Famous people born on November 2nd

November 2 brings together a striking range of public figures, from early American explorers and presidents to global statesmen, groundbreaking scientists, and modern entertainment icons. The date stands out for its mix of political power, frontier legend, and cultural influence across film, music, and the arts. It is also notable for innovators whose ideas reshaped how people think, calculate, and create.

Notable highlights

• James K. Polk (1795) - The 11th U.S. president oversaw major territorial expansion, adding vast lands to the United States after the Mexican-American War.
• Daniel Boone (1734) - A symbol of American frontier exploration, he helped open routes through the Appalachian region and into Kentucky.
• George Boole (1815) - His work on Boolean algebra laid key foundations for modern logic, computer science, and digital circuit design.
• Ricky Martin (1971) - A central figure in the late-1990s Latin pop crossover, he helped reshape global pop with chart-topping hits and high-energy performances.
• Shahrukh Khan (1965) - Widely known as the "King of Bollywood", he became one of cinema's most internationally recognized leading actors.
• Burt Lancaster (1913) - The Oscar-winning actor was celebrated for charismatic, physically demanding roles and a career spanning classic Hollywood to New Wave-era projects.
• Keith Emerson (1944) - As a progressive-rock keyboard innovator, he pushed the synthesizer and organ into the center of arena-scale rock performance.
• Aga Khan III (1877) - An influential statesman and leader, he played prominent roles in international diplomacy and the political currents of the early 20th century.
• Amar Bose (1929) - The engineer and founder of Bose advanced consumer audio by applying research-driven design to speaker and sound technologies.
• Warren G. Harding (1865) - As U.S. president, he championed a return to "normalcy" after World War I, though his administration was later overshadowed by scandals.

On this day

• 1889 - North Dakota and South Dakota are admitted to the United States, expanding the Union in a major step of western statehood.
• 1917 - The Balfour Declaration is issued, signaling British support for establishing a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine.
• 1930 - Haile Selassie is crowned Emperor of Ethiopia, a landmark moment in the nation's modern political history.
• 1947 - Howard Hughes pilots the Hughes H-4 Hercules ("Spruce Goose") on its only flight, a dramatic milestone in aviation engineering.