John Ericsson, inventor
July 31, 1803-March 8, 1889
Thank You Very Much, Captain Ericsson by Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge, illustrated by Andrew Glass (Holiday House, 2004)
Ericsson’s inventions centered on the sea. Read about his life and passion for ships in this biography.
Invent.org offers a Hall of Fame Inventor Profile of Ericsson.
Flo Hyman, athlete
July 31, 1954-January 24, 1986
Lives of the Athletes: Thrill, Spills (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1997)
Hyman was an African-American volleyball player and Olympic medalist who also played professional ball in Japan.
The African American National Biography, hosted by Harvard.edu offers a biography of Hyman online.
Emily Bronte, writer
July 30, 1818-December 19,1848
Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1994)
An English writer with two famous sisters who also wrote, Bronte authored Wuthering Heights.
Emily Bronte: An Overview is offered on The Victoria Web: Literature, History & Culture in the age of Victoria.
Patricia Schroeder, politician
July 30, 1940-
Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World by Cynthia Chin-Lee, illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy (Charlesbridge, 2005)
Schroeder was a member of the House of Representatives for 24 years and is known for many “firsts.” She is currently the President of the Association of American Publishers.
Kids in the House, a U.S. government site educates visitors about Congress and how laws are made.
Beatrix Potter, artist
July 28, 1866-December 22, 1943
Beatrix by Alexander Wallner (Holiday House, 1995)
Beloved English author and illustrator, Potter’s life is captured on the page in this tribute to her.
The Beatrix Potter Society was “founded in 1980 by a group of people professionally involved in the curatorship of Beatrix Potter material.” Click here and read about Some Places to Visit (with links) to Potter materials and memories.
Marcel Duchamp, artist
July 28, 1887-October 2, 1968
Lives of the Artists: Masterpieces, Messes (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt, 1995)
A French-American modern artist, Duchamp had dust two inches thick in his NY apt—on purpose.
Visit MoMA.org (The Museum of Modern Art) and peruse images of Duchamp’s work from their collection.
Amelia Earhart, aviator
July 24, 1897-July 2, 1937 (missing)
Sky Pioneer: A Photobiography of Amelia Earhart by Corinne Szabo (National Geographic Children’s Books, reprint, 2007)
What happened to Earhart and her plane? Though the answer remains a mystery, this book takes readers on a journey of what is known about her.
Tour the Official Site of Amelia Earhart to learn more about her life, achievements and disappearance.
Simon Bolivar, political leader
July 24, 1783-December 17, 1830
A Picture Book of Simon Bolivar by David A. Adler, illustrated by Robert Casilla (Holiday House, 1992)
Bolivar had an impressive resume: President of Greater Colombia, President of Bolivia, President of Peru, and President of Venezuela. Read about his life and politics in this simple biography.
An article about Bolivar’s involvement in Haiti is available on TheLouvertureProject.org site.
Sir Edmund Hillary, explorer
July 20, 1919-
Triumph on Everest: A Photobiography of Sir Edmund Hillary by Broughton Coburn (National Geographic Children’s Books, reprint, 2003)
With Sherpa Norgay, Hillary climbed the highest mountain in the world. See the pictures. Read the words.
Photos of Hillary, facts about Everest, other world famous mountains, and info about the famous climb can be found at the Scholastic Teachers site.
