History may have forgotten them, but we haven't. Meet 14 interesting people who never got the credit they deserved.
![Buford Pusser](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/buford-pusser.jpg)
![Bass Reeves](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bass-reeves.jpg)
![Robert Wadlow](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/robert-wadlow.jpg)
![Bessie Coleman](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bessie-coleman.jpg)
![Cliff Young](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cliff-young.jpg)
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Buford Pusser
As depicted in the 2004 Walking Tall, Pussar vowed to extract revenge. Pusser knew the identities of the shooters and their affiliation with the Dixie Mafia. And, before long, three out of the four turned up dead (the fourth had been sentenced to life in prison for a different murder).
Pussar was never definitively linked to their deaths, however. He died at the young age of 36 when his car veered off the road, an apparent accident which some of his family members think was murder. Facebook
Bass Reeves
Though Reeves couldn't read or write, he purportedly arrested more than 3,000 outlaws and killed 14 criminals during his time as a deputy U.S. marshal. Reeves used costumes, trickery, and his skill with a gun as he chased down criminals — to great effect. In fact, some believe that he was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger.
He died in 1910 at the age of 71 of Bright’s disease, a kidney affliction known as nephritis today.Wikimedia Commons
Robert Wadlow
Wadlow had hyperplasia of the pituitary gland. Though treatments for this condition exist today, they didn't in Wadlow's time. This meant that he kept growing as he got older. It also meant that Wadlow suffered from numerous health problems and had to wear ankle braces.
In 1940, a blister formed on Wadlow's right ankle because of an ill-fitting brace. The blister led to an infection which, sadly, took Wadlow's life at the age of just 22. Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images
Bessie Coleman
Indeed, Coleman couldn't find any pilots who would teach her to fly in the United States. So she went to France. There, she earned her international pilot license in 1921 and returned to the U.S. as a stunt pilot.
Coleman drew crowds of thousands of awestruck spectators — but sadly died while practicing for a stunt in 1926. Wikimedia Commons
Cliff Young
Then 61 years old, Young stood out from the other runners — especially because he ran in a cotton t-shirt and long pants instead of sleek running clothes. But Young's childhood running around his parents' 2,000-acre farm to round up sheep came in handy. To the surprise of all, Young won the race in a record time of five days, 15 hours.
He stayed active for the rest of his life, and passed away from cancer on November 2, 2003, at the age of 81.The Age Archives
Cleisthenes
In 507 B.C.E., Cleisthenes restructured Athenian politics and introduced "demokratia" or “rule by the people." He thus ushered in a new political system, democracy, which is used to this day.
He died shortly there after, in 508 B.C.E.Wikimedia Commons
Jack Parsons
Parsons was not just a scientist but an occultist. He was a follower of Thelemite teachings, which tells its followers: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law". Members were encouraged to engage in rituals, commune with the devil, and indulge their desires — especially sexual ones.
During the Cold War, Parsons lost his security clearance because of his "subversive" habits. He died in 1952 in a pyrotechnics accident that also destroyed his lab.Public Domain
Stagecoach Mary Fields
In the world of the Wild West, this required considerable grit. Fields covered over 300 miles a week to deliver the mail, where she faced thieves, inclement weather, and wolves. Armed with a revolver and a rifle, the six-foot-tall Fields made sure to protect the mail under her care.
She became a beloved figure in Wild West towns (the mayor of Cascade, Montana, even permitted her to drink at the local saloon, which mader her the only woman there who wasn't a sex worker) and her death in 1914 was widely mourned. Public Domain
Nellie Bly
In 1887, Bly went undercover as a patient in an insane asylum in order to expose abuses there. Two years later, another assignment saw her turn the novel Around the World in Eighty Days into reality when she traveled around the globe herself — in just 72 days.
