Martinican writer, poet and politician (1913-2008), founder of the Négritude movement. He served as mayor of Fort-de-France and deputy of Martinique, combining literary commitment with political action to defend the rights of colonized peoples.

French writer, philosopher, and journalist (1913–1960), Albert Camus is one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. Author of The Stranger and The Plague, he developed a philosophy of the absurd and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957.

Anne Frank (1929-1945) was a young Dutch-Jewish girl whose diary, written in hiding during the Nazi occupation, became a poignant testimony of the Holocaust. She died in deportation at Bergen-Belsen, and her work remains a major source for understanding persecution and humanity in the face of horror.

French writer born in 1940, Annie Ernaux is known for her innovative approach to autofiction and auto-sociobiography. Her major work, A Man's Place (1983), traces her father's story and social journey, marking a turning point in contemporary French literature.

French writer and aviator (1900–1944), Antoine de Saint-Exupéry left a lasting mark on 20th-century literature through his poetic and philosophical works. Author of the celebrated The Little Prince, he also explored themes of commitment, friendship, and self-transcendence through his tales of aerial adventure.

Franco-Romanian playwright (1909–1994), Eugène Ionesco is one of the founders of the Theatre of the Absurd. His plays, marked by humor, absurdity, and a critique of mass society, revolutionized contemporary theatre.

Georges Pompidou (1911-1974) est un homme d'État français, Premier ministre sous de Gaulle de 1962 à 1968, puis deuxième président de la Ve République de 1969 jusqu'à sa mort. Ancien professeur de lettres, il a marqué la France par sa politique de modernisation industrielle et son soutien aux arts contemporains.

A Quebec poet and writer born in 1958, Hélène Dorion is a leading figure in contemporary French-Canadian poetry. Her work, marked by introspection and meditation on nature and identity, explores themes of belonging and freedom.

French playwright (1910–1987), Jean Anouilh wrote modern plays that reinterpret ancient myths. His 1944 adaptation of Antigone became a landmark work of 20th-century French theatre.

French philosopher, writer, and playwright (1905–1980), founder of existentialism. He explored human freedom, responsibility, and commitment through his major philosophical and literary works.

Argentine writer

Senegalese poet, writer, and statesman (1906–2001), Senghor was the first president of independent Senegal. A leading theorist of the Négritude movement, he championed a humanist vision of African culture and left a lasting mark on twentieth-century Francophone literature.

French writer, playwright, screenwriter, and filmmaker (1914–1996), Marguerite Duras is a major figure in contemporary literature. Author of The Lover, she revolutionized the novel form by exploring psychological introspection and the formal ruptures of the Nouveau Roman.

French writer (1903–1987), Marguerite Yourcenar is the author of Memoirs of Hadrian, a masterpiece of 20th-century literature. The first woman elected to the Académie française in 1980, she left a lasting mark on literature through her reflections on history and humanity.

French writer of Russian origin (1900-1999), Nathalie Sarraute is a major figure of the French Nouveau Roman. She revolutionized the novel form by exploring movements of consciousness and the 'sub-conversations' that animate human relationships.

A major Chilean poet of the 20th century (1904–1973), Pablo Neruda is celebrated for his political commitment and wide-ranging poetic work, which earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971. A Communist activist and diplomat, he embodies the engaged intellectual in Latin America.

Écrivain et chimiste italien (1919-1987), Primo Levi est l'auteur de témoignages majeurs sur la Shoah. Arrêté en 1943 comme partisan antifasciste, il est déporté à Auschwitz où il survit grâce à ses compétences de chimiste. Après la guerre, il devient une voix essentielle de la littérature de témoignage.

Poète français majeur du XXe siècle, René Char est connu pour sa poésie moderne et son engagement dans la Résistance française pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Ses œuvres allient innovation poétique et engagement politique, explorant les thèmes de la liberté et de la révolte.

Poète français (1900-1945) figure majeure du surréalisme, connu pour ses jeux de langage et sa poésie novatrice. Engagé dans la Résistance durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, il a été déporté et meurt au camp de Terezín en 1945.

Philosophe et romancière française (1908-1986), Simone de Beauvoir est une figure majeure de l'existentialisme et du féminisme moderne. Auteure du Deuxième Sexe, essai fondateur sur la condition des femmes, elle a profondément influencé la pensée philosophique et les mouvements émancipateurs du XXe siècle.

Écrivaine afro-américaine majeure du XXe siècle, Toni Morrison est l'auteure de romans fondamentaux explorant l'expérience des Afro-Américains, notamment l'esclavage et ses traumatismes. Elle a reçu le prix Nobel de littérature en 1993, première femme noire à recevoir cet honneur.

Écrivain et illustrateur français (1902-1991), Vercors est l'auteur du roman de Résistance « Le Silence de la mer » (1942), publié clandestinement pendant l'Occupation. Fondateur des Éditions de Minuit, il s'engage dans la lutte contre le nazisme par l'écriture.

