Biographies - Icons of History

From humble beginnings, Abaraham Lincoln rose to become the 16th President of the United States. Elected amidst of the crisis and ensuing trauma of a Civil War, he overcame a myriad of daunting challenges to become one of our greatest Presidents, best known for the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address and his tragic assassination.

One of the original Foundering Fathers, Franklin was noted for his discoveries, writings, ingenuity, and diversity of interests. His clever writings and proverbs are widely quoted this day. An architect of the American Revolution, despite never holding national elective office, he was a leader of the Enlightenment, and recognized and revered across Europe, the United States and around the globe.

Born in Birmingham in a middle class neighborhood, Condoleezza Rice became a woman to inspire all people. In late 2000 she became the first African American woman to be appointed the National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush and four years later was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of State. But these are just a few of the many remarkable things she has achieved.

Ted Kennedy was a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts for nearly five decades. Born into one of the most powerful and legendary political families in American history, he first joined the Senate in 1962 to fill the seat left when his brother John F. Kennedy was elected President of the United States. He was re-elected eight times, making him the third longest serving Senators.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the only man elected 4 times as President of the United States. Crippled by polio, he led a stricken nation through the dark days of the Great Depression and World War II with an eternal optimism that lifted the spirits of millions, and the "New Deal" which offered hope for the the future.

Washington proved his worth on the field of battle during the French and Indian War. When the Revolutionary War began, George Washington was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. After six long years of battle, America won her independence from Britain, and Washington was unanimously chosen to lead the new nation as it's first president.