Born on March 17

Queen consort and later regent of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Kaʻahumanu was the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I. In 1819, she abolished the system of religious taboos (kapu) and played a key role in introducing Christianity to Hawaii.

American trapper, guide, and explorer, an iconic figure among the “mountain men” of the Rockies. In 1824, he was one of the first Anglo-Americans to reach the Great Salt Lake. He founded Fort Bridger, a key way station on the western trails.

African-American civil rights activist, advisor to Martin Luther King and chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington. A pacifist and advocate of nonviolence, he was also a pioneering figure in the gay rights movement.

A principal dancer and choreographer of Soviet origin, Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993) was one of the greatest classical dancers of the 20th century. After defecting to the West in 1961, he revolutionized the role of the male dancer and directed the Paris Opera Ballet.

British sailor born in 1939, the first person to complete a solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe under sail (1968–1969), aboard his ketch Suhaili. In doing so he won the Golden Globe Race, ushering in the era of the great solo ocean races.

Alexander McQueen (1969–2010) was a revolutionary British fashion designer and founder of his eponymous house. Trained on Savile Row and at Central Saint Martins, he is known for his provocative collections blending beauty and darkness.