Peter III of Russia (1728–1762)
Russian emperor whose brief reign introduced reforms and whose overthrow changed the course of imperial politics.
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Born on This Day: February 21
John Henry Newman (1801–1890)
English theologian and educator whose writings on conscience, faith, and universities influenced Christian thought and higher education.
Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937)
French organist and composer whose organ symphonies expanded the instrument’s technique and concert repertoire.
Alice Freeman Palmer (1855–1902)
American educator whose leadership advanced women’s higher education and professional opportunities.
August von Wassermann (1866–1925)
German bacteriologist who developed an influential early blood test for syphilis.
W. H. Auden (1907–1973)
British-American poet whose formal mastery and moral inquiry made him one of the most influential poets of the twentieth century.
Nina Simone (1933–2003)
American singer, pianist, and activist whose music joined classical technique, jazz, folk, and civil-rights protest.
Barbara Jordan (1936–1996)
American lawyer and legislator whose constitutional eloquence and public service broke racial and gender barriers in national politics.