Historical figures in New York City
The atlas holds 252 people and 669 moments here, from 1772 to 2023. The most recorded lives are Nikola Tesla, Andy Warhol and Isaac Asimov. Among them Writers, Political Leaders and Performers, across the Space Age and the Cold War.
Notable people
Simón Bolívar
in 1807
1 moment here
Venezuelan military and political leader known as El Libertador. Bolívar led revolutionary campaigns that helped secure the independence of…
Simone de Beauvoir
from 1947 to 1976
2 moments here
French existentialist philosopher, writer, social theorist, and feminist activist. Born and died in Paris, Beauvoir studied philosophy in Paris,…
Sirikit
from 1960 to 1981
2 moments here
Sirikit Kitiyakara was Queen of Thailand from 1950 to 2016 as consort of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and later Queen Mother.…
Soong Mei-ling
from 1943 to 2003
4 moments here
Soong Mei-ling, also known as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, was a Chinese political figure and wife of Chiang Kai-shek.…
Stanley Kubrick
from 1928 to 1964
7 moments here
American filmmaker and photographer whose career began in New York photojournalism, expanded through Hollywood productions and European location…
Steve Jobs
from 1998 to 1999
2 moments here
Steven Paul Jobs was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and executive who co-founded Apple, founded NeXT, and led Pixar.…
Sushma Swaraj
from 2017 to 2018
2 moments here
Indian lawyer, politician and diplomat. Swaraj served in the Haryana government, represented constituencies in Parliament, was Chief Minister of…
Swami Vivekananda
in 1894
1 moment here
Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, teacher, and chief disciple of Ramakrishna. Born Narendranath Datta in Calcutta, he travelled widely through India…
Sydney Brenner
from 1980 to 1991
2 moments here
South African-born molecular biologist whose career moved from Johannesburg and Oxford to Cambridge, California, Singapore and other scientific…
Syngman Rhee
from 1934 to 1954
2 moments here
Syngman Rhee was a Korean independence activist and the first president of the Republic of Korea, serving from 1948 until his resignation in 1960.…
Theodore Roosevelt
from 1858 to 1895
3 moments here
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1858–1919) was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909.…
Thích Nhất Hạnh
from 1982 to 2013
2 moments here
Vietnamese Thiền Buddhist monk, teacher, author, and peace activist. Thích Nhất Hạnh helped develop engaged Buddhism, founded the Plum Village…
Thomas Edison
from 1869 to 1886
3 moments here
American inventor and industrialist whose laboratories developed and commercialized technologies in telegraphy, recorded sound, electric lighting and…
Thomas Mann
in 1938
1 moment here
German novelist, essayist, public intellectual, and 1929 Nobel laureate. Born in Lübeck, he lived principally in Munich before exile from Nazi…
Thomas Sankara
in 1984
3 moments here
Burkinabé army officer and revolutionary political leader who became president of Upper Volta after the 4 August 1983 coup and led Burkina Faso until…
Tina Turner
from 1971 to 1981
4 moments here
Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock) was an American-born Swiss singer, songwriter, actress, and author.…
Toni Morrison
from 1967 to 2019
2 moments here
Toni Morrison (Chloe Ardelia Wofford) was an American novelist, editor, and professor whose career moved through Ohio, Washington, D.C., New York,…
Tupac Shakur
from 1971 to 1995
3 moments here
American rapper, actor, poet, and political activist, also known as 2Pac and Makaveli. His documented life included childhood in New York City and…
U Thant
from 1962 to 1974
4 moments here
Burmese diplomat and third Secretary-General of the United Nations (1961–1971). Born in Pantanaw, he taught and served in Burma’s government before…
Vivien Leigh
from 1951 to 1963
2 moments here
British actress Vivien Leigh (born Vivian Mary Hartley) was acclaimed for stage work and for Academy Award-winning performances as Scarlett O'Hara in…
Walt Disney
in 1928
1 moment here
Walter Elias Disney was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. His documented movements include childhood residences in…
Walter Brattain
from 1934 to 1942
2 moments here
American experimental physicist and co-inventor of the point-contact transistor. Brattain’s documented life moved from his birth in Amoy, China,…
Walt Whitman
from 1823 to 1887
11 moments here
American poet, essayist, journalist, and author of Leaves of Grass. Born on Long Island, he lived and worked chiefly in Brooklyn, Manhattan,…
Warren G. Harding
from 1921 to 1923
2 moments here
Warren G. Harding was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923.…
Moments
- 1972 Madison Square Garden concert Elvis Presley
- 1972 One to One benefit concerts John Lennon
- 1972 Star-Spangled Women fundraiser Tina Turner
- 1972 Address to the UN General Assembly Salvador Allende
- 1973 Broadway debut in Irene Carrie Fisher
- 1973 Black theology conference paper Desmond Tutu
- 1973 Relocation to the Dakota John Lennon
- 1973 Juilliard scholarship Robin Williams
- 1973 Dick Cavett Show taping Marlon Brando
- 1973 Visit to New York City Willy Brandt
- 1973 UN General Assembly appearance Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- 1974 Moves to East 66th Street townhouse Andy Warhol
- 1974 Photographed in New York Ariel Sharon
- 1974 Relocates the Factory to 860 Broadway Andy Warhol
- 1974 UN General Assembly session Abdelaziz Bouteflika
- 1974 First Bengali address to the UN General Assembly Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
- 1974 Guest appearance with Elton John John Lennon
- 1974 United Nations General Assembly address Yasser Arafat
- 1975 United Nations General Assembly address Miriam Makeba
- 1975 Cosmos unveiling Pelé
- 1975 Central Park 10K Robin Williams
- 1975 New York Cosmos debut Pelé
- 1975 AFL–CIO speech in New York City Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
- 1975 Addressed the UN General Assembly Idi Amin
- 1976 Visit to New York City with Sylvie Le Bon Simone de Beauvoir
- 1976 Waldorf Astoria headlining engagement Tina Turner
- 1976 Democratic National Convention Jimmy Carter
- 1977 Performed at Madison Square Garden Freddie Mercury
- 1977 Farewell match Pelé
- 1978 Town Hall solo performance Whitney Houston
- 1978 Peace Medal reception Bob Marley
- 1979 PEN Club visit to New York Jorge Luis Borges
- 1979 Copacabana live comedy recording Robin Williams
- 1979 United Nations General Assembly speech Fidel Castro
- 1979 Medical admission in New York Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
- 1979 Launches presidential campaign in New York Ronald Reagan
- 1980 Modeling discovery at Carnegie Hall Whitney Houston
- 1980 Censored Scenes From King Kong on Broadway Carrie Fisher
- 1980 Double Fantasy recording sessions John Lennon
- 1980 Collapse while jogging Bob Marley
- 1980 Madison Square Garden shows Bob Marley
- 1980 Madison Square Garden shows Freddie Mercury
- 1980 Death at Roosevelt Hospital John Lennon
- 1980 Departure from the Dakota on final day John Lennon
- 1980 Fatal shooting at the Dakota John Lennon
- 1980 Final recording session John Lennon
- 1981 Madison Square Garden performance Rafael Orozco Maestre
- 1981 Business meeting at the Factory Andy Warhol
- 1981 Broadway opening of The Little Foxes Elizabeth Taylor
- 1981 Tours future East 33rd Street Factory site Andy Warhol