Bly died on January 27, 1922, at the age of 57.Wikimedia Commons
Juliane Koepcke
The daughter of German zoologists (her mother perished in the plane crash), Koepcke had escaped with no serious injuries and was able to keep a clear head. She remembered her father's advice that streams often lead to civilization and followed one until she found people to help — 11 days later.
To date, Koepcke is still alive. She published her account of the crash, When I Fell from the Sky: How the Jungle Gave Me My Life Back in 2011.Wings of Hope/IMDb
Peter Freuchen
Freuchen's adventures began at the age of 20, when he traveled to the Arctic and spent years living among the Inuit. Freuchen wrote over 30 books, joined the Danish resistance during World War II, claimed to be Jewish when he witnessed antisemitism, and escaped a Nazi death sentence.
Freuchen died in 1957 of a heart attack at the age of 71.Public Domain
Thor Heyerdahl
In order to prove that his theory was at least a possibility, Heyerdahl sailed from Peru to French Polynesia in 1947 in little more than a raft, a journey which took 101 days. Heyerdahl embarked on a number of similar journeys during his life in pursuit of his theory, which he felt he'd proven by the end of his life (though many modern day academics disagree).
Heyerdahl died on April 18, 2002 at the age of 87 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. ullstein bild/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Mary Ellen Pleasant
Having inherited a sizeable sum from her first husband after his death, Pleasant moved to San Francisco and found work as a cook, where she listened to the finance tips swapped by her white clients. Pleasant started investing her money, and buying businesses like boarding houses. She and her white business partner earned $30 million — or $864 million today.
Sadly, Pleasant lost her share of the fortune after her business partner's sudden death. His wife sued for his assets, and Pleasant died in 1904 with little left to her name.Public Domain
Harold Gillies
The new technology of WWI meant that 280,000 soldiers returned home disfigured. To help, Gillies developed a number of new surgical methods and ultimately performed more than 11,000 operations for over 5,000 men.
He spent his whole life helping veterans of both wars, and died on September 10, 1960 at the age of 78.National Army Museum
Jules Brunet
Originally sent to Japan to help modernize the Japanese army, Brunet ended up fighting against the emperor on the side of the Tokugawa samurai. Though they lost the war, Brunet's story was depicted in the film The Last Samurai.
He returned to France at the end of the war and died in 1911.Wikimedia Commons
Joe Medicine Crow
After studying history and anthropology, Joe Medicine Crow went to fight in World War II, where he passed the four tests required to become a Crow chief — touch a living enemy, steal an enemy's weapon, lead a war party, and take an enemy's horse. Later, he also later became the official Crow Nation historian and anthropologist.
Joe Medicine Crow died in 2016 at 102, having been awarded a Bronze Star, the French Legion of Honor, and, later, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.Pete Souza/The White House
Roy Benavidez
During his first deployment in 1965, he stepped on a landmine and was told he would never walk again. Instead, Benavidez returned for duty in 1968, where he rushed to save a Special Forces team during "six hours in hell" where he was so badly injured that medics almost zipped him into a body bag.
He died on Nov. 29, 1998, having been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Medal of Honor.U.S. Army
Shavarsh Karapetyan
On that day, 23-year-old Karapetyan was on a 13 mile run when he witnessed the accident. He immediately dived into the water and pulled 37 people out, 20 of whom survived.
His heroism went unnoticed until the 1980s, when a journalist reported on the story. The Soviet Union then awarded him Order of the Badge of Honor. X
Molly Brown
As the ship sank on the morning of April 15, 1912, Brown took care of her fellow survivors while they drifted in a lifeboat, and later encouraged the ship's wealthiest passengers to donate to those who had lost everything.
She died of a brain tumor on October 26, 1932, leaving behind a legacy as a philanthropist, a prospective Senate candidate, and an actress.Public Domain
Pope Leo I
Though lots of popes have made their mark in the history of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo has been heralded as one of the most important. Aside from issuing transformative documents, Pope Leo single handedly persuaded Attila the Hun to back down from his invasion of Italy.
