Noted frontiersman James Bowie has two claims to fame: the invention of the popular Bowie knife and his valiant stand at the Alamo. Bowie moved to Texas in 1828 and began to acquire large amounts of land. He was active in Texas' fight for independence from Mexico, and died in the defense of the Alamo mission. Birthplace: Burke County.
Erskine Caldwell was a popular author who wrote such tales as "Tobacco Road" and "God's Little Acre." Some of his works are deemed controversial due to their use of adult themes. Birthplace: Coweta County.
A former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter became the thirty-ninth President of the United States in 1976. His term was marked by a strong energy policy and improved relations between Israel and Egypt. Birthplace: Plains.
Joel Chandler Harris was a newspaperman and author who wrote the famous Uncle Remus stories. These stories were actually interpretations of black folk tales. Birthplace: Eatonton.
Martin Luther King Junior preached civil rights for black men and women, and peace for all. He gave the famous "I Have A Dream" speech, and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. King was assassinated in 1968. Birthplace: Atlanta.
Poet and writer, Sidney Lanier wrote on a broad variety of subjects, though usually concerned with the social and human condition. He was also a member of Baltimore's Peabody Orchestra. Birthplace: Macon.
Margaret Mitchell's most famous book, "Gone With the Wind", won a Pulitzer Prize in 1937. It was also made into a classic film with Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. Birthplace: Atlanta.
A popular stage and screen actor, Burt Reynolds is most noted today for his madcap comedy films. He has also made numerous Western films and is a regular on television. Birthplace: Waycross.
