Portal:Biography
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Biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος), meaning 'life', and gráphein (γράφειν), meaning 'to write') is a genre of literature or film which presents a relatively full account of the most interesting and important events of a notable person's life. While a biography may focus on a fictional person, the term usually refers to non-fiction works. As opposed to summaries of people's lives, such as profiles or curriculum vitae, a biography is a continuous narrative which interprets and explains the person's character, personality, and social context.
Samuel Adams (September 16 (OS), 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American leader, politician, writer, and political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Adams was instrumental in garnering the support of the colonies in rebelling against Great Britain, ultimately resulting in the American Revolution, and was also one of the key architects of the principles of American republicanism that shaped American political culture. (read more...)
Walt Whitman (born Walter Whitman) (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, journalist, and humanist born in West Hills, Huntington on Long Island in New York. His most famous works are the poetry collections Leaves of Grass and Drum-Taps. (read more...)
Photo credit: George C. Cox (1887), Source: Library of Congress.
- ... that former Regimental Sergeant Major Harry Lapwood was known as having the loudest voice in the New Zealand House of Representatives?
- ... that in 1951, Bulgarian politician and exile G. M. Dimitrov helped found the first Bulgarian NATO company?
- ... that Edith Killgore Kirkpatrick published a short book of favorite songs titled Louisiana Let's Sing in honor of her husband Claude's unsuccessful candidacy for Governor of Louisiana in 1963?
- ... that canal engineer Hugh Henshall was both pupil of and brother-in-law to James Brindley, the famous canal architect of the Industrial Revolution?
- ... that it took Peter Steinfeld six and a half weeks to write the opening eleven pages of his first screenplay, Drowning Mona?
List of projects that involve biography articles:
See also: Biographies of living persons • Manual of Style (biographies)
- Write
- Review
- Peer Review: Clara Elsene Peck• Mary C. Seward • Charlie Soong • Hussain Muhammad Ershad • Will to Power (band) • Military career of L. Ron Hubbard • David Robinson (horticulturist) • Joe Jackson • Richard Pace (Jamestown) • Harold Pinter • Wangari Maathai • Umar Israilov • Sarah Boyle • John Mitchell (football coach) • Colleen Howe •Florence Shapiro • Robert Ford (politician) • John Edward • Mario Ančić • Tess Gerritsen • Christa McAuliffe • Pope John Paul II • Jada Pinkett Smith • Pin Malakul • John Pitcairn, Jr. • Dwight Lauderdale • Ramakrishna
- Assess: Assessment requests • Assess an article
Births
- 1804 - Nathaniel Hawthorne, American writer (d. 1864)
- 1807 - Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian patriot (d. 1882)
- 1872 - Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States (d. 1933)
- 1883 - Rube Goldberg, American cartoonist (d. 1970)
- 1900 - Louis Armstrong, American musician (d. 1971) (see article re. this date)
- 1907 - Gordon Griffith, American actor, director, and producer (d. 1958)
- 1930 - George Steinbrenner, baseball team owner
- 1973 - Gackt, Japanese singer
Deaths
- 1826 - John Adams (pictured - left) 2nd President of the United States (b. 1735)
- 1826 - Thomas Jefferson, (pictured - right) 3rd President of the United States (b. 1743)
- 1831 - James Monroe, 5th President of the United States (b. 1758)
- 1902 - Swami Vivekananda, Indian spiritual leader (b. 1863)
- 1975 - Georgette Heyer, English author (b. 1902)
- 2003 - Barry White, American singer and record producer (b. 1944)
- Academics • Scientists
- Actors • Artists • Comedians • Dancers • Directors • Musicians • Photographers • Playwrights • Writers
- Astronauts • Aviators • Explorers • Mountain climbers
- Businesspeople • Computer pioneers • Innovators
- Heads of state • Humanitarians • Journalists • Lawyers • Politicians • Warriors
- Sportspeople • Baseball players • Basketball players • Football (soccer) players • Olympians

