Biographies About
Key Historical Figures

Liberators, activists, rebels, prophets, explorers, and trailblazers—discover the stories
and legacies of remarkable men and women who made a difference in the world.

The definitive, dramatic biography of the most important African American of the 19th century: Frederick Douglass, the escaped slave who became the greatest orator of his day and one of the leading abolitionists and writers of the era....

The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer brings to life the most intriguing woman in the history of the world: Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt....

James C. Klotter uses new research and offers a more focused, nuanced explanation of Henry Clay's programs and politics in order to answer the question of why the man they called "The Great Rejected" never won the presidency but did win the accolades of history....

W. E. B. Du Bois: The Life and Legacy of Early 20th Century America’s Most Famous Civil Rights Activist chronicles the life and work that made him one of America’s most influential men. Listen to learn more about Du Bois....

Virtually all Americans above a certain age hold strong opinions about Douglas MacArthur....

If you are African-American, were active during the Civil Rights Movement era, or you just have an insatiable desire for knowledge about the enigmatic and charismatic historical figure known as Malcolm X, then you are in for a nostalgic treat....

The dramatic memoir of the journalist who was held hostage in a high-security prison in Tehran for 18 months and whose release - which almost didn’t happen - became a part of the Iran nuclear deal....

The case of United States v. Susan B. Anthony remains a significant milestone in the quest for gender equality....

Four influential women we thought we knew well - Jane Jacobs, Rachel Carson, Jane Goodall, and Alice Waters - and how they spearheaded the modern progressive movement....

Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings....

The most improbable approach toward American civil rights for Black citizens blended the beliefs of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, and it was spearheaded by global activist Marcus Aurelius Garvey. He aimed to transport much of America’s Black population back to Africa....

James Baldwin galvanized the nation in the early days of the civil-rights movement with his eloquent manifesto....

A candid memoir of global statecraft during one of the most consequential eras of recent history....

The definitive English-language biography of Simón Bolívar, the, "George Washington of South America," who remains strangely unknown in the United States....

From author Eric Metaxas comes a brilliant and inspiring biography of the most influential man in modern history, Martin Luther, in time for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation....

Best-selling author and environmental activist Bill McKibben recounts the personal and global story of the fight to build and preserve a sustainable planet....

Few historical figures are as intriguing as John Brown, the controversial Abolitionist who used terrorist tactics against slavery and single-handedly changed the course of American history....

In this dynamic and engaging biography, Anthony Everitt plunges us into the fascinating, scandal-ridden world of ancient Rome in its most glorious heyday....

A landmark in travel writing, this is the incredible true story of Heinrich Harrer’s escape across the Himalayas to Tibet....