Leading Figures in History

Discover the people who shaped our world — from rulers and scientists to artists and activists.

24408 persons found

Joseph Stein

b. 1912

American dramatist

Joseph Strauss (engineer)

American structural engineer (1870–1938)

Joseph Tapine

b. 1994

New Zealand and Maori international rugby league player

Joseph Vaz

b. 1651

Oratorian priest and missionary (1651–1711)

Joseph von Fraunhofer

German physicist (1787–1826)

Joseph W. Tobin

b. 1952

American Catholic prelate (born 1952)

Joseph Ward

b. 1856

Prime Minister of New Zealand (1906–1912, 1928–1930)

Joseph Warren

b. 1741

American physician and Founding Father (1741–1775)

Joseph Weil

b. 1875

American fraudster (1875–1976)

Joseph Winston

American farmer and politician (1746–1815)

Joseph Wiseman

b. 1918

Canadian and American actor (1918–2009)

Joseph Wolf

German natural history artist (1820–1899)

Joseph Wolpe

b. 1915

American behavior therapist (1915–1997)

Joseph Zobel

Martiniquai writer (1915–2006)

Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau

5th Premier of Quebec (1879–1882)

Joseph-Alfred Archambeault

Canadian bishop (1859-1913)

Joseph-Armand Bombardier

b. 1907

Canadian inventor and businessman (1907–1964)

Joseph-Ignace Guillotin

b. 1738

French physician, politician and freemason (1738 – 1814)

Joseph-Marie Vien

b. 1716

French painter (1716–1809)

Josephine Baker

b. 1906

American and French entertainer (1906–1975)

Joséphine de Beauharnais

Empress of the French from 1804 to 1810

Josephine Hutchinson

American actress (1903–1998)

Josephine Johnson

b. 1910

American poet (1910–1990)

Josephine Veasey

b. 1930

British mezzo-soprano (1930–2022)