Martinican writer, poet and politician (1913-2008), founder of the Négritude movement. He served as mayor of Fort-de-France and deputy of Martinique, combining literary commitment with political action to defend the rights of colonized peoples.

Argentine Marxist revolutionary (1928–1967) and iconic figure of 20th-century guerrilla warfare. A key player in the Cuban Revolution alongside Fidel Castro, he went on to lead revolutionary movements in Africa and Latin America before his death in Bolivia.

Secrétaire général du Parti communiste français de 1972 à 1994, Georges Marchais fut l'une des figures majeures de la gauche française pendant la Guerre froide. Il incarna un communisme orthodoxe, soutenant l'intervention soviétique en Afghanistan en 1980.

Georges Pompidou (1911-1974) est un homme d'État français, Premier ministre sous de Gaulle de 1962 à 1968, puis deuxième président de la Ve République de 1969 jusqu'à sa mort. Ancien professeur de lettres, il a marqué la France par sa politique de modernisation industrielle et son soutien aux arts contemporains.

Last General Secretary of the Soviet Union (1985–1991), Gorbachev initiated sweeping reforms with Perestroika and Glasnost, transforming the USSR before its dissolution in 1991. His actions marked the end of the Cold War and the restructuring of the Soviet bloc.

German-born American philosopher (1906–1975), Hannah Arendt is one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. A refugee in the United States after fleeing Nazism, she developed a critical analysis of totalitarianism, political violence, and the human condition in the modern world.

President of the United States from 1961 to 1963, John F. Kennedy embodies the political modernity of the 20th century. His term was marked by critical moments of the Cold War, notably the Cuban Missile Crisis, and by his commitment to civil rights before his assassination in Dallas.

Senegalese poet, writer, and statesman (1906–2001), Senghor was the first president of independent Senegal. A leading theorist of the Négritude movement, he championed a humanist vision of African culture and left a lasting mark on twentieth-century Francophone literature.

African-American Baptist pastor (1929–1968) and major leader of the civil rights movement in the United States. He championed nonviolence and racial equality, becoming one of the most influential figures of the 20th century before his assassination.

South African political leader (1918–2013), founding figure of the struggle against apartheid and first Black president of South Africa. Imprisoned for 27 years for his revolutionary activities, he became a symbol of reconciliation and democratic transition in his country.

Rosa Parks est une militante afro-américaine du mouvement des droits civiques, née en 1913 en Alabama. Elle devient célèbre en 1955 en refusant de céder son siège à un passager blanc dans un bus à Montgomery, acte de désobéissance civile qui déclenche le boycott des bus et accélère la fin de la ségrégation raciale aux États-Unis.

Femme politique française (1927-2017), survivante de la Shoah et ministre de la Santé sous Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Elle est célèbre pour avoir fait adopter la loi dépénalisant l'interruption volontaire de grossesse (IVG) en 1975, un combat majeur pour les droits des femmes.

British mathematician and cryptologist (1912-1954), Alan Turing is the founder of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence. He contributed to the decryption of the Enigma machine during the Second World War and formalized the concepts of computability and algorithm.

French anthropologist and ethnologist (1908-2009), founder of structural anthropology. He revolutionized the study of human societies by applying structuralist methods to myths, kinship systems, and cultural practices. His major work, Tristes Tropiques, combines ethnographic narrative with philosophical reflection.

British chemist (1910-1994)

British and American biologists who discovered the structure of DNA in 1953. Their work revolutionized the understanding of heredity and laid the foundations of modern molecular biology.

Hungarian-American mathematician and physicist (1903–1957), pioneer of modern computing and game theory. He is the founding architect of the programmable digital computer and contributed to the development of nuclear energy.

African-American physicist, mathematician, and space engineer

Austro-Swedish physicist

American physician and astronaut

American astronaut (1930-2012), Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Commander of the Apollo 11 mission, he marked a major turning point in space exploration and the Cold War.

Biologiste moléculaire britannique (1920-1958), Rosalind Franklin a apporté des contributions essentielles à la compréhension de la structure de l'ADN grâce à ses travaux de cristallographie aux rayons X. Elle est notamment célèbre pour la photographie 51, image fondamentale qui a révélé la structure en double hélice de l'ADN.

chercheuse en pharmacie chinoise

French photographer, visual artist, film director and screenwriter

Japanese film director and screenwriter

Gérard Depardieu est l'un des acteurs français les plus célèbres et prolifiques, avec plus de 200 films à son actif. Né en 1948 à Châteauroux, il s'impose dès les années 1970 comme une figure majeure du cinéma français et international.

French film director, producer and screenwriter

Austrian-born American actress, producer, and scientist

American dancer (1877-1927)

Jean Gabin (1904-1976) est l'un des plus grands acteurs français du XXe siècle. Révélé dans les années 1930 par des films comme La Bête humaine et La Grande Illusion, il incarne le mythe de l'homme du peuple, dur mais sensible.

French singer, dancer, and revue performer of American origin

La Divina, the most celebrated opera soprano of the 20th century

danseuse et chorégraphe allemande

réalisateur, écrivain et compositeur indien bengali

French writer, philosopher, and journalist (1913–1960), Albert Camus is one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. Author of The Stranger and The Plague, he developed a philosophy of the absurd and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957.

