Nelson Mandela (July 18, 1918 – December 5, 2013)
- Brief biography: South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and political leader.
- Key achievements: First black president of South Africa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- Historical context: Apartheid in South Africa, global anti-apartheid movement.
- Impact: Instrumental in dismantling apartheid and promoting reconciliation.
- Notable quote: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
- Legacy: Symbol of resistance, reconciliation, and social justice.
Frida Kahlo (July 6, 1907 – July 13, 1954)
- Brief biography: Mexican artist known for her self-portraits and works inspired by nature and Mexican culture.
- Key achievements: Pioneered surrealist and naive art styles.
- Historical context: Post-revolutionary Mexico, modernist art movement.
- Impact: Challenged beauty standards and gender norms through art.
- Notable work: “The Two Fridas.”
- Legacy: Icon of female empowerment and Mexican indigenous culture.
Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961)
- Brief biography: American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist.
- Key achievements: Nobel Prize in Literature, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
- Historical context: Lost Generation, modernist literature.
- Impact: Influenced 20th-century fiction with his economical and understated style.
- Notable work: “The Old Man and the Sea,” “A Farewell to Arms.”
- Legacy: His writing style continues to influence literature and journalism.
Nikola Tesla (July 10, 1856 – January 7, 1943)
- Brief biography: Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, and futurist.
- Key achievements: Developed the alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.
- Historical context: Second Industrial Revolution.
- Impact: Contributions to the design of the modern electricity supply system.
- Notable work: Tesla coil, contributions to the development of radio.
- Legacy: Continues to inspire scientists and engineers, namesake of Tesla, Inc.
Malala Yousafzai (July 12, 1997 – present)
- Brief biography: Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate.
- Key achievements: Nobel Peace Prize, UN Messenger of Peace.
- Historical context: Taliban occupation of Swat Valley, global focus on girls’ education.
- Impact: Global advocate for human rights and education.
- Notable quote: “One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.”
- Legacy: Symbol of resistance to extremism and advocate for girls’ education worldwide.