Famous Americans

On November 19, 1965, the U.S. Post Office issued the first stamp in a new series honoring Prominent Americans. The series included several “firsts” and technological changes.

On November 17, 1904, Isamu Noguchi was born in Los Angeles, California. He was a world-renowned artist known for his large-scale sculptures found around the globe.

Composer and musician William Christopher Handy was born on November 16, 1873, in Florence, Alabama. He called himself the “Father of the Blues” for his role in popularizing the style on a national level.

On November 8, 1837, Mary Lyons opened Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. One of the oldest female colleges in America, it inspired countless universities around the world to follow its model.

Ida Minerva Tarbell was born on November 5, 1857 in Erie County, Pennsylvania. She was a pioneer of investigative journalism, with one of her books ranked the fifth most important work of 20th century American journalism.

John Adams was born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, on October 30, 1735. Adams was America’s first vice president and second president.

Jonas Edward Salk was born on October 28, 1914, in New York, New York. He developed the first effective polio vaccine, helping to save lives around the world.

On October 21, 1959, one of the world’s most renowned museums, the Guggenheim, opened in New York City.

Composer Charles Edward Ives was born on October 20, 1874, in Danbury, Connecticut.  Though his music was largely unknown during his lifetime, he was later regarded as the leading composer of 20th-century art music.