He died on November 10, 461 at the age of approximately 60. Wikimedia Commons
John "Chickie" Donohue
In 1967, he traveled thousands of miles from New York City to Qui Nhon to deliver beer to friends of his serving in the war. Then, just as incredibly, Donohue returned home unscathed.
His story was later portrayed in the 2022 film The Greatest Beer Run Ever starring Zac Efron.Pabst Blue Ribbon/YouTube
Billy The Kid
During his short life, Billy the Kid claimed to have killed 21 people (the real number may be closer to nine) and was renowned for his ability as an escape artist.
His past caught up to him on July 14, 1881, when Billy the Kid was killed at the age of 21 by Sheriff Pat Garrett. Public Domain
Chuck Mawhinney
A sniper during the Vietnam War, Mawhinney has a 103 confirmed kills to his name — including 16 confirmed kills in a mere 30 seconds. Mawhinney was quiet about his record after the war, and his story didn't emerge until the 1990s.
He died in 2024 at the age of 74.United States Marine Corps
Corrie Ten Boom
As a member of the Dutch resistance, ten Boom and her family opened up their home and provided shelter to Dutch Jews fleeing the Nazis. Ten Boom, her father, and her sister were eventually found out and sent to concentration camps.
Though ten Boom's father and sister perished, ten Boom survived and lived until April 15, 1983. All three were recognized as one of Yad Vashem’s Righteousness Among Nations.Yad Vashem/The World Holocaust Remembrance Center
Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
Kamakawiwo’ole recorded his version of the famous song in 1988 and it swiftly became a huge hit.
Sadly, Kamakawiwo’ole died at 38 years old on June 26, 1997.Universal Music
Audrey Munson
Munson was the inspiration for more than 12 statues in New York City. She also paved the way for other models and actresses when she became the first actress to appear nude on-screen.
Institutionalized in 1931, Munson spent more than 60 years in an insane asylum before dying on Feb. 20, 1996, at the age of 104.Wikimedia Commons
Daryl Davis
In Davis's telling, he's converted some 200 people by asking a simple question: "How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?”
As of publication, Davis is still alive. Outside of activism, he's also an R&B and blues musician.Daryl Davis
Cudjo Lewis
Abducted by illegal slavers in 1860, Lewis was enslaved in Alabama until the end of the Civil War. Then, he and others established Africatown, Alabama, a community where they could maintain their native culture.
His story was later told by Zora Neale Hurston, and Lewis died on July 17, 1935, at the age of 95.University of South Alabama
Stephan Bibrowski
Bibrowski made his livelihood by touring with Barnum & Bailey Circus and the Ringling Brothers but had another side: he dreamt of being a dentist and could speak five languages.
He died in 1932 at the age of 41, purportedly from a heart attack.Wikimedia Commons
Annie Edson Taylor
She made her successful attempt in 1901, on her 63rd birthday. After she was fished out of the water, she told reporters that she would "caution anyone against attempting the feat."
Taylor died on April 29, 1921, at the age of 82. Despite her hopes that her daredevil feat would be financially lucrative, Taylor died penniless. Wikimedia Commons
Aleister Crowley
He founded a religion, Thelema, which encouraged its followers to "Do what thou wilt." Crowley and his followers experimented with sex, drugs, and a series of wild rituals.
He died on Dec. 1, 1947, at the age of 72.Keystone/Getty Images
Martin Couney
By the turn of the century, Couney was living in the United States where people flocked to see his "incubator" exhibits. The show was technically for entertainment (people paid 25 cents for entry) but Couney's work saved countless lives — and revolutionized treatment of premature babies.
Couney died in 1950, at the age of 80. New York Public Library
Edith Wilson
After the president suffered from a stroke in 1919, Edith became his caretaker and a "steward" of his presidency by deciding what issues were important enough to bring to him.
