Considered instrumental in the development of ragtime and jazz, Scott Joplin’s contributions to American music brought upbeat rhythms and memorable piano compositions. He was posthumously awarded a special Bicentennial Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for his contributions to American music.

In 1933, Wiley Post became the first man to fly around the world solo. He accomplished the feat in 7 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes. Post would also design a pressurized suit allowing him to fly his Lockheed Vega into the stratosphere. In 1935, his plane would crash in Alaska killing Post and his longtime friend, Will Rogers.

During World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower led Allied forces in Western Europe. He then served two terms as president during a relatively peaceful and prosperous era in the United States.

Bessie Coleman was restricted from learning to fly because of the color of her skin. To become the first African-American woman to earn her pilots license, Coleman learned French and moved to France. In 1922, she gained her license and began a career barnstorming and stunt flying.

Howard Hughes became known for his aviation, manufacturing, movie production and investments. His success led to massive wealth and celebrity. While always eccentric, later in his life, Hughes became reclusive, never allowing anyone to see him.

Caro Crawford Brown’s investigative reporting is credited with helping to end boss rule controlled by Archer Parr in Duval County and surrounding counties in Texas. In 1955, Caro earned a Pulitzer Prize for local reporting.

Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as president after the assignation of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Johnson’s administration pursued completion of the Civil Rights Act, declared “War on Poverty” and created the Medicare and Medicaid programs. U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War steadily increased under Johnsons watch.

In 1968, Denton Cooley performed the first successful U.S. human heart transplant. Cooley also implanted the first artificial heart into a human.

Otis Boykin’s interest in resistors helped to advance electronic components in many fields. His advancements found demands in both consumer and military applications. Boykin’s greatest innovation was the control unit for the pacemaker.

In 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman Chief Justice on the Supreme Court. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan, O’Connor received unanimous approval.

Willie Nelson’s music spans more than five decades. From Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain and Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys to well-received acting performances, Nelson had a reputation as an outlaw country musician while raising money for Farm Aid and other charitable causes.

Author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry’s works have been adapted to film. His gritty westerns weave lore, legend and history into vivid landscapes and colorful characters.