Alexander Hamilton was born in the Caribbean in 1755 and would move to New York in 1772, just in time to play a pivotal role in America’s push for independence. His valor and strategy on the battlefield elevated him to political office before an affair cost him everything.

Billie Holiday, born in 1915, was a singer who rose from poverty and prostitution to become one of the most iconic and highest-paid jazz musicians of the 20th century.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 Germany and raised to be a musician by his father and teachers including Haydn. His eventual deafness forced his later compositions to be created from musical memory, unable to physically hear the notes.

Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was imprisoned at 21 for larceny and soon introduced to Islam where his violent views for achieving racial equality would form the basis for his eventual assassination.

Nikola Tesla was a brilliant inventor who contributed to early radio technology, alternating current, X-rays and more. Despite receiving royalties from Westinghouse, Tesla would die near penniless and plagued by mental illness.

Johann Sebastian Bach was born into a family of musicians, but after suffering the death of both parents, Bach was taken in by his organist brother, where Bach would hone his skills as a musician and composer.

Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at 19 months of age, but despite these handicaps, learned to read and write, eventually graduating from Harvard and authoring fourteen books.