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Americas historical figures

Explore historical figures from Americas. Read concise biographies, learn key facts, and play a quiz focused on this collection.

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159 figures

Portrait photograph of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo

Mexico · 1907–1954

Painter

Portrait of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman

United States · c. 1822–1913

Abolitionist & humanitarian

Portrait of Simón Bolívar

Simón Bolívar

Venezuela · 1783–1830

Military & political leader

Color portrait of Eva Perón

Eva Perón

Argentina · 1919–1952

First Lady of Argentina

Painted portrait of George Washington

George Washington

United States · 1732–1799

First President of the United States

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

United States · 1809–1865

16th President of the United States

Portrait of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil

Pedro I of Brazil

Brazil · 1798–1834

Founder & first Emperor of Brazil

Portrait of Sitting Bull

Sitting Bull

United States · c. 1831–1890

Hunkpapa Lakota leader

Portrait of Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony

United States · 1820–1906

Social reformer & suffragist

Iconic photographic portrait of Che Guevara

Che Guevara

Argentina · 1928–1967

Revolutionary & guerrilla leader

Painted portrait of Toussaint Louverture

Toussaint Louverture

Haiti · 1744–1803

General & revolutionary leader

Painted portrait of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

United States · 1706–1790

Founding Father & polymath

Photograph of Benito Juárez

Benito Juárez

Mexico · 1806–1872

President of Mexico

Painted presidential portrait of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

United States · 1743–1826

3rd U.S. President & Founding Father

Portrait photograph of Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

United States · 1858–1919

26th U.S. President

Presidential portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin D. Roosevelt

United States · 1882–1945

32nd U.S. President

Photograph of Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant

United States · 1822–1885

18th U.S. President & Civil War general

Official color portrait of John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy

United States · 1917–1963

35th U.S. President

Official portrait of Barack Obama

Barack Obama

United States · born 1961

44th U.S. President

Portrait of Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

United States · 1929–1968

Civil rights leader & minister

Press photograph of Malcolm X from 1963

Malcolm X

United States · 1925–1965

Civil rights activist & minister

Portrait of Rosa Parks from 1956

Rosa Parks

United States · 1913–2005

Civil rights activist

Historical illustration depicting the capture of Nat Turner

Nat Turner

United States · 1800–1831

Enslaved rebellion leader

Portrait of Emiliano Zapata

Emiliano Zapata

Mexico · 1879–1919

Revolutionary & guerrilla leader

Tintype photograph of Billy the Kid

Billy the Kid

United States · 1859–1881

Outlaw & gunfighter

Photograph of Jesse James

Jesse James

United States · 1847–1882

Outlaw & gang leader

Photograph of Al Capone from 1930

Al Capone

United States · 1899–1947

Gangster

Photograph of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow

Bonnie and Clyde

United States · 1932–1934 (active period)

Outlaw couple

Photograph of the footballer Pelé

Pelé

Brazil · 1940–2022

Footballer

Photograph of Diego Maradona

Diego Maradona

Argentina · 1960–2020

Footballer & manager

Portrait of Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson

United States · 1919–1972

Baseball player

Photograph of Babe Ruth

Babe Ruth

United States · 1895–1948

Baseball player

Photograph of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

United States · 1942–2016

Boxer & activist

Photograph of Jesse Owens from 1936

Jesse Owens

United States · 1913–1980

Track and field athlete

Photograph of Wilma Rudolph from 1960

Wilma Rudolph

United States · 1940–1994

Track and field athlete

Photograph of Usain Bolt smiling

Usain Bolt

Jamaica · born 1986

Sprinter

Portrait of Serena Williams at the Australian Open

Serena Williams

United States · born 1981

Tennis player

Portrait photograph of Michael Jackson from 1983

Michael Jackson

United States · 1958–2009

Singer & entertainer

Press photograph of Bob Marley from 1976

Bob Marley

Jamaica · 1945–1981

Musician

Color photograph of Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

United States · 1901–1971

Jazz musician & singer

Photograph of Elvis Presley promoting Jailhouse Rock

Elvis Presley

United States · 1935–1977

Singer & actor

Photograph of Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan

United States · born 1963

Basketball player

Photograph of Wayne Gretzky

Wayne Gretzky

Canada · born 1961

Ice hockey player

Photograph of golfer Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods

United States · born 1975

Golfer

Photograph of swimmer Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps

United States · born 1985

Swimmer

Photograph of footballer Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Argentina · born 1987

