Born on This Day: March 9

Italian navigator and writer whose accounts helped establish that the Americas were continents distinct from Asia.

German socialist and women’s-rights organizer whose activism helped establish International Women’s Day.

English writer and gardener whose fiction, poetry, and garden design influenced literature and horticulture.

American composer whose lyrical works became enduring parts of the concert repertoire.

American writer whose hard-boiled crime novels reshaped popular detective fiction.

American saxophonist and composer whose free-jazz innovations transformed modern music.

Soviet cosmonaut who became the first human in space, transforming exploration and global culture.

American chess champion whose play and public prominence greatly expanded international interest in chess.