Biography

Biographies of notable people — their path, achievements and key facts.

Jules Verne

Born: February 8, 1828 Nantes, France Died: March 24, 1905 Amiens, France French novelist and writer The French novel...

Amerigo Vespucci

Born: March 9, 1451 Florence, Italy Died: February 22, 1512 Seville, Spain Italian navigator A Florentine navigator a...

Victoria

Born: May 24, 1819 London, England Died: January 22, 1901 Isle of Wight, England English queen Victoria was queen of ...

Gore Vidal

Born: October 3, 1925 West Point, New York American writer Gore Vidal is one of America's most important literary figures on the basis of an enor...

Cleopatra Vii

Born: 69 B.C.E. Alexandria, Egypt Died: August 30, 30 B.C.E. Alexandria, Egypt Egyptian ru...

Henry Viii

Born: June 28, 1491 Greenwich, England Died: January 28, 1547 Westminster, England King of England Henry VIII was kin...

Leonardo da Vinci

Born: April 15, 1452 Vinci, Italy Died: May 2, 1519 Amboise, France Italian artist, painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and scie...

Virgil

Born: October 15, 70 B.C.E. Andes, Italy Died: September 21, 19 B.C.E. Brundisium, Italy R...

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Ellen S. Vitetta

Immunologist Born c. 1942. Education: Connecticut College, B.A.; New York University, M.S., 1966, Ph.D., 1968. Addresses: Ho...

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Peter Vitousek

January 24, 1949 • Honolulu, Hawaii Ecologist When he began his studies as a young man, Peter Vitousek had no plans to become one of the world's leading ecologists....

Antonio Vivaldi

Born: March 4, 1678 Venice, Italy Died: July 26, 1741 Vienna, Austria Italian composer, violinist and priest Antonio ...

Voltaire

Born: November 21, 1694 Paris, France Died: May 30, 1778 Paris, France French poet and philosopher The French poet, d...

Kurt Vonnegut

Born: November 11, 1922 Indianapolis, Indiana American writer, essayist, and dramatist Kurt Vonnegut is acknowledged as a major voice in American liter...

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Tabaré Vázquez

President of Uruguay Born Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas, January 17, 1940; married to Maria Auxiliadora Delgado; children: four. Education: Received med...

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Dwyane Wade

Professional basketball player Born Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr., January 17, 1982, in Chicago, IL; son of Dwyane Sr. and Jolinda Wade; married Siohvaugn Fuches, 2002; children: ...

Richard Wagner

Born: May 22, 1813 Liepzig, Germany Died: February 13, 1883 Venice, Italy German composer The German operatic compose...

Madame C. J. Walker

Born: December 23, 1867 Delta, Louisiana Died: May 25, 1919 New York, New York African American businesswoman As a ma...

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Jay Walker

Chairman of Walker Digital Corporation Born Jay S. Walker, November 5, 1955, in Yonkers, NY; married Eileen; children: two. Education: Cornell Univer...

Alice Walker

Born: February 9, 1944 Eatonton, Georgia African American novelist Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker is best known for her stories abo...

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Ben Wallace

Professional basketball player Born September 10, 1974, in White Hall, AL; son of Sadie Wallace; married Chanda, 2001. Education: Attended Cuyahoga C...