1

Josephine Baker

Image: Richie Lugo

Josephine Baker was the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture , the 1927 French silent film Siren of the Tropics . During her early career, Baker was among the most celebrated performers to headline the revues of the Folies Bergère in Paris. Her performance in the 1927 revue Un vent de Folie caused a sensation in the city. Her costume, consisting only of a short skirt made of artificial bananas and a beaded necklace, became an iconic image and a symbol both of the Jazz Age and the Roaring Twenties.

Baker was celebrated by artists and intellectuals of the era, who variously dubbed her the "Black Venus," the "Black Pearl," the "Bronze Venus," and the "Creole Goddess." She aided the French Resistance during World War II, and after the war, she was awarded the Resistance Medal by the French Committee of National Liberation, the Croix de Guerre by the French military, and was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by General Charles de Gaulle.

2

Rudy Vallée

Image: Matt Botsford

Rudy Vallée was the first male singer to rise from local radio broadcasts in New York City to national popularity as a "crooner." He had a thin, wavering tenor voice and seemed more at home singing sweet ballads than jazz songs. But his singing, saxophone playing, and the innovative arrangements he wrote for his band attracted the attention of a rapidly increasing number of listeners, especially young women.

Singers needed strong voices to fill theaters in the days before microphones. Crooners had soft voices that were suited to the intimacy of radio; the microphones, in this case, promoted direct access to "a vulnerable and sensuous interior," or, in other words, "a conjured intimacy." Vallée was one of the first celebrity radio vocalists.

3

Bobby Darin

Image: Jack Sharp

Bobby Darin was an American teen idol and, later, an adult crooner who, in 1958, co-wrote and recorded his first million-selling single, "Splish Splash," followed by "Dream Lover" and his covers of "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea," which brought him worldwide fame.

In the early 1970s, his health was beginning to fail due to a weak heart. The knowledge of Darin's vulnerability had always spurred him on to use his musical talent while still young. Darin died in 1973 at the age of 37 in a hospital recovery room after having open-heart surgery in Los Angeles.

4

Keely Smith

Image: Harry Shelton

American jazz and popular music singer Keely Smith performed and recorded extensively in the 1950s with her then-husband Louis Prima , and throughout the 1960s as a solo artist. The couple were stars in the entertainment business, including stage, television, motion pictures, hit records, and cabaret acts.

They won a Grammy in 1959, its inaugural year, for their smash hit, "That Old Black Magic," which remained on the charts for 18 weeks.

5

The Ink Spots

Image: Jorge Flores

The first band on the list, the Ink Spots was an American vocal pop group who gained international fame in the 1930s and 1940s due to their unique musical style, which predated rhythm and blues and doo-wop .

On January 12, 1939, the Ink Spots recorded "If I Didn't Care," one of their biggest hits, selling over 19 million copies and becoming the 8th-best-selling single of all time. Since they disbanded in 1954, there have been well over a hundred vocal groups calling themselves "The Ink Spots," with and without any original members of the group.

6

Ella Fitzgerald

Image: zachrie friesen

A frequent collaborator of the Ink Spots, Ella Fitzgerald was a singer, songwriter, and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song," the "Queen of Jazz," and "Lady Ella." She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, intonation, absolute pitch, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing.

Outside her solo career, she recorded music with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and the aforementioned Ink Spots. These partnerships produced songs such as "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "Cheek to Cheek," "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall," and "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)."

7

Bing Crosby

Image: Alexander Wark Feeney

A one-man orchestra, Bing Crosby was a singer, actor, television producer, radio personality, and businessman. The first multimedia star , he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide.

In 1948, American polls declared him the "most admired man alive," ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII. That same year, Music Digest estimated that Crosby's recordings filled more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours allocated to recorded radio music in America.

Crosby is one of 33 people to have three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , in the categories of motion pictures, radio, and audio recording.

8

Perry Como

Image: Oscar Sutton

Perry Como was an American singer, actor, and television personality who sold over 100 million records worldwide and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show. His weekly television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast around the world. He recorded primarily vocal pop and was renowned for his recordings in the intimate, easy-listening genre pioneered by our newly acquainted friend, Bing Crosby.

In the official RCA Records memorial in Billboard magazine, his life was summed up in these few words: "50 years of music and a life well lived. An example to all."

9

Nina Simone

Image: Artem Bryzgalov

A bigger-than-life figure, Nina Simone was a singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger, and civil rights activist whose piano playing was strongly influenced by baroque and classical music, and accompanied by expressive, jazz-like singing in her contralto voice .

Early in her career, Simone played piano at a nightclub in Atlantic City, where she was told that she would have to sing to her accompaniment. This effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist. Simone also became known for her work in the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s, and she later fled the United States and settled in France following the assassination of her friend Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

10

Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

Image: Music HQ

The closer of this list is one of the most colorful characters in American music. "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins was a singer-songwriter, musician, actor, film producer, and boxer, best known for his powerful, shouting vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances with macabre props onstage, making him an early pioneer of shock rock.