Footballer

Photograph of gymnast Simone Biles

Simone Biles

United States · born 1997

Gymnast

Portrait photograph of Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

United States · 1856–1924

28th U.S. President

Painted portrait of James Madison

James Madison

United States · 1751–1836

4th U.S. President & Founding Father

Official portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

United States · 1890–1969

34th U.S. President & WWII general

Portrait of Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson

United States · 1767–1845

7th U.S. President

Official portrait of President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

United States · 1911–2004

40th U.S. President

Photograph of Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

United States · born 1946

42nd U.S. President

Photograph of Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman

United States · 1884–1972

33rd U.S. President

Photograph of Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison

United States · 1847–1931

Inventor & businessman

Photograph of physicist Richard Feynman circa 1960

Richard Feynman

United States · 1918–1988

Theoretical physicist

Photograph of Orville Wright in 1905

Wright Brothers

United States · 1871–1948 (Orville); 1867–1912 (Wilbur)

Aviation pioneers & engineers

Portrait photograph of Henry Ford

Henry Ford

United States · 1863–1947

Industrialist & engineer

Historical portrait of Túpac Amaru II

Túpac Amaru II

Peru · died 1781

Indigenous rebellion leader

Portrait of Salvador Allende

Salvador Allende

Chile · 1908–1973

President of Chile

Photograph of Fidel Castro at the United Nations

Fidel Castro

Cuba · 1926–2016

Revolutionary & head of state

Photograph of Gabriel García Márquez

Gabriel García Márquez

Colombia · 1927–2014

Writer

Painted portrait of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Mexico · 1753–1811

Priest & independence leader

Portrait of José de San Martín

José de San Martín

Argentina · 1778–1850

General & independence leader

Photograph of Juan Perón

Juan Perón

Argentina · 1895–1974

President of Argentina

Portrait of Bernardo O'Higgins

Bernardo O'Higgins

Chile · 1778–1842

Military officer & statesman

Portrait of Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa

Mexico · 1878–1923

Revolutionary general

The Crazy Horse Memorial mountain carving in South Dakota

Crazy Horse

United States · c. 1840–1877

Lakota war leader

Portrait of Isabel Allende

Isabel Allende

Chile · born 1942

Novelist

Portrait of Getúlio Vargas

Getúlio Vargas

Brazil · 1882–1954

President of Brazil

Portrait of Rafael Trujillo

Rafael Trujillo

Dominican Republic · 1891–1961

Dictator of the Dominican Republic

Portrait of Rigoberta Menchú

Rigoberta Menchú

Guatemala · born 1959

Human rights activist

Portrait of John A. Macdonald

John A. Macdonald

Canada · 1815–1891

First Prime Minister of Canada

Portrait of Jorge Luis Borges

Jorge Luis Borges

Argentina · 1899–1986

Writer

Portrait of Pierre Trudeau

Pierre Trudeau

Canada · 1919–2000

Prime Minister of Canada

Historical illustration of Tecumseh

Tecumseh

United States · 1768–1813

Shawnee military leader

Official portrait of Augusto Pinochet

Augusto Pinochet

Chile · 1915–2006

Dictator of Chile

Depiction of Sacagawea with the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Sacagawea

