Born on November 18

French physician, naturalist, and explorer (1727–1773), Commerson took part in Bougainville's circumnavigation (1766–1769) as the official botanist. He described thousands of plant and animal species unknown to Europe, including the bougainvillea, which he named in honour of his expedition commander.

Howard Thurman (1899-1981) was an African American theologian, pastor, and author. A thinker of the Black Church and of nonviolence, he profoundly influenced the leaders of the American civil rights movement, including Martin Luther King Jr.

Alfred Nakache (1915-1983) was a French swimmer and water polo player, nicknamed “the swimmer of Auschwitz.” The 1941 world record holder in the 200 m breaststroke, he was deported to Auschwitz in 1944, where he survived, before returning to competition and taking part in the 1948 Olympic Games.

Alan Shepard was the first American to travel in space, on May 5, 1961, during the suborbital flight of Freedom 7. A Navy pilot turned NASA astronaut, he also walked on the Moon in 1971 during the Apollo 14 mission.

Sheila Jordan, born in 1928 in Detroit, is an American jazz singer. Shaped by bebop and the music of Charlie Parker, she is celebrated for her inventive phrasing and for having popularized the voice-and-double-bass duo.

American lawyer and activist, founder of Girls Who Code in 2012, an organization aimed at closing the gender gap in technology careers. She also ran for the U.S. Congress and advocates for women's inclusion in tech.