Screamin’ Jay’s most successful recording, "I Put a Spell on You," was created when the entire band was intoxicated during a recording session where "Hawkins screamed, grunted, and gurgled his way through the tune with utter drunken abandon." The resulting performance became his greatest commercial success and reportedly surpassed a million copies in sales.

1

Elvis Presley

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Yes, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, who revolutionized music with hits like "Hound Dog," was drafted into the U.S. Army. Presley was offered to serve in the Special Services entertaining troops but chose to serve as a regular soldier.

The most well-known name in entertainment at the time, he was stationed in Germany and earned the rank of Sergeant. There, he met his future wife , Priscilla Beaulieu.

2

Morgan Freeman

Image: Harald Müller

Morgan Freeman, the legendary actor revered for his deep, resonant voice and commanding presence, served as a radar technician in the U.S. Air Force before his acting career took off.

There, he harbored dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. Eventually, though, his time in the cockpit revealed that flying was not his true passion.

3

Humphrey Bogart

Image: Tomas Martinez

The iconic star of Casablanca served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He worked as a coxswain aboard the USS Leviathan , transporting troops to Europe.

Some versions attribute his signature lip scar —and, by extension, his unique speech—to an injury during his service, though some claim it was from a brawl or childhood incident.

4

Jimi Hendrix

Image: Aditya Wardhana

Jimi Hendrix is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in history. What’s less known about him is that he served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division back in the 60s.

Even less known is that he enlisted in the Army at age 19 as part of a deal to avoid jail time after being caught joyriding stolen cars. He completed 26 parachute jumps before being honorably discharged a year later due to injuries.

5

Bea Arthur

Image: Ajeet Mestry

Yes, Bea Arthur, one of the beloved Golden Girls , was also a trailblazer as one of the first women to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII.

Her sharp wit and memorable roles like Dorothy Zbornak earned her multiple awards and the hearts of many Americans. But before acting, she had worked as a typist and truck driver for the Marine Corps, eventually reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant.

6

Bob Ross

Image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1662796246357-36ffa59acbca?

Can you believe that the cherished, gentle-voiced host of The Joy of Painting served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years?

Bob Ross, the soothing icon of creativity and positivity who taught millions how to paint in the famous PBS series, was once a Master Sergeant. He worked as a medical records technician stationed in Alaska. It is said that he once vowed never to yell again after retiring.

7

Mr. T

Image: Skitterphoto

Mr. T, born Laurence Tureaud, is recognized for his role in Rocky III and the hit television series The A-Team. Before his rise to fame, though, he was a military police officer in the 1970s.

There, he stood out in basic training, so much so that he was named the top trainee out of 6,000 recruits. An anecdote retells that he was ordered by his sergeant to chop trees down as a punishment. After one hour, he had chopped down 70 trees and was told to stop.

8

Adam Driver

Image: Venti Views

Actor Adam Driver is known for his roles in films like Marriage Story and the Star Wars trilogy . Few know that he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after 2001 and served for nearly three years before being discharged for a mountain biking injury.

Driver served as a mortar in the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. After being discharged, he co-founded Arts in the Armed Forces , a nonprofit that brought art programs to military personnel and families.

9

Chuck Norris

Image: Andrea De Santis

Chuck Norris, the action star legend, was once an Air Policeman in the U.S. Air Force. It was there, in fact, where he first began his training in martial arts.

A pop culture icon for his tough-guy image and humorously exaggerated abilities, he was deployed to an air base in South Korea in the late 50s. There, he earned black belts for multiple disciplines in martial arts , including Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo.

10

Johnny Cash

Image: Markus Spiske

Here's another musician who had a career in the military. Johnny Cash, the legendary country singer, was a radio operator in the U.S. Air Force.

The "Man in Black" was a Morse Code listener intercepting Soviet transmissions in West Germany during the Korean War. Allegedly, it was during this time that he bought his first guitar and began writing songs.

11

Paul Newman

Image: Keanu K

The blue-eyed actor from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid also served as a radioman and gunner during World War II. He trained as a pilot but was reassigned as an operator and rear gunner due to colorblindness.

In fact, he avoided flying in the Okinawa campaign due to an ear infection his pilot had. This saved both their lives, and Newman lived on to become a Hollywood legend and philanthropist.

12

Clint Eastwood

Image: Brice Cooper

Clint Eastwood, the iconic actor and filmmaker, was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked as a swimming instructor for the 35th Infantry Regiment.

He even survived the crash landing of a Navy torpedo bomber with engine problems. He and his pilot had to swim two miles to shore near Point Reyes, California.

13

James Earl Jones

Image: Piotr Makowski

Before lending his iconic voice to Darth Vader and Mufasa, James Earl Jones trained as an Army Ranger and served as a second lieutenant in the Korean War.

After graduating from college in the 50s, he was assigned to the Army's 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. He received an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant in 1955 and went on to pursue the same career his father had: acting.

1

Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)

8th President

Image: Library of Congress

Van Buren, the first president born after the American Revolution, inherited an economic crisis shortly after taking office, known as the Panic of 1837 . The market crash, caused by speculative banking practices, led the country into a severe economic depression.