United States · c. 1788–1812

Guide and interpreter

Portrait of Diego Rivera

Diego Rivera

Mexico · 1886–1957

Muralist

Portrait of Hugo Chávez

Hugo Chávez

Venezuela · 1954–2013

President of Venezuela

Portrait of Geronimo

Geronimo

United States · 1829–1909

Apache leader

Portrait of astronaut Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong

United States · 1930–2012

Astronaut

Portrait of Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson

United States · 1918–2020

Mathematician

Photograph of Ayrton Senna

Ayrton Senna

Brazil · 1960–1994

Racing driver

Photograph of Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

United States · 1899–1974

Jazz pianist and composer

Photograph of Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald

United States · 1917–1996

Jazz vocalist

Photograph of Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix

United States · 1942–1970

Guitarist and songwriter

Photograph of Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin

United States · 1942–2018

Singer and songwriter

Photograph of Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

United States · born 1941

Singer-songwriter

Photograph of Carlos Gardel

Carlos Gardel

Argentina · 1890–1935

Tango singer and composer

Photograph of Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz

Cuba · 1925–2003

Singer

Photograph of Miles Davis

Miles Davis

United States · 1926–1991

Jazz trumpeter and composer

Portrait of Grace Hopper

Grace Hopper

United States · 1906–1992

Computer scientist and naval officer

Portrait of astronaut Alan Shepard

Alan Shepard

United States · 1923–1998

Astronaut

Portrait of Porfirio Díaz

Porfirio Díaz

Mexico · 1830–1915

President of Mexico

Portrait of Lázaro Cárdenas

Lázaro Cárdenas

Mexico · 1895–1970

President of Mexico

Portrait of J. Robert Oppenheimer

J. Robert Oppenheimer

United States · 1904–1967

Theoretical physicist

Photograph of Barbara McClintock in her laboratory

Barbara McClintock

United States · 1902–1992

Cytogeneticist

Photograph of Nina Simone

Nina Simone

United States · 1933–2003

Singer, pianist, and civil rights activist

Portrait of José Martí

José Martí

Cuba · 1853–1895

Writer and independence leader

Portrait of Antonio Maceo

Antonio Maceo

Cuba · 1845–1896

Independence general

Painting of José Gervasio Artigas

José Gervasio Artigas

Uruguay · 1764–1850

Military leader and founding father

Portrait of Francisco Morazán

Francisco Morazán

Honduras · 1792–1842

President of the Federal Republic of Central America

Portrait of José Figueres Ferrer

José Figueres Ferrer

Costa Rica · 1906–1990

President of Costa Rica

Photograph of Omar Torrijos

Omar Torrijos

Panama · 1929–1981

Military leader of Panama

Photograph of Augusto César Sandino

Augusto César Sandino

Nicaragua · 1895–1934

Revolutionary leader

Portrait of Eloy Alfaro

Eloy Alfaro

Ecuador · 1842–1912

President of Ecuador

Photograph of Rafael Correa

Rafael Correa

Ecuador · born 1963

President of Ecuador

Photograph of Rafael Reyes

Rafael Reyes

Colombia · 1849–1921

President of Colombia

Portrait of Andrés Bello

Andrés Bello

Venezuela · 1781–1865

Humanist and educator

Portrait of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

Argentina · 1811–1888

President of Argentina

Portrait of Diego Portales

Diego Portales

Chile · 1793–1837

Statesman

Photograph of Babe Didrikson Zaharias

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

United States · 1911–1956

Multi-sport athlete

Photograph of Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe

United States · 1887–1953

Multi-sport athlete

Photograph of Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain

United States · 1936–1999

Basketball player

Photograph of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

United States · born 1947

Basketball player

Portrait of Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright

United States · 1867–1959

Architect

Photograph of Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison

United States · 1931–2019

Novelist and editor

Photograph of Grey Owl

Grey Owl

Canada · 1888–1938

