Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (1837-1921) was the first African American to become governor of a state. Although he was not elected by popular vote, P. B. S. Pinchback advanced to the governor's office in Louisiana when political turmo...

Peter Fredrick Strawson (born 1919) was regarded as one of the most prominent philosophers of the 20th century. He was especially active in the movement known as ordinary language philosophy. Sir Peter Fredrick Strawson was born November 2...

Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-1891), America's greatest showman of the 19th century, instructed and amused a nation with his museum and later his circus. Speaking of his youth, P. T. Barnum said, "I was always ready to concoct fun, or lay pl...

Paavo Nurmi (1897-1973) was one of the greatest distance runners of all time. Known as "The Flying Finn" and "The King of Runners," he dominated long-distance running throughout the early part of the twentieth century, setting 25 world rec...

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was perhaps the greatest Spanish poet of the 20th century. The poet known as Pablo Neruda was named Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto at his birth in 1904. He signed his work "Pablo Neruda" (although he did not...

The Austro-German painter and wood carver Michael Pacher (ca. 1435-1498) amalgamated north Italian perspective and northern realism to produce a uniquely personal style of painting. Born in a town near the Austro-Italian border, Michael Pa...

The Irish-American author Padraic Colum (1881-1972), best known for his poetry and plays, was active in the Irish Literary Revival. Padraic Colum was born in County Longford and as a youth met many who had lived through the Great Famine, w...

Pamela Harriman (1920-1997) enjoyed the acquaintance of a number of world leaders and international men of wealth and influence. At various times married to the son of Winston Churchill, to a Hollywood and Broadway producer, and to a forme...

The Italian prelate and statesman Paolo Sarpi (1552-1623) was one of the greatest historians of early modern Europe and a founder of the modern historical method. Paolo Sarpi was born in Venice, the son of a merchant. His early education w...

The Italian painter Paolo Veronese (1528-1588) was one of the greatest Venetian artists. His work is rich in invention and decorative splendor and excels in the depiction of festive and heroic scenes. Paolo Veronese, whose real name was Pa...

Yogananda (1893-1952) was an Indian yogi who came to the United States in 1920 to spend over 30 years working with Americans interested in the practice of yoga or God-realization. Yogananda was born Mukunda Lal Ghose in 1893 in Gorakhpur, ...

Chung Hee Park (1917-1979) was a soldier, revolutionary leader, and president of South Korea from 1963 to 1979. He led the military coup of May 16, 1961, which toppled the Korean Second Republic and President Syngman Rhee. Pak Chông-...

The American physician and public health official William Hallock Park (1863-1939) was the first to systematically apply bacteriology to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of the common infectious diseases. William Hallock Park was b...

The Italian painter Parmigianino (1503-1540) was a pioneer of the mannerist style, within which his work shows an essentially decorative emphasis and accomplished smoothness. The real name of Parmigianino a nickname meaning "little man fro...

Vesna Parun is indisputably the grande dame of Croatian poetry. She, like other poets of the postwar period, was influenced by the outstanding figure of the prewar era, Tin Ujevic, who stands at the threshold of pre- and postwar Croatian l...

American newspaper editorial cartoonist Patrick Bruce Oliphant (born 1935) was a native of Australia, but came to the United States in 1964 because he saw more opportunity to develop his craft. Using his skill of caricature and satire, he ...

Sylvester "Pat" Weaver (born 1908) was responsible for some of the most innovative and entertaining programming on both radio and television. He saw radio through its infancy and then moved on to television. Weaver was the creative force b...

Patrice Emery Lumumba (1925-1961) was the first prime minister of the Republic of the Congo. His fame rests on the manner of his death and on the symbolic character of his short public life. Patrice Lumumba was born on July 2, 1925, at Ona...

Patricia Neal (born 1926) is almost as well known for the events of her own life as she is for her career on stage and screen. In 1963, after winning her first Academy Award for Best Actress, Neal suffered three massive strokes. Her strugg...

Patricia Scott Schroeder (born 1940) served as the first U.S. congresswoman from Colorado beginning in 1973. She was outspoken about what she considered wasteful spending by the Defense Department and championed women's and children's issu...

The British physicist Patrick M. S. Blackett (1897-1974) used a modified Wilson cloud chamber to obtain the first photographs of the tracks left by the particles involved in a nuclear disintegration as well as those produced by showers of ...

The Scottish sociologist, biologist, educator, and town planner Sir Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) is famous for his concepts and achievements in town planning. Patrick Geddes, born in Ballater on Oct. 2, 1854, was brought up near Perth. Throu...

Patrick Henry (1736-1799), American orator and revolutionary, was a leader in Virginia politics for 30 years and a supremely eloquent voice during the American Revolution. Patrick Henry was born into a family of lesser gentry in Hanover Co...

The Irish poet, educator, and revolutionary nationalist Patrick Henry Pearse (1879-1916) was a leader of the Easter Rising of 1916 against the British. Patrick H. Pearse was born in Dublin on Nov. 10, 1879, the son of an English father and...

British obstetrician and gynecologist Patrick Steptoe (1913-1988), gained international acclaim when years of hard work resulted in the birth of the world's first "test tube baby." He and colleague, Robert Edwards, delivered a healthy baby...