She died on December 28, 1961, at age 89, and is buried next to her husband at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. Wikimedia Commons
Jason Vukovich
A survivor of childhood sexual and physical abuse himself, Vukovich had an “overwhelming desire to act” against sex offenders and attacked three people before his arrest in 2016.
He's since spoken out against violence and vigilantism and, despite petitions for his release, remains in jail to this day.Change.org
Dick Winters
During the war, Winters led the 101st Airborne Division, which battled Nazis on D-Day, liberated the Dachau concentration camp, and raided Adolf Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
Winters remained humble about his service all his life, and died on on January 2, 2011, at the age of 92.U.S. Army
Paul Alexander
Alexander contracted polio at the age of six in 1952 which paralyzed him from the neck down for the rest of his life. Despite this, Alexander became a lawyer, wrote his memoirs, and became active on social media.
He died in 2024 shortly after contracting COVID-19. Paul Alexander
Violet Bonham Carter
She spoke out against the Treaty of Versaille and Nazi Germany — leading Hitler to add her to his "black book" of Britons he would imprison if he ever invaded England — ran for a seat in the House of Commons and later entered the House of Lords.
She died on Feb. 19, 1969, at the age of 81.Wikimedia Commons
Percy Julian
A doctor living under Jim Crow, Julian developed the chemical synthesis of hormones like progesterone and testosterone. His research also laid the groundwork for modern-day steroids, and Julian later became the first African American chemist inducted into the National Academy of Sciences.
Julian died on April 19, 1975, at the age of 76.Wikimedia Commons
Margaret Howe Lovatt
Lovatt lived in close quarters with a dolphin for almost two months to try to teach him to speak, but the experiment ultimately failed.YouTube
Lonnie Johnson
While at NASA, Johnson invented the the Super Soaker while carrying out an unrelated experiment at home. The water gun became a popular toy that earned more than $1 billion.Thomas S. England/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images
Calvin Graham
Graham had lied his way into the service but once he was there he showed bravely in battle, and earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. His service ended, however, when his mother realized where he was and notified his superiors.
Graham died on November 6, 1992, at the age of 62.Wikimedia Commons
Bessie Stringfield
She learned to ride a motorcycle at 16 and spent her life driving it across the U.S. When authorities in Miami balked at giving her a motorcycle license in 1950, Stringfield showed them a number of impressive motorcycle tricks until they changed their minds.
Stringfield kept riding motorcycles until her death in 1993 at the age of 82.AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
George Boldt
He constructed Boldt Castle on an island in the Saint Lawrence River, a fairy tale structure with 120 rooms. Sadly, Louise died unexpectedly at the age of 31 before the castle was complete.
Boldt died in 1916; his castle, abandoned for decades, has since been restored.Wikimedia Commons
Judith Love Cohen
Cohen helped design the helped design the Abort Guidance System. When Apollo 13 lost power in 1970, they used Cohen's navigation system to make it safely back to earth.
Cohen died on July 25, 2016, at the age of 82Wikimedia Commons
Harry Haft
Haft fought some 76 fights for the entertainment of Nazi guards and won them all. His opponents, however, were executed.
After the war, Haft continued his career as a boxer in the United States. He died in 2007.Publicity Photo
Jacqueline Jenkins Nye
Jenkins-Nye, and about a dozen other from Goucher College, cracked a number of important codes, including one that helped U.S. fighter pilots kill Isoroku Yamamoto, who had planned Pearl Harbor.
She died in 2000 at the age of 79.National Cryptologic Foundation
Esther Jones
However, her tagline “Boop, Boop-a-Doop" was copied by a white actress named Helen Kane, who was long acknowledged as the cartoon's inspiration.
Jones died in 1984 in relative obscurity. Wikimedia Commons
Neerja Bhanot
During the hijacking on Sept. 5, 1986, which took place on the the Karachi Airport tarmac in Pakistan Bhanot hid the passports of the targeted U.S. passengers, helped passengers escape, and was killed while shielding children from the hijacker's guns.
