Famous people born on February 20th
February 20 is a remarkably varied birthday date, spanning trailblazing artists, influential political figures, and innovators who shaped how we see the world. The mix ranges from pioneers of photography and architecture to chart-topping musicians and culture-defining performers. With dozens of notable births, this date offers an unusually broad cross-section of modern and historical impact.
Notable highlights
- Ansel Adams (1902) - Helped define the visual language of the American West through meticulously crafted black-and-white landscape photography.
- Kurt Cobain (1967) - Fronted Nirvana and became a defining voice of 1990s alternative rock, reshaping mainstream music's sound and attitude.
- Rihanna (1988) - Built a global pop catalog while also becoming a major force in beauty and fashion entrepreneurship.
- Louis Kahn (1901) - Created monumental modern buildings known for bold geometry and dramatic use of light, influencing generations of architects.
- Charles Barkley (1963) - Rose from NBA dominance to a second career as a candid, influential sports broadcaster.
- Sidney Poitier (1924) - Broke barriers in American cinema and helped widen opportunities for Black leading actors in Hollywood.
- Cindy Crawford (1966) - Became one of the defining supermodels of her era, shaping 1990s fashion imagery and celebrity branding.
- Jackie Gleason (1916) - Blended comedy and drama in television's early golden age, leaving a lasting imprint on American sitcom performance.
- Angelina Grimke (1805) - A prominent abolitionist and women's rights advocate whose public speaking helped broaden reform movements in the U.S.
- Joshua Slocum (1844) - Achieved fame as an ocean voyager, associated with the first solo circumnavigation of the globe.
On this day
- 1872 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art opens in New York City, later becoming one of the world's most visited art museums.
- 1935 - Caroline Mikkelsen becomes the first woman to set foot on Antarctica during a Norwegian expedition.
- 1962 - John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit Earth, circling the planet during the Friendship 7 mission.
- 1998 - The Winter Olympics open in Nagano, Japan, showcasing the Games in Asia for the second time.