Born on December 12

John Jay (1745-1829) was an American statesman, diplomat, and jurist, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A co-author of the Federalist Papers, he was the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

French Malouin privateer, shipowner and slave trader (1773-1827). Nicknamed the “King of Corsairs,” he led feared campaigns against British maritime trade in the Indian Ocean during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, before becoming a wealthy shipowner in Saint-Malo.

Hungarian-American biophysicist and inventor (1900-1995), nicknamed the “Queen of the Sun.” A pioneer of solar energy, she designed the first solar heating system for a home and a solar distiller used by the US Navy.

Yasujirō Ozu (1903-1963) was a Japanese filmmaker, one of the greatest masters of world cinema. His intimate films delicately portray the Japanese family and the passage of time, in a spare, contemplative style.

Chingiz Aitmatov (1928-2008) was a Kyrgyz writer who wrote in both Kyrgyz and Russian, a major figure of Soviet literature. His novels blend realism, ancestral legends, and social criticism, celebrating the nomadic culture of Central Asia.

Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese American jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader born in 1929. The first Japanese student at the Berklee College of Music, she has led a celebrated big band since 1973, blending American jazz with elements of traditional Japanese music.