She was 22 years old at the time.Instagram/SonamKapoor
Agent 355
However, her identity remains unknown to this day.Wikimedia Commons
Miriam Rodriguez
After her daughter Karen was kidnapped and killed in 2014, Rodriguez fearlessly hunted down 10 cartel members who'd been involved in her abduction.
Sadly, Rodriguez was targeted by cartel members seeking revenge and was shot and killed on May 10, 2017.San Fernando Missing Persons Activists Collective
Ralph Lincoln
Ralph Lincoln has spent his adult life as a Lincoln impersonator, spreading his famous ancestor's story in appearances across the country. Ralph Lincoln
Elijah Mccoy
Though he struggled to find work in post-Civil War America, McCoy invented a lubrication cup that changed the face of railroad travel by making it possible for trains to travel for longer. Imitators tried to copy him but engineers would unfailingly demand the "the real McCoy."
Sadly, McCoy died largely impoverished in 1929 some years after a devastating car crash left him with serious injuries. Ypsilanti Historical Society
Stephen Wiltshire
Wiltshire published his first book when he was just 13, and spends much of his time now sketching sketching cityscapes.Facebook
Ram Dass
An early proponent of LSD, Dass became an author and cultural guru of sorts who gave lectures across the country.
Dass died on December 22, 2019. Denver Post Archives/Getty Images
Nikola Tesla
He invented alternating current (AC) — which powers homes and businesses, even today — and the induction motor, which is a key component of modern devices like vacuum cleaners and hair dryers.
Sadly, Tesla died alone and impoverished in 1943 in New York City.Wikimedia Common
Henry Johnson
Johnson and another soldier, Needham Roberts, were on guard duty in 1918 when they bravely prevented a much larger German unit from breaking through French lines. For this, the French awarded Johnson the Croix de Guerre and Theodore Roosevelt called him one of the “five bravest Americans” to serve in WWI.
Sadly, Johnson died in 1929, at the age of just 32.U.S. Army
Mary Anning
Her most important discovery was that of an ichthyosaur skeleton, the first one ever to be correctly identified.
She died on March 9, 1847, from breast cancer.Wikimedia Commons
John Robert Fox
On Dec. 26, 1944, Fox ordered his men to retreat in the face of a much larger Nazi force, then gave his coordinates for an artillery strike — even though he knew it would cost him his life.
Fox died that day, and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997.Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Claudia Cardinale
In her career of more than 60 years, Cardinale appeared in over 100 films alongside the likes of Tony Curtis, Charles Bronson, and Burt Lancaster. She was known for her dark hair, husky voice, and thousand-watt smile.
After retiring from film, Cardinale became an activist supporting environmental causes and women's issues.Bettmann/Getty Images
Edward Curtis
Curtis took more than 40,000 photos of almost 100 Native American tribes at the turn of the century, a time when their culture and traditions were increasingly under threat.
He died in 1952 at the age of 84. Public Domain
Salvador Dali
He was known for both his eccentric behavior — like walking an anteater in Paris — and his paintings like The Persistence of Memory, which depicted melting clocks.
Dalí died on January 23, 1989 at the age of 84.Public Domain
Olive Oatman
Enslaved by the Yavapai, Oatman eventually spent four years with the Mohave, who gave her a tattoo on her chin.
Oatman was released when she was 19, and died on March 21, 1903 at the age of 65.Wikimedia Commons
Hedy Lamarr
Lamarr may have gotten her start on the silver screen, but her larger legacy is much more important. After she immigrated to the United States from Austria, Lamarr devoted her life to science, working to create something called "spread spectrum technology" — the precursor to modern-day Bluetooth and wifi.
Lamarr died on January 19, 2000, at the age of 85.Wikimedia Commons
Ching Shih
Her fleet included hundreds of ships and between 40,000 and 60,000 pirates, who regularly battled with world powers like the East India Company and the Portuguese Empire.
