TIMELINER

History's most surprising connections

Who Was Alive in 2011

58 of 328 historical figures were alive in 2011

Nelson Mandela
Nelson MandelaAge 93
1918–2013 · Politics & Leadership
Anti-apartheid hero, South African President
Stan Lee
Stan LeeAge 89
1922–2018 · Film & Entertainment
Co-created Spider-Man, X-Men, Marvel
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret ThatcherAge 86
1925–2013 · Politics & Leadership
The Iron Lady, British Prime Minister
B.B. King
B.B. KingAge 86
1925–2015 · Music
King of the Blues
Fidel Castro
Fidel CastroAge 85
1926–2016 · Politics & Leadership
Cuban revolutionary leader
Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel García MárquezAge 84
1927–2014 · Literature
One Hundred Years of Solitude
James Watson
James WatsonAge 83
1928–present · Science & Invention
Co-discovered the structure of DNA
Maya Angelou
Maya AngelouAge 83
1928–2014 · Literature
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Vera Rubin
Vera RubinAge 83
1928–2016 · Science & Invention
Discovered evidence for dark matter
Noam Chomsky
Noam ChomskyAge 83
1928–present · Philosophy & Thought
Father of modern linguistics, political activist
Chinua Achebe
Chinua AchebeAge 81
1930–2013 · Literature
Things Fall Apart, father of modern African literature
Neil Armstrong
Neil ArmstrongAge 81
1930–2012 · Exploration
First human to walk on the Moon
Tu Youyou
Tu YouyouAge 81
1930–present · Science & Invention
Discovered artemisinin, Nobel Prize in Medicine
Desmond Tutu
Desmond TutuAge 80
1931–2021 · Activism & Social Change
Anti-apartheid cleric, Nobel Peace Prize
Toni Morrison
Toni MorrisonAge 80
1931–2019 · Literature
Beloved, Nobel Prize in Literature
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth TaylorAge 79
1932–2011 · Film & Entertainment
Cleopatra, golden age Hollywood star
Yoko Ono
Yoko OnoAge 78
1933–present · Art
Avant-garde artist, peace activist
Wole Soyinka
Wole SoyinkaAge 77
1934–present · Literature
First African Nobel laureate in Literature
Jane Goodall
Jane GoodallAge 77
1934–present · Science & Invention
World's foremost expert on chimpanzees
Dalai Lama
Dalai LamaAge 76
1935–present · Philosophy & Thought
Tibetan spiritual leader, Nobel Peace Prize
Woody Allen
Woody AllenAge 76
1935–present · Film & Entertainment
Annie Hall, prolific filmmaker
Pope Francis
Pope FrancisAge 75
1936–2025 · Philosophy & Thought
First pope from the Americas
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford CoppolaAge 72
1939–present · Film & Entertainment
The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now
Pelé
PeléAge 71
1940–2022 · Sports
The King of Football, 3 World Cups
Wangari Maathai
Wangari MaathaiAge 71
1940–2011 · Activism & Social Change
Kenyan environmentalist, first African woman Nobel laureate
Bob Dylan
Bob DylanAge 70
1941–present · Music
Blowin' in the Wind, Nobel Prize in Literature
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad AliAge 69
1942–2016 · Sports
The Greatest, heavyweight boxing champion
Aretha Franklin
Aretha FranklinAge 69
1942–2018 · Music
Queen of Soul, Respect
Stephen Hawking
Stephen HawkingAge 69
1942–2018 · Science & Invention
Black holes, A Brief History of Time
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean KingAge 68
1943–present · Sports
Tennis champion, gender equality advocate
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu KyiAge 66
1945–present · Activism & Social Change
Myanmar democracy leader, Nobel laureate
Steven Spielberg
Steven SpielbergAge 65
1946–present · Film & Entertainment
Jaws, Schindler's List, greatest blockbuster director
David Bowie
David BowieAge 64
1947–2016 · Music
Ziggy Stardust, musical chameleon
Haruki Murakami
Haruki MurakamiAge 62
1949–present · Literature
Norwegian Wood, surreal modern fiction
Robin Williams
Robin WilliamsAge 60
1951–2014 · Film & Entertainment
Good Will Hunting, comedy genius
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah WinfreyAge 57
1954–present · Film & Entertainment
Media mogul, cultural icon
Steve Jobs
Steve JobsAge 56
1955–2011 · Business & Industry
Co-founded Apple, changed technology
Ai Weiwei
Ai WeiweiAge 54
1957–present · Art
Chinese dissident artist, Sunflower Seeds
Prince
PrinceAge 53
1958–2016 · Music
Purple Rain, multi-instrumentalist genius
Rigoberta Menchú
Rigoberta MenchúAge 52
1959–present · Activism & Social Change
Indigenous rights leader, Nobel Peace Prize
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne GretzkyAge 50
1961–present · Sports
The Great One, greatest ice hockey player
Barack Obama
Barack ObamaAge 50
1961–present · Politics & Leadership
44th US President, first African American president
Whitney Houston
Whitney HoustonAge 48
1963–2012 · Music
The Voice, I Will Always Love You
Michael Jordan
Michael JordanAge 48
1963–present · Sports
Greatest basketball player of all time
Jeff Bezos
Jeff BezosAge 47
1964–present · Business & Industry
Founded Amazon, space entrepreneur
Elon Musk
Elon MuskAge 40
1971–present · Business & Industry
Tesla, SpaceX, tech entrepreneur
Banksy
BanksyAge 37
1974–present · Art
Anonymous street artist, subversive murals
Kobe Bryant
Kobe BryantAge 33
1978–2020 · Sports
NBA legend, Mamba Mentality
Roger Federer
Roger FedererAge 30
1981–present · Sports
Tennis legend, 20 Grand Slam titles
Beyoncé
BeyoncéAge 30
1981–present · Music
Global pop icon, Lemonade
Serena Williams
Serena WilliamsAge 30
1981–present · Sports
Greatest female tennis player of all time
Amy Winehouse
Amy WinehouseAge 28
1983–2011 · Music
Back to Black, soulful voice
Usain Bolt
Usain BoltAge 25
1986–present · Sports
Fastest man in history
Lionel Messi
Lionel MessiAge 24
1987–present · Sports
Greatest footballer of all time
Taylor Swift
Taylor SwiftAge 22
1989–present · Music
Best-selling music artist of the 2020s
Malala Yousafzai
Malala YousafzaiAge 14
1997–present · Activism & Social Change
Youngest Nobel Prize laureate, education advocate
Billie Eilish
Billie EilishAge 10
2001–present · Music
Bad Guy, youngest Album of the Year winner
Greta Thunberg
Greta ThunbergAge 8
2003–present · Activism & Social Change
Youth climate activist, Fridays for Future

Notable World Events in 2011

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