Historical figures in New York City
The atlas holds 76 people and 219 moments here, from 1776 to 2023. The most recorded lives are Jorge Luis Borges, Sarah Bernhardt and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Among them Writers, Political Leaders and Performers, across the Space Age and the Cold War.
Notable people
Jorge Luis Borges
from 1971 to 1979
3 moments here
Argentine writer, poet, essayist, translator, lecturer, librarian, and critic. Borges was born in Buenos Aires, lived in Switzerland and Spain during…
Sarah Bernhardt
from 1880 to 1910
3 moments here
French stage and early film actress, born Henriette-Rosine Bernard in Paris. Bernhardt became an international theatrical star through performances…
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
in 1891
3 moments here
Russian Romantic composer whose career ranged from civil-service work and conservatory teaching in Saint Petersburg and Moscow to international…
Theodore Roosevelt
from 1858 to 1895
3 moments here
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (1858–1919) was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909.…
Dwight D. Eisenhower
from 1948 to 1960
3 moments here
Dwight D. Eisenhower was a United States Army officer, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II, and the 34th president of the United…
Kofi Annan
from 1983 to 2006
3 moments here
Ghanaian diplomat and statesman who served as Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.…
Freddie Mercury
from 1977 to 1982
3 moments here
Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara) was a British singer, songwriter, pianist, and lead vocalist of Queen.…
Indira Gandhi
from 1968 to 1983
3 moments here
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi was an Indian stateswoman who served as prime minister from 1966 to 1977 and from 1980 until her assassination in 1984.…
Benazir Bhutto
from 1971 to 2002
3 moments here
Pakistani political leader who served twice as prime minister, from 1988 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1996.…
Golda Meir
from 1921 to 1960
3 moments here
Golda Meir was an Israeli political leader who served as Israel’s prime minister from 1969 to 1974.…
Tupac Shakur
from 1971 to 1995
3 moments here
American rapper, actor, poet, and political activist, also known as 2Pac and Makaveli. His documented life included childhood in New York City and…
Kurt Cobain
from 1992 to 1993
3 moments here
American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and founding member of Nirvana. This chronology maps documented residences, recording sessions, performances,…
Ebrahim Raisi
from 2022 to 2023
3 moments here
Iranian cleric, judicial official, and politician who served as president of Iran from 2021 until his death in a helicopter crash in 2024.…
Ronald Reagan
from 1944 to 1979
2 moments here
American broadcaster, actor, labor leader, governor of California, and 40th president of the United States.…
Abraham Lincoln
from 1860 to 1861
2 moments here
American lawyer, Illinois legislator, congressman, and sixteenth president of the United States.…
Elizabeth II
from 1957 to 2010
2 moments here
Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death.…
Sigmund Freud
in 1909
2 moments here
Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis. This chronology traces documented locations from his Moravian birthplace and Viennese education…
Steve Jobs
from 1998 to 1999
2 moments here
Steven Paul Jobs was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and executive who co-founded Apple, founded NeXT, and led Pixar.…
Che Guevara
in 1964
2 moments here
Ernesto "Che" Guevara (1928–1967) was an Argentine physician, Marxist revolutionary, Cuban government official, diplomat, and guerrilla commander.…
Edgar Allan Poe
from 1831 to 1846
2 moments here
American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic whose work helped shape Gothic fiction, detective fiction, and early science fiction.…
Oscar Wilde
from 1882 to 1883
2 moments here
Irish author, poet, playwright, critic, and leading figure in late nineteenth-century aestheticism.…
Hugo Chávez
from 1999 to 2006
2 moments here
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías was a Venezuelan army officer and politician who led the failed February 1992 coup attempt, became president of Venezuela in…
Shinzo Abe
from 2013 to 2015
2 moments here
Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2020.…
Heath Ledger
from 2005 to 2008
2 moments here
Australian actor and music-video director whose career began in Australian television, expanded internationally after his 1998 move to the United…
Moments
- 1895 First visit to New York Winston Churchill
- 1898 Radio-controlled boat demonstration Nikola Tesla
- 1900 Waldorf-Astoria residence Nikola Tesla
- 1900 Returns to the United States Mark Twain
- 1901 Final North American lecture at Carnegie Hall Winston Churchill
- 1904 Studies at Columbia Law School Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1904 Lives at 14 West 10th Street Mark Twain
- 1905 Celebrates seventieth birthday at Delmonico's Mark Twain
- 1905 Marries Eleanor Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1906 Broadway office Nikola Tesla
- 1909 Arrives in New York Harbor Sigmund Freud
- 1909 Tours New York City Sigmund Freud
- 1910 Metropolitan Life Tower offices Nikola Tesla
- 1910 Judas at the Globe Theater Sarah Bernhardt
- 1912 New York City letter Ho Chi Minh
- 1915 Peace Ship press conference Henry Ford
- 1915 Departure on the Peace Ship Henry Ford
- 1916 Peace speech in New York Helen Keller
- 1916 Return from the Peace Ship mission Henry Ford
- 1917 Move to Forest Hills Helen Keller
- 1918 Campaigns for Liberty Bonds in New York Charlie Chaplin
- 1921 Departure for Palestine Golda Meir
- 1921 Arrives in New York Albert Einstein
- 1921 Gives first American lecture at Columbia Albert Einstein
- 1921 Arrives in New York Harbor Marie Curie
- 1921 Honored at the American Museum of Natural History Marie Curie
- 1921 Welcomed at Carnegie Hall Marie Curie
- 1921 Receives Columbia honorary doctorate Marie Curie
- 1921 Admitted to Presbyterian Hospital Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1921 Returns to East 65th Street home Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1922 St. Regis Hotel residence Nikola Tesla
- 1922 Returns to Equitable Building office Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1924 Educational-reform lecture at Columbia Gabriela Mistral
- 1924 Returns publicly at Democratic convention Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- 1927 Relocated to Riverdale John F. Kennedy
- 1928 Oswald negotiation trip Walt Disney
- 1930 Courses and lectures at Barnard Gabriela Mistral
- 1930 Attends Madison Square Garden Hanukkah celebration Albert Einstein
- 1930 Attends Metropolitan Opera Albert Einstein
- 1930 Returns to New York Albert Einstein
- 1930 Tours Riverside Church Albert Einstein
- 1931 Museum of Modern Art visit Frida Kahlo
- 1931 Attends New York City Lights premiere Charlie Chaplin
- 1931 Departs New York on longest journey Charlie Chaplin
- 1931 World Conference on Work for the Blind Helen Keller
- 1933 Return to New York for Rockefeller Center work Frida Kahlo
- 1934 Hotel New Yorker residence Nikola Tesla
- 1934 Makes first New York visit Salvador Dalí
- 1937 Order of the White Lion ceremony Nikola Tesla
- 1938 First solo exhibition in New York Frida Kahlo