March 18

Born in Berlin in 1798, he emigrated to the United States in 1827 to pursue legal scholarship. As a professor at Columbia College, he taught political science and civil law. He authored 'Civil Liberty and Self-Government', influencing democratic theory in America. During the Civil War, he drafted the 'Lieber Code', the first comprehensive manual on the laws of armed conflict. His works laid the foundation for modern international humanitarian law. He served as the first U.S. superintendent of military prisons.

Born in 1874 near Moscow, Berdyaev became one of the leading Christian philosophers of the 20th century. After his exile from Soviet Russia, he settled in France where he produced his most influential works. He critiqued Marxism and materialism, emphasizing human freedom and spiritual creativity. His major writings include 'The Origins of Russian Communism' and 'The Meaning of the Creative Act'. Berdyaev's legacy endures in modern discussions of personalist and existential thought.

Manly Palmer Hall was born in 1901 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He became fascinated with mysticism and comparative religion in his youth and moved to the United States in the 1920s. Hall authored over 150 books and essays, the most famous being 'The Secret Teachings of All Ages' (1928). He founded the Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles to promote the study of philosophy, religion, and psychology. Throughout his life, Hall lectured extensively, delivering thousands of lectures worldwide. He passed away in 1990, leaving behind a rich body of esoteric and philosophical literature.