Born on This Day: September 20

Macedonian king whose conquests created a vast empire and spread Hellenistic culture across three continents.

American writer whose investigative fiction exposed industrial abuses and influenced food-safety reform.

American singer and guitarist whose gospel and electric style helped lay foundations for rock and roll.

American basketball coach and executive whose innovations and integrated teams transformed the professional game.

American poet and essayist whose writing on work, aging, grief, and rural life influenced modern literature.

American comedian and actor whose partnership and television work influenced modern comedy.

Italian actor whose international career became a landmark of postwar cinema.

American author whose epic fantasy expanded the genre’s realism, complexity, and global audience.