Writers from Boston

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the youngest person elected president, at 43 years, and the first Catholic president. Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his foreign policy concerned relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in both houses of the United States Congress before his presidency.

Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales involving mystery and the macabre. He is widely regarded as one of the central figures of Romanticism and Gothic fiction in the United States and of early American literature. Poe was one of the country's first successful practitioners of the short story, and is generally considered to be one of the pioneers of the detective fiction genre. In addition, he is credited with contributing significantly to the emergence of science fiction. He is the first well-known American writer to earn a living exclusively through writing, which resulted in a financially difficult life and career.

American polymath and statesman (1706–1790)

American philosopher (1803–1882)

Malcolm X was an African American revolutionary and Black nationalist leader who rose from a background of poverty, family disruption, and criminal activity to a prominent figure during the civil rights movement until his assassination in 1965. He discovered the religious organization the Nation of Islam while in prison and served as its spokesperson from 1952 until 1964. He was also a vocal advocate for Black empowerment and the promotion of Islam within the African American community. A controversial figure accused of preaching violence, Malcolm X is also a celebrated figure with Black people and Muslims worldwide for his pursuit of racial justice.

Matthew Paige Damon is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. He was ranked among Forbes's most bankable stars in 2007, and in 2010 was one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He has received various awards and nominations, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three British Academy Film Awards and seven Primetime Emmy Awards.

American poet and writer (1932–1963)

Benjamin Géza Affleck is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi (1984–1988). He later appeared in the independent comedy Dazed and Confused (1993) and several Kevin Smith comedies, including Chasing Amy (1997).

Robert Francis Kennedy, also known by his initials RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party, Kennedy served as the 64th United States attorney general from 1961 to 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New York from 1965 until his assassination in 1968. Like his brothers John F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, he is considered an icon of modern American liberalism in the 21st century.

American political philosopher (1921–2002)

American businessman and politician; 108th Mayor of New York City

Spanish-American philosopher

American economist and writer

American actor (1931–2015)

Canadian-American economist and diplomat (1908–2006)

Edward Moore Kennedy was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the second-most-senior member of the Senate when he died. He is ranked fifth in U.S. history for length of continuous service as a senator. Kennedy was the younger brother of President John F. Kennedy and U.S. attorney general and U.S. senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the father of U.S. representative Patrick J. Kennedy.

American philosopher (1942–2024)

American scientist, historian, and author (born 1937)

American journalist, historian, academic, novelist (1838-1918)

American writer and women's activist (1810–1850)

American economist

American programmer & open source advocate (1957-)

American actress (born 1966)

American actor, screenwriter and director (born 1962)

American doctor of animal science, author, and autism activist

American actor

American executive: General Electric CEO (1935–2020)

American television presenter

American neurosurgeon (1869-1939)

American philanthropist and mother of John F. Kennedy

American poet (1917–1977)

American religious minister and scientific writer (1663–1728)

American abolitionist, social activist, and poet

American artist (1779-1843)

American historian, writer, journalist and political scientist (born 1949)

American writer (born 1978)

American spiritual teacher, author and psychologist

American historian and Hispanist (1796–1859)

American diplomat and United States Ambassador to Ireland; younger sister of John F. Kennedy (1928-2020)

American social reformer, philosopher, inventor, musician, and author (1798–1874)

American writer and director (1887-1995)

American lawyer, politician, public servant and Christian advocate (1931–2012)

American author, historian and Unitarian minister (1822-1909)

American historian (1823–1893)

American lawyer and politician (1920-1999)

American author and novelist

American author and academic (born 1959)

American surgeon

American libertarian author, editor, and political consultant

American politician (1912–1994)

American physician (1831 - 1895)

American theologian, editor, author (1835–1922)

American actress and writer

American writer

United States admiral and historian (1887-1976)

author and illustrator from the United States (1919–1994)

American novelist, short story writer, biographer, philosopher (b. 1950)

American drag queen

American anthropologist, 1959-2022

American music critic, born 1925 (1925–2017)