French anthropologist and ethnologist (1908-2009), founder of structural anthropology. He revolutionized the study of human societies by applying structuralist methods to myths, kinship systems, and cultural practices. His major work, Tristes Tropiques, combines ethnographic narrative with philosophical reflection.

German-born American philosopher (1906–1975), Hannah Arendt is one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century. A refugee in the United States after fleeing Nazism, she developed a critical analysis of totalitarianism, political violence, and the human condition in the modern world.

French philosopher, writer, and playwright (1905–1980), founder of existentialism. He explored human freedom, responsibility, and commitment through his major philosophical and literary works.

French philosopher (1926–1984) who revolutionized the analysis of power, knowledge, and surveillance in modern societies. His work on institutions (prisons, hospitals, schools) profoundly influenced contemporary philosophy and the social sciences.

Philosophe et romancière française (1908-1986), Simone de Beauvoir est une figure majeure de l'existentialisme et du féminisme moderne. Auteure du Deuxième Sexe, essai fondateur sur la condition des femmes, elle a profondément influencé la pensée philosophique et les mouvements émancipateurs du XXe siècle.

Philosophe française (1909-1943) engagée socialement et spirituellement. Elle a combiné la réflexion philosophique avec l'action directe auprès des ouvriers et des opprimés, tout en développant une pensée mystique originale. Son œuvre, publiée après sa mort, explore les rapports entre le travail, la justice et la transcendance.

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) est le chef de file du mouvement Pop Art américain. Il a transformé des images de la culture de masse en œuvres d'art, brouillant la frontière entre art et commerce.

British artist born in 1974, Banksy is a graffiti artist and political activist known for his satirical and subversive street art. Operating under the cover of anonymity, he uses urban art to criticize society, war, and social injustices.

Mexican painter (1907–1954), renowned for her expressionist self-portraits and works exploring physical pain and identity. An iconic figure of surrealism and feminism, she transformed her personal suffering into major artistic creation.

Gérard Depardieu est l'un des acteurs français les plus célèbres et prolifiques, avec plus de 200 films à son actif. Né en 1948 à Châteauroux, il s'impose dès les années 1970 comme une figure majeure du cinéma français et international.

Jean Gabin (1904-1976) est l'un des plus grands acteurs français du XXe siècle. Révélé dans les années 1930 par des films comme La Bête humaine et La Grande Illusion, il incarne le mythe de l'homme du peuple, dur mais sensible.

Franco-Swiss architect, urban planner, decorator, painter, sculptor, and writer

Franco-American sculptor

French artist, painter, and sculptor

peintre d'origine polonaise (1898-1980)

créatrice de mode britannique (1941–2022)

African-American jazz singer

French jazz guitarist

Nigerian musician and activist

La Divina, the most celebrated opera soprano of the 20th century

South African jazz singer and political activist

French pedagogue, pianist, organist, choral conductor, orchestral conductor, and composer

American jazz singer, pianist, composer, and civil rights activist for Black people

Egyptian singer and actress

sitariste et compositeur indien

Nigerian musician and activist

Secrétaire général du Parti communiste français de 1972 à 1994, Georges Marchais fut l'une des figures majeures de la gauche française pendant la Guerre froide. Il incarna un communisme orthodoxe, soutenant l'intervention soviétique en Afghanistan en 1980.

French singer, dancer, and revue performer of American origin

South African jazz singer and political activist

American jazz singer, pianist, composer, and civil rights activist for Black people

femme politique guatémaltèque défenseure des droits de l'homme

Nobel de la paix 2004, Mouvement de la Ceinture verte, Kenyane

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) est le chef de file du mouvement Pop Art américain. Il a transformé des images de la culture de masse en œuvres d'art, brouillant la frontière entre art et commerce.

American businesswoman (1906–2004)

Georges Pompidou (1911-1974) est un homme d'État français, Premier ministre sous de Gaulle de 1962 à 1968, puis deuxième président de la Ve République de 1969 jusqu'à sa mort. Ancien professeur de lettres, il a marqué la France par sa politique de modernisation industrielle et son soutien aux arts contemporains.

Gérard Depardieu est l'un des acteurs français les plus célèbres et prolifiques, avec plus de 200 films à son actif. Né en 1948 à Châteauroux, il s'impose dès les années 1970 comme une figure majeure du cinéma français et international.

Jean Gabin (1904-1976) est l'un des plus grands acteurs français du XXe siècle. Révélé dans les années 1930 par des films comme La Bête humaine et La Grande Illusion, il incarne le mythe de l'homme du peuple, dur mais sensible.

American chef and television host

créatrice de mode britannique (1941–2022)

American physician and astronaut

American astronaut (1930-2012), Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Commander of the Apollo 11 mission, he marked a major turning point in space exploration and the Cold War.

cosmonaute et femme politique russe, première femme dans l'espace

Austrian-born American actress, producer, and scientist

American businesswoman (1906–2004)