May 12

Born into the junior branch of the House of Bourbon, he became Duke of Orléans in 1752. As Duke, he was a prominent figure at the court of King Louis XV. He supported the arts and commissioned architectural projects on his estates. Under his leadership, the Orléans line remained one of the wealthiest and most influential in France. He died in 1785, leaving a legacy that would influence the French Revolution.

He began his career as a naval aviator during World War I. After the war, he joined the Zeppelin Company and rose to become chief captain of LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin. In 1936, he took command of the Hindenburg on its transatlantic flights. He witnessed the rise of civilian airship travel and authored works on dirigible technology. In 1937, he tragically died while attempting to assist passengers during the Hindenburg disaster. His pioneering flights marked a significant chapter in early aviation history.

Born in Wisconsin in 1897, Earle Nelson became one of America's earliest modern serial killers. During the mid-1920s, he traveled across multiple states, targeting vulnerable victims in both urban and rural areas. He confessed to dozens of murders, prompting a nationwide manhunt that tested law enforcement cooperation. His clandestine methods and brutal violence dominated headlines and raised public awareness of serial crime. Arrested in Canada in 1927, he was extradited to California and tried for multiple homicides. Convicted and sentenced to death, he was executed at San Quentin in 1928, leaving a grim legacy that influenced criminal profiling in the United States.

Born in Waco, Texas in 1914, Howard K. Smith began as a radio correspondent for Mutual during World War II, reporting from the front lines in Europe. He joined CBS News and gained acclaim for his insightful dispatches on the Allied advance and postwar reconstruction. Smith later co-anchored the CBS Evening News and moved to ABC, where he anchored landmark coverage of the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War. Known for his calm demeanor and probing interviews, he became a trusted voice in American households. Beyond journalism, he made occasional film and television appearances, demonstrating his on-screen presence. Smith authored several books on media and politics, reflecting on changes in broadcast journalism. His career spanned five decades, shaping the evolution of modern news until his retirement in the late 1970s.

Julius Rosenberg (1918–1953) was an American engineer who, along with his wife Ethel, was convicted of passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union. A member of the Communist Party, he became one of the most controversial figures of the Cold War. Rosenberg maintained his innocence during a high-profile trial in 1951 and was sentenced to death. Despite appeals and widespread protests, he was executed by electric chair in 1953. His case sparked debates over government secrecy, anti-communism, and justice. The Rosenbergs' conviction and execution remain central to discussions of Cold War America. Scholars continue to explore the evidence and political climate surrounding his case.

Tom Snyder revolutionized late-night television with "The Tomorrow Show" on NBC. He was known for his off-the-cuff, in-depth conversations with celebrities and newsmakers. In 1995, Snyder returned to late-night with CBS’s "The Late Late Show," showcasing his conversational style. His ability to connect with guests earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated audience. Snyder’s career spanned over four decades, making him a respected figure in broadcast journalism.

Michael Ignatieff was born in 1947 in Toronto, Canada. He earned degrees from the University of Toronto, Harvard, and Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. Ignatieff built a reputation as an academic and public intellectual, writing books on nationalism, human rights, and Canadian politics. He became editor-at-large for the New York Times Magazine before entering Canadian politics. Elected to Parliament in 2006, he led the Liberal Party from 2008 to 2011 and served as Leader of the Opposition. Following the party's defeat in 2011 he returned to academia, teaching at Harvard and other institutions while continuing to write on global affairs.

Desmond Daniel Amofah (1990–2019), better known as Etika, was an American YouTuber and live streamer. He gained fame through energetic reactions and playthroughs of Nintendo games. His “JoyCon Boyz” community became one of the most engaged fanbases in gaming content creation. Etika was open about his struggles with mental health, advocating for awareness online. His sudden death in 2019 sparked important conversations about mental health support among creators. Despite his short career, he influenced a generation of streamers with his charisma and authenticity.