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.
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.
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.
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.
Beatrix Potter, artist and writer
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.