Leading Figures in History

Discover the people who shaped our world — from rulers and scientists to artists and activists.

62247 persons found

Lester Allan Pelton

b. 1829

American mechanical engineer

Lester B. Pearson

b. 1897

Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968

Lester Bangs

American music critic (1948–1982)

Lester Bowie

b. 1941

American jazz trumpeter and composer (1941–1999)

Lester del Rey

b. 1915

American science fiction author (1915–1993)

Lester Dent

b. 1904

American writer

Lester Flatt

American singer-songwriter (1914–1979)

Lester Lanin

Musical artist

Lester Maddox

American politician from Georgia (1915–2003)

Lester Patrick

Canadian ice hockey player and coach (1883–1960)

Lester Piggott

b. 1935

British jockey (1935–2022)

Lester Quitzau

b. 1964

Canadian folk and blue guitarist (born 1964)

Lester Rodney

b. 1911

American journalist

Lester Roloff

American Baptist preacher (1914–1982)

Lester Sumrall

American evangelist (1913–1996)

Lester Young

b. 1909

American jazz saxophonist (1909–1959)

Leszek Błażyński

Polish boxer (1949–1992)

Leszek Cichy

b. 1951

Polish mountaineer (born 1951)

Leszek II the Black

High Duke of Poland from 1279 to 1288

Leszek Kołakowski

Polish philosopher and historian of ideas (1927–2009)

Leszek Miller

b. 1946

49th Prime Minister of Poland from 2001 to 2004

Leticia Dolera

b. 1981

Spanish actress

Leticia Ramos-Shahani

b. 1929

Filipina politician and diplomat

Letitia Baldrige

American public relations executive, etiquette expert, and Kennedy staffer (1926–2012)