credit Douglas Kirkland/Corbis
When Ted Turner first proposed the creation of a 24-hour news channel for cable television, critics scoffed at the idea. Today, CNN is a trusted source of news worldwide.
credit Courtesy of IBM Archives
Thomas Watson Jr. led a worldwide revolution in data processing. Under his leadership, IBM captured 70 percent of the electronic computer industry and tripled in size.
credit Elizabeth Coleman
Russian immigrant Ida Rosenthal invented the modern brassiere, the perfect fit for the new American working woman in the early 20th century.
credit Courtesy of Society of Mechanical Engineers
Robert Fulton was fascinated by the modern machinery on the drawing boards at the dawn of the 19th century. While Fulton didn’t invent the steamboat, he made it a common means of travel.
credit James Leynse/Corbis
Marketing guru Russell Simmons brought his Def Jam brand and hip-hop culture to mainstream America, influencing the music and fashion of a generation.
credit Courtesy of Elliot Handler/Courtesy Schlesinger Library
Mattel Corporation co-founder Ruth Handler created Barbie – the world’s most popular doll.
credit Courtesy of Museum of Connecticut History/ Connecticut State Library
Sam Colt’s key to success was mass production; the Colt revolver would be one of the first examples of American industrialization.
credit Courtesy of San Francisco Airport Museums
By the mid-1960s, the skies were crowded with Pan American’s 707s, fulfilling Juan Trippe’s vision of accessible plane transportation for all.