Van Buren’s quick response was to establish an independent treasury system, which effectively separated federal funds from private banks. This system helped stabilize the currency and laid the foundation for modern federal financial management. Furthermore, Van Buren was also a key figure in the development of the two-party system that continues to shape American politics today. Quite the legacy for an often-overlooked figure!

2

John Tyler (1841-1845)

10th President

Image: Library of Congress

John Tyler became president in 1841 following William Henry Harrison’s death, marking the first time a vice president succeeded a sitting president. Although this might seem unremarkable today, Tyler asserted the constitutional authority of the presidency by doing so, setting an important precedent for the peaceful transfer of power and solidifying the role of the vice presidency in American democracy.

However, Tyler is mostly remembered for championing westward expansion and overseeing the initial negotiations for the annexation of Texas—a move that literally reshaped the nation. Though this ultimately led to tensions with Mexico and the Mexican-American War, his efforts to settle a peaceful border treaty between the United States and Canada helped balance his legacy.

3

James K. Polk (1845-1849)

11th President

Image: Library of Congress

James K. Polk, the 11th president, is often called the "expansionist president" due to his aggressive territorial policies. Under his leadership, the United States expanded significantly, acquiring more than a million square miles of land through various treaties and the victory in the Mexican-American War.

His presidency fulfilled the concept of Manifest Destiny, extending the nation's reach to the Pacific Ocean. However, his legacy remains somewhat controversial, as many of his actions exacerbated the divide between the northern and southern states, setting the stage for the American Civil War.

4

Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)

12th President

Image: Library of Congress

Zachary Taylor, a hero of the Mexican-American War, became president in 1849 with little political experience. Despite being a Southern slave owner, he opposed the expansion of slavery into the newly acquired western territories, a stance that put him at odds with many in the South.

While Taylor's presidency was cut short by his sudden death in 1850, his role in opposing the spread of slavery into new states set the stage for future debates. Though brief, his actions as president are often praised for their conciliatory nature, as he sought compromises in an attempt to prevent the looming conflict.

5

Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)

13th President

Image: Library of Congress

Millard Fillmore took over after Zachary Taylor's untimely death in 1850, inheriting a fractured nation on the brink of civil war. His most controversial act was signing the Compromise of 1850, which included the Fugitive Slave Act, requiring the return of escaped slaves to their owners.

This somewhat ham-fisted attempt to maintain the fragile peace between the North and South only deepened the divisions that eventually led to the Civil War. On a lighter note, Fillmore was the first president to initiate trade relations with Japan, marking the start of Japan’s modernization and its integration into the global economy.

6

Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

14th President

Image: Library of Congress

Franklin Pierce, elected in 1852, faced an increasingly divided nation over the issue of slavery. His signing of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 allowed new territories to decide for themselves whether to permit slavery, leading to violent confrontations between pro- and anti-slavery factions in what became known as "Bleeding Kansas."

Despite his troubled domestic policies, Pierce followed his predecessor's path of expanding U.S. influence abroad. He pushed for new trade routes and even attempted to negotiate the acquisition of Cuba from Spain, though his efforts ultimately failed.

7

James Buchanan (1857-1861)

15th President

Image: Library of Congress

James Buchanan’s inability to resolve the tensions between North and South is often criticized, but he faced a nearly impossible task. He sought to avert conflict through diplomacy but was hesitant to overstep states' rights, arguing that the Constitution did not grant him the authority to prevent secession.

Despite his efforts, South Carolina seceded in December 1860, just weeks after Abraham Lincoln’s election, setting the stage for war. In foreign policy, Buchanan strengthened U.S. relations abroad, securing trade agreements with China and managing tense relations with Great Britain.

8

Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)

19th President

Image: Library of Congress

Rutherford B. Hayes is often remembered for his controversial election in 1876, which was decided by a congressional commission after a disputed vote count. His administration is also known for effectively ending the Reconstruction Era by withdrawing federal troops from the South.

While this helped bring stability to the South, it also allowed the rise of segregationist policies. On the other hand, Hayes was one of the first presidents to advocate for civil service reform, arguing that a merit-based government workforce was necessary to reduce corruption and ensure efficiency within the federal system.

9

Chester A. Arthur (1881-1885)

21st President

Image: Library of Congress

Initially seen as a product of the corrupt political machine system, Chester A. Arthur surprised many by becoming a champion of civil service reform. In 1883, he signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which mandated that government jobs be awarded based on merit rather than political connections.

This act significantly reduced the influence of patronage in American politics, a practice that had long fueled corruption. Arthur also modernized the U.S. Navy, which had been neglected since the Civil War. His administration helped lay the foundation for the powerful naval force that would emerge in the 20th century.

10

Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)

23rd President

Image: Library of Congress

Though almost forgotten today, Harrison’s administration was marked by significant legislative accomplishments. In particular, the Sherman Antitrust Act aimed at curbing the power of monopolies and promoting competition, and is considered the first major attempt by the federal government to regulate corporate power.

Harrison pushed to secure federal funding for education and voting rights for African Americans, but many of his efforts were blocked by Congress. Despite these setbacks, he remained a vocal advocate for African American civil rights, consistently addressing the issue in his speeches to Congress.