Albert Einstein. Elvis Presley. Nelson Mandela. Barack Obama. Madame Curie. Through innovation, perseverance and enlightenment, they have shaped the world as we know it, far transcending their lifetimes. In this special edition, the editors of LIFE examine the extraordinary lives and enduring influences of these figures, along with many, many more.
LIFE 100 People Who Changed the World
HISTORY IN MOTION
RELIGIOUS FIGURES & PHILOSOPHER KINGS
ABRAHAM CIRCA 2100–1500 B.C.
BUDDHA CIRCA 563–483 B.C.
CONFUCIUS 551–479 B.C.
ARISTOTLE 384–322 B.C.
JESUS CIRCA 5 B.C.–A.D. 29
MUHAMMAD CIRCA 570–632
POPE URBAN II CIRCA 1035–1099
JOAN OF ARC CIRCA 1412–1431
MOHANDAS GANDHI 1869–1948
MOTHER TERESA 1910–1997
BILLY GRAHAM 1918–2018
POPE JOHN PAUL II 1920–2005
OSAMA BIN LADEN 1957–2011
LEADERS, ELECTED & NOT
KING KHUFU CIRCA 2551–2528 B.C.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT 356–323 B.C.
CLEOPATRA VII 69–30 B.C.
CONSTANTINE THE GREAT CIRCA 275–337
LEIF ERIKSSON CIRCA 971–1015
GENGHIS KHAN CIRCA 1162–1227
QUEEN ISABELLA I 1451–1504
CATHERINE DE MÉDICIS 1519–1589
QUEEN ELIZABETH I 1533–1603
CATHERINE THE GREAT 1729–1796
GEORGE WASHINGTON 1732–1799
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE 1769–1821
ABRAHAM LINCOLN 1809–1865
QUEEN VICTORIA 1819–1901
VLADIMIR ILYICH LENIN 1870–1924
WINSTON CHURCHILL 1874–1965
ADOLF HITLER 1889–1945
MAO ZEDONG 1893–1976
NELSON MANDELA 1918–2013
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. 1929–1968
MIKHAIL GORBACHEV BORN 1931
LECH WALESA BORN 1943
BARACK OBAMA BORN 1961
SCIENTISTS, INVENTORS & INNOVATORS
JOHANN GUTENBERG CIRCA 1398–1468
LEONARDO DA VINCI 1452–1519
NICOLAUS COPERNICUS 1473–1543
GALILEO GALILEI 1564–1642
ISAAC NEWTON 1642–1727
NICÉPHORE NIÉPCE 1765–1833
CHARLES DARWIN 1809–1882
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE 1820–1910
CLARA BARTON 1821–1912
LOUIS PASTEUR 1822–1895
WILHELM KONRAD RÖNTGEN 1845–1923
THOMAS EDISON 1847–1931
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL 1847–1922
SIGMUND FREUD 1856–1939
HENRY FORD 1863–1947
MARIE CURIE 1867–1934
GUGLIELMO MARCONI 1874–1937
ALBERT EINSTEIN 1879–1955
MARGARET MEAD 1901–1978
ALAN TURING 1912–1954
NORMAN BORLAUG 1914–2009
JONAS SALK 1914–1995
ROSALIND FRANKLIN 1920–1958
CHRISTIAAN BARNARD 1922–2001
STEVE JOBS 1955–2011
CULTURAL ICONS
HOMER CIRCA 1000–600 B.C.
MARCO POLO CIRCA 1254–1324
MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI 1475–1564
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 1564–1616
LADY MARY PIERREPONT WORTLEY MONTAGU 1689–1762
ADAM SMITH 1723–1790
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT 1759–1797
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN 1770–1827
P.T. BARNUM 1810–1891
CHARLES DICKENS 1812–1870
KARL MARX 1818–1883
JULES VERNE 1828–1905
LEO TOLSTOY 1828–1910
MOTHER JONES 1837–1930
RICHARD WARREN SEARS 1863–1914
LEWIS HINE 1874–1940
MARGARET SANGER 1879–1966
HELEN KELLER 1880–1968
PABLO PICASSO 1881–1973
JAMES JOYCE 1882–1941
IGOR STRAVINSKY 1882–1971
COCO CHANEL 1883–1971
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT 1884–1962
LE CORBUSIER 1887–1965
CHARLIE CHAPLIN 1889–1977
MARTHA GRAHAM 1894–1991
LOUIS ARMSTRONG 1901–1971
CHARLES LINDBERGH 1902–1974
RAY KROC 1902–1984
BENJAMIN SPOCK 1903–1998
DR. SEUSS 1904–1991
WILLIAM LEVITT 1907–1994
RACHEL CARSON 1907–1964
SIR EDMUND HILLARY 1919–2008
ELVIS PRESLEY...