She died in 1844 at around the age of 68.Wikimedia Commons
Jean Libbera
He later performed in "freak shows" in Europe and the United States in which Libbera and his "twin" would wear matching suits.
He died sometime between 1934 and 1936 around age 50.Public Domain
Jack Bonavita
One of Bonita's most famous acts was when he sat surrounded by 13 lions. However, the work was dangerous and Bonita once had his arm torn off when he looked away from one of his lions for too long.
Bonita died on March 19, 1917, after being attacked by a polar bear. Public Domain
Assata Shakur
A member of the Black Liberation Army, Shakur was found guilty of the 1973 shooting of a state trooper in New Jersey. Though imprisoned, Shakur was able to escape.
She now lives in Cuba, which has given her political asylum. Frank Hurley / NY Daily News Archive via Getty
Violet Jessop
Jessop was a steward who worked for the White Star Line in the early 1900s. She was aboard the Titanic when it sank — and she was also aboard the Titanic's two sister ships — both of which sank, and both of which she survived.
Jessop died, on land, on May 5, 1971 at 83.Wikimedia Commons
Hans Langseth
Langseth started growing his beard at the age of 19, and it eventually grew to be 18 feet and 6 inches long.
Langseth died in 1927 — and some 17 feet of his beard was donated to the Smithsonian.Wikimedia Commons
Richard Bong
During the war, Bong downed 40 enemy planes in over 200 flying mission. He was awarded numerous medals, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Silver Star.
Bong died in a training accident at the very end of World War II on August 6, 1945, at the age of 24. Wikimedia Commons
Johnny Appleseed
Appleseed, an eccentric figure in the west, cultivated orchards to sell to settlers, and planted apple trees that were used to make hard apple cider.
He died on March 18, 1845, at the age of 70.Public Domain
Pocahontas
Pocahontas's actual story is quite different from the Disney version. She was kidnapped, imprisoned, possible raped, and later died at a young age while accompanying her husband, John Rolfe, to England.
She died around the age of 21 in 1616, after falling violently ill. Public Domain
Lyudmila Pavlichenko
With 309 credited kills, she is considered one of the top military snipers of all time, and the most successful female sniper in history.
Pavlichenko died following a stroke on October 27, 1974 at the age of 58.Sovfoto/UIG via Getty Images
Doris Miller
Because of his race, Miller was restricted to mess hall duty. But he leapt into action during the attack, helping his fellow sailors evacuate and even turning the ship's guns on the Japanese planes.
He died in action on November 24, 1943, and was posthumously honored in 2020 when the U.S. Navy honored Miller by making him the first back man in U.S. history to have an aircraft carrier named after him.U.S. Navy
Franz Reichelt
After much experimentation, Reichelt attempted to try out his invention by leaping from the Eiffel Tower on Feb. 4, 1912.
He plummeted to his death and died that day at the age of 33.Wikimedia Commons
Betty Brosmer
Brosmer was the highest-paid pin-up in mid-century America, helped popularize the now-famous fitness magazine "Shape," and wrote columns about bodybuilding and fitness.
In 2014, Brosmer was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.Pierre Tourigny/Flickr
Rocky Dennis
Though doctors predicted that Dennis would die at seven, he lived to be 16, and approached his life with strength, levity, and intelligence.
He died Oct. 4, 1978, at the age of 16.Wikimedia Commons
![Buford Pusser](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/309.170.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/buford-pusser.jpg)
![Buford Pusser](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/309.170.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/buford-pusser.jpg)
![Bass Reeves](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/309.170.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bass-reeves.jpg)
![Bass Reeves](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/309.170.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bass-reeves.jpg)
![Robert Wadlow](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/309.170.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/robert-wadlow.jpg)
![Robert Wadlow](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/309.170.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/robert-wadlow.jpg)
![Bessie Coleman](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/630.501.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bessie-coleman.jpg)
![Bessie Coleman](http://allthatsinteresting.com/thumb/630.501.https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/bessie-coleman.jpg)
Whether they come from the realms of government, science, military, or elsewhere, there are interesting people from history that almost everyone knows about, like Galileo, Thomas Jefferson, or Rosa Parks.
