Karl Jaspers (February 23, 1883 – February 26, 1969) was a German Swiss psychiatrist and philosopher. He was a major influence on existentialism in Germany even as he rejected the label. He joined the faculty at Heidelberg University but in 1933, he was considered tainted because of his Jewish wife. After the war, he and his wife moved and he taught at the university of Basel in Switzerland where he continued to work on his unifying philosophical ideas.
James Russell Lowell (February 22, 1819 – August 12, 1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, and editor. He was part of a New England group of writers, the Fireside Poets, and rivaled in popularity some of the British poets of the era. Although known as a troublemaker, he graduated from Harvard College and earned a law degree from there, as well. He became an advocate for the abolition of slavery and later served as a Minister to the court of Spain.
Erma Bombeck (February 21, 1927 – April 22, 1996) was an American writer and humorist. She gained popularity with her syndicated newspaper column describing suburban American home life. She went on to write 15 books, most of which were best sellers. She wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns that were published, at her peak, in 900 newspapers in the US and Canada. She also appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America from 1975 to 1986.
Bobby Unser (February 20, 1934) is an American retired racecar driver. His family has been involved in automobile racing for decades. In fact, he is one of the two men who have won the Indianapolis 500 in three different decades, taking the win in 1968, 1975, and 1981. He won his first championship at the age of 15, beginning a long string of victories.
Photo by Doctorindy – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18636277
Nicolaus Copernicus (February 19, 1473 – May 24, 1543) was a Polish mathematician and astronomer. Using his observational and math skills, he calculated that the solar system was heliocentric – had the sun at the center rather than Earth. He traveled widely during the acquisition of his vast education and then returned home, spending the last forty years of his life working for his uncle and continuing his study and research into all the various topics that interested him.
Jean Auel (February 18, 1936) is an American author and the creator of the Earth’s Children books. The six novels are set in prehistoric Europe and explore the interactions between Cro-Mangon and Neanderthal peoples. Auel began intensive study of the Ice Age and joined a survival class to learn the ways her characters would have lived. She learned to make fire, tan leather, and knapp stones making her tales all the more believable. She has been named an Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Isabelle Eberhardt (February 17, 1877 – October 21, 1904) was a Swiss explorer and author. She was educated by her father and published stories under a male pen name. She wrote about North Africa and was considered an expert, even though she had not visited and got her information from correspondence. She moved to Africa, dressed as a man, converted to Islam and was shunned by Europeans for her choices. The French administrators of Algeria ordered her to leave and allowed her to return only after she married her partner. She died in a flash flood at the age of 27.
John McEnroe (February 16, 1959) is a retired American tennis player. While famous for his tennis ability with placing shots and volleying, he was also infamous for his confrontational behavior on the court. This often got him in trouble with umpires and tennis authorities alike. He is ranked number one in both singles and doubles tennis with 77 titles for singles and 78 doubles. He won the Grand Slam singles title four times, the US Open four times, and Wimbledon three times. He also took nine Grand Slam doubles titles before retiring.
Photo by Me3154a – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38540177
Louis XV (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774) was the unlikely King of France from September 1, 1715 (when he was five years old) until his death – a reign of almost 59 years. The son of the Duke of Burgundy, he was far down the line of succession. However, King Louis XIV’s son and dauphin died of smallpox. Less than a year later, Louis XV’s mother died of measles and then his father succumbed to the disease. Then both Louis and his older brother and next in line for the throne caught the disease and his brother died of the disease and the treatment (bleeding). Louis’s governess would not allow the boy to be bled further and he managed to survive. When his grandfather died, the young child became the new King.
Jimmy Hoffa (February 14, 1913 – disappeared July 30, 1975; declared dead July 30, 1982) was an American labor union leader. He served as President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters from 1957 – 1971. During his leadership, the union grew to 2.3 million members. Also during this time, Hoffa became involved with organized crime which resulted in his conviction and imprisonment beginning in 1967. He garnered a pardon from President Nixon after serving seven years. He went missing a few years later and his body was never recovered.
