modern era
Behanzin
September 7, 1844 – December 10, 1906
Last king of Dahomey (1845–1906)
Modern era
Octavio Paz
March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998
Mexican writer, poet an diplomat (1914–1998)
Modern era
Ruben Dario
January 18, 1867 – February 6, 1916
Nicaraguan poet, journalist, writer, and diplomat (1867-1916)
Modern era
Juan Pablo Duarte
January 26, 1813 – July 15, 1876
Presidente y libertador of the Dominican Republic (1813-1876)
Modern era
Ramon Emeterio Betances
April 8, 1827 – September 16, 1898
Puerto Rican nationalist (1827–1898)
Modern era
Cesar Vallejo
March 16, 1892 – April 15, 1938
Peruvian writer
Modern era
Arturo Prat
April 3, 1848 – May 21, 1879
Chilean naval officer, lawyer, and professor
Modern era
Violeta Parra
October 4, 1917 – February 5, 1967
Chilean musician and folklorist
Modern era
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
February 15, 1811 – September 11, 1888
Argentinian politician and writer (1811-1888)
Modern era
Carlos Gardel
December 11, 1890 – June 24, 1935
Uruguayan singer, songwriter, actor; the most prominent figure in the history of tango
Modern era
Mercedes Sosa
July 9, 1935 – October 4, 2009
Argentine singer (1935-2009)
Modern era
Alberto Santos-Dumont
July 20, 1873 – July 23, 1932
Brazilian aviation pioneer (1873-1932)
Modern era
Oswaldo Cruz
August 5, 1872 – January 11, 1917
Brazilian physician and bacteriologist (1872-1917)
Modern era
Carmen Miranda
February 9, 1909 – August 5, 1955
Brazilian singer (1909–1955)
Modern era
Terry Fox
July 6, 1918 – April 1, 1981
American football player
Modern era
Louis Riel
October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885
Métis leader in Canada (1844–1885)
Modern era
Norman Bethune
March 4, 1890 – November 12, 1939
Canadian physician, medical innovator and humanitarian (1890-1939)
Modern era
Kamehameha I
c. 1800 – 1819
Founder and ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Modern era
Liliuokalani
September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917
Monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom (1838–1917)
Modern era
Duke Kahanamoku
August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968
American swimmer, surfer and actor (1890-1968)
Modern era
Ned Kelly
1854 – November 11, 1880
Australian bushranger (1854–1880)
Modern era
Eddie Mabo
June 29, 1936 – January 21, 1992
Indigenous Australian activist (1936–1992)
Modern era
David Unaipon
September 28, 1872 – February 7, 1967
Indigenous Australian inventor and writer (1872–1967)
Modern era
Banjo Paterson
February 17, 1864 – February 5, 1941
Australian journalist, author and poet (1864 - 1941)
Modern era
Fred Hollows
April 9, 1929 – February 10, 1993
New Zealand–Australian ophthalmologist (1929-1993)
Modern era
Kate Sheppard
March 10, 1847 – July 13, 1934
Prominent member of New Zealand's women's suffrage (1848–1934)
Modern era
Apirana Ngata
July 3, 1874 – July 14, 1950
New Zealand politician and lawyer (1874-1950)
Modern era
Roger Mortimer
1909 – 1991
Racing correspondent
Modern era
Gian Galeazzo Visconti
1921 – 2010
Italian philologist and latinist (1921-2010)
Modern era
Alvaro de Luna
April 10, 1935 – November 2, 2018
Actor (1935-2018)
Modern era
William Dunbar
1805 – March 18, 1861
American politician (1805-1861)
Modern era
John Ball
August 20, 1818 – October 21, 1889
British politician, naturalist and Alpine traveller. (1818-1889)
Modern era
Richard Whittington
1825 – 1900
Historical figure
Modern era
Roland
1908 – c. 2000
Badminton player
Modern era
Absalom
December 18, 1801 – December 11, 1878
American politician, lawyer (1801–1878)
Modern era
Nehemiah
August 2, 1919 – April 5, 2022
American actor and painter (1919–2022)
Modern era
Josiah
February 11, 1839 – April 28, 1903
American scientist (1839–1903)