May 11

Born in 1875 in Arcadia, Michigan, Harriet Quimby was the first American woman to earn a pilot's license in 1911. She made headlines the same year by becoming the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel in a Blériot monoplane. Quimby also broke into the film industry as a screenwriter, contributing scripts to early silent films such as The Mysterious Beauty. Known for her daring spirit, she promoted aviation among women and wrote articles to encourage female pilots. Tragically, her life was cut short in 1912 when her plane unexpectedly pitched forward and crashed during an aviation meet in Boston Harbor. Quimby's achievements paved the way for future generations of women in aviation, and she remains a symbol of courage and advancement.

Born in Czernowitz (then Austria-Hungary) in 1901, Rose Ausländer wrote in German and English throughout her life. She fled the rise of Nazism to the United States in 1938, only to return to Europe after World War II. Her poetry collections, including 'Axes of Light' and 'Winter Sun', reflect themes of displacement, survival, and hope. Ausländer’s lyrical voice captures the haunting beauty of memory and nature, earning her numerous literary awards. Her work remains a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of upheaval.

Saadat Hasan Manto was a prolific writer whose sharp and unflinching short stories highlighted the human cost of the India-Pakistan Partition. His works like 'Toba Tek Singh' and 'Khol Do' remain powerful examinations of communal violence and madness. Manto wrote for films in Bombay before moving to Pakistan after independence in 1947. Despite facing obscenity trials due to his frank content, he continued to write candid fiction until his death in 1955. Manto's legacy endures as a bold literary voice that challenged social taboos and censorship.

Camilo José Cela was a Spanish writer celebrated for his vivid narratives and groundbreaking prose style. His debut novel 'The Family of Pascual Duarte' (1942) is a cornerstone of post–Civil War Spanish literature. In 1989, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature for his rich and intensive prose, deep insight, and artistic generosity. Beyond his literary career, Cela served in the Spanish Senate, influencing cultural policy. He authored countless essays, travel books, and stories, leaving an enduring mark on 20th-century letters.