German Federal Archives / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA-3.0 / GFDL
Ferdinand Porsche
(Inventor/Engineer)
3 September 1875 – 30 January 1951 (Aged 75)
Ferdinand Porsche was an engineer best known for developing the first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle, the Volkswagen Beetle, as well as founding the Porsche car company in 1931.
Porsche was a member of the Nazi party, and was an influential contributor to their World War II efforts, playing a key role in the production of tanks and weapons systems.
Following the end of the war, Porsche was arrested and imprisoned for nearly two years by French authorities.
Porsche died from a stroke a few years later, at the age of 75.
In December 1999, he was named as the Car Engineer of the Century.
W.K. Kellogg
(Entrepreneur/Philanthropist)
7 April 1860 – 6 October 1951 (Aged 91)
Kellogg was the founder of the Kellogg company, renowned for producing breakfast cereals.
He was also a renowned philanthropist, going on to found the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, which supports wide-ranging projects from child welfare to education, to healthcare, and Native American projects.
Kellogg had a longtime interest in Arabian horses, owning a ranch in California before donating the 750-acre ranch to the University of California. It is now home to the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Kellogg died of heart failure at the age of 91.
William Randolph Hearst
(Publisher)
29 April 1863 – 14 August 1951 (Aged 88)
Hearst was a renowned and influential newspaper publisher, who built America’s largest newspaper chain.
His methods of ‘yellow journalism’, which emphasized sensationalism and human interest stories, became hugely successful.
His powerful media company’s influence waned following the Great Depression.
Hearst’s life was the inspiration for the main character in Orson Welles’ classic film, Citizen Kane.
He was also twice elected as a Democrat in the House of Representatives, before failing in a bid to become President of the United States in 1904.
Oscar Micheaux
(Filmmaker)
2 January 1884 – 25 March 1951 (Aged 67)
Micheaux was a trailblazing American filmmaker, who is seen as the first major African-American filmmaker.
He was the most successful African-American filmmaker up until the time of his death.
Micheaux produced both silent films and sound films when the industry began using speaking actors.
He died of heart failure at the age of 67.