Writer and conservationist

Photograph of Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison

United States · born 1956

Astronaut and physician

Portrait of Vivien Thomas

Vivien Thomas

United States · 1910–1985

Surgical laboratory supervisor

Photograph of Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho

Brazil · born 1980

Footballer

Portrait of Jean-Jacques Dessalines in military uniform

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Haiti · 1758–1806

Revolutionary leader & first ruler of independent Haiti

Portrait of King Henri I of Haiti in royal dress

Henri Christophe

Haiti · 1767–1820

King of Haiti

Portrait of Alexandre Petion

Alexandre Petion

Haiti · 1770–1818

President of the Republic of Haiti

Portrait of Fabre Geffrard

Fabre Geffrard

Haiti · 1806–1878

President of Haiti

Photograph of Francois Duvalier

Francois Duvalier

Haiti · 1907–1971

President of Haiti

Photograph of Jean-Claude Duvalier

Jean-Claude Duvalier

Haiti · 1951–2014

President of Haiti

Photograph of Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Jean-Bertrand Aristide

Haiti · 1953–

President of Haiti

Photograph of Michel Martelly

Michel Martelly

Haiti · 1961–

President of Haiti

Photograph of Rene Preval

Rene Preval

Haiti · 1943–2017

President of Haiti

Portrait of Cipriano Castro

Cipriano Castro

Venezuela · 1858–1924

President of Venezuela

Portrait of Antonio Guzman Blanco

Antonio Guzman Blanco

Venezuela · 1829–1899

President of Venezuela

Photograph of Carlos Andres Perez

Carlos Andres Perez

Venezuela · 1922–2010

President of Venezuela

Photograph of Rafael Caldera

Rafael Caldera

Venezuela · 1916–2009

President of Venezuela

Photograph of Marcos Perez Jimenez

Marcos Perez Jimenez

Venezuela · 1914–2001

Military dictator of Venezuela

Photograph of Vera Rubin

Vera Rubin

United States · 1928–2016

Astronomer

Photograph of Katherine Freese

Katherine Freese

United States · 1957–

Theoretical physicist

Photograph of Sally Ride in astronaut uniform

Sally Ride

United States · 1951–2012

Astronaut & physicist

Official portrait of Peggy Whitson

Peggy Whitson

United States · 1960–

Astronaut & biochemist

Official NASA portrait of Christa McAuliffe

Christa McAuliffe

United States · 1948–1986

Teacher & astronaut

Official NASA portrait of Eileen Collins

Eileen Collins

United States · 1956–

Astronaut & Air Force pilot

Official NASA portrait of Ellen Ochoa

Ellen Ochoa

United States · 1958–

Astronaut & engineer

Photograph of Rosalind Picard

Rosalind Picard

United States · 1962–

Computer scientist

Photograph of George Washington Carver

George Washington Carver

United States · c. 1864–1943

Agricultural scientist & inventor

Photograph of Elijah McCoy

Elijah McCoy

Canada · 1844–1929

Engineer & inventor

Photograph of Garrett Morgan

Garrett Morgan

United States · 1877–1963

Inventor & businessman

Photograph of Elisha Otis

Elisha Otis

United States · 1811–1861

Industrialist & inventor

Photograph of Oscar Arias

Oscar Arias

Costa Rica · 1940–

President of Costa Rica

Photograph of Manuel Noriega

Manuel Noriega

Panama · 1934–2017

Military dictator of Panama

Photograph of Daniel Ortega

Daniel Ortega

Nicaragua · 1945–

President of Nicaragua

Photograph of Joaquin Balaguer

Joaquin Balaguer

Dominican Republic · 1906–2002

President of the Dominican Republic

Photograph of Violeta Chamorro

Violeta Chamorro

Nicaragua · 1929–

President of Nicaragua

Photograph of Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller

United States · 1945–2010

Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation

Photograph of Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta

United States · 1930–

Labor leader & activist

Photograph of Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm

United States · 1924–2005

Politician

Photograph of Frances Perkins

Frances Perkins

United States · 1880–1965

US Secretary of Labor

Portrait of Samuel Morse

Samuel Morse

United States · 1791–1872

Inventor & painter

Photograph of Juan Bosch

Juan Bosch

Dominican Republic · 1909–2001

President of the Dominican Republic