Countless inventors, dignitaries, and social activists have made a lasting impression on history. Their stories make it into textbooks and classrooms, and they eventually become household names. Some become so well known that if someone were to ask, "who is the most interesting person in the world?" there's a chance that one of those people would be the answer.
However, there are have also been plenty of interesting people who were more or less forgotten. Sometimes they wrote their story themselves as inventors, activists, or thrill-chasers; sometimes they were born into extraordinary circumstances that they turned to their advantage.
In the gallery above, look through some of the most interesting people from history who are often left out of the history books. And read on to dive deep into a few of their stories.
Inventors On The List Of Interesting People
Some of the interesting people in the gallery above were inventors.
Take Lonnie Johnson.
Born in the Jim Crow South on on October 6, 1949, Johnson was always fascinated with inventing things. As a boy, he took apart his sister's doll to see what made its eyes close. In high school, Johnson invented a robot that won first prize at the Junior Engineering Technical Society Fair in 1968.
![Lonnie Johnson Beside His First Robot](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/lonnie-johnson-beside-his-first-robot.jpg)
Lonnie JohnsonLonnie Johnson and the robot he built while still in high school.
Johnson later found work at NASA, where he could indulge his curiosity and creativity as an engineer. But Johnson never stopped inventing things. One day while tinkering around, he stumbled across the invention for a water gun. Though he initially used it to play with his daughter, Johnson eventually decided to patent the toy.
At first, he called it the Power Drencher. Now, it's known as the Super Soaker — the best-selling water toy of all time.
![Lonnie Johnson And Super Soaker](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/lonnie-johnson-and-super-soaker.jpg)
![Lonnie Johnson And Super Soaker](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/lonnie-johnson-and-super-soaker.jpg)
Thomas S. England/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images
Lonnie Johnson and the Super Soaker water gun.
Other interesting people who were also inventors include Jack Parsons, the occultist who invented rocket fuel, Martin Couney, the sideshow performer whose exhibit saved hundreds of premature babies, and actress Hedy Lamarr, whose research helped lead to modern-day Bluetooth and wifi.
People like these created interesting things that changed the world; other people in the gallery, however, faced extraordinary circumstances.
Interesting People Who Survived Incredible Things
Some of the interesting people on our list did extraordinary things with their lives when faced with disaster. Take Juliane Koepcke.
On December 24, 1971, 17-year-old Koepcke was on LANSA Flight 508 with her mother, traveling from Lima, Peru to the Pucallpa. It should have been a short flight, but the plane was caught in a thunderstorm. It disintegrated in mid-air, plunging Koepcke 10,000 feet into the rainforest below.
![Juliane Koepcke](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/juliane-koepcke-1.jpg)
![Juliane Koepcke](https://allthatsinteresting.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/juliane-koepcke-1.jpg)
Juliane Koepcke/Instagram
Juliane Koepcke after surviving both a plane crash and 11 days in the Peruvian rainforest.
Though every other passenger, including Koepcke's mother, was killed, the 17-year-old found herself without serious injuries. She remembered that her father had told her that if she was ever lost, she should follow water downstream — as that's was where towns or villages could usually be found.
Koepcke followed his advice. After 11 harrowing days, she escaped the jungle.
Other interesting people on our list have also survived incredible things, like Violet Jessop, who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic — and both the Titanic's sister ships — Harry Haft, who survived Auschwitz by becoming a boxer, and Annie Edson Taylor, who was the first person to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
Discover their stories, and the stories of many more interesting people, in the gallery above.
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