Harvard College

Discover the notable alumni of Harvard College. The list includes people like Jay Rockefeller, David Souter, Dean Norris, Fred Gwynne & Tom Cotton. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as leaders, miscellaneous, writers, lawyers & judges and intellectuals & academics etc.
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 1 
F. D. Roosevelt
(32nd President of the United States)
F. D. Roosevelt
82
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 30, 1882
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hyde Park, New York, United States
Died: April 12, 1945

F D Roosevelt was the 32nd president of the United States and was in the office from 1933 to1945. Qualified as a lawyer, he entered politics as an ambitious young man, inspired by his relative Theodore Roosevelt, a fellow politician. F D Roosevelt had an illustrious political career and is rated by scholars among the nation's greatest presidents.

 2 
Theodore Roosevelt
(26th President of the United States (1901-1909))
Theodore Roosevelt
103
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 27, 1858
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: January 6, 1919

The 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt is generally ranked as one of the five best presidents of the country. A man of many talents, he was a politician, conservationist, naturalist, and writer. He supported  Progressive Era policies in the early 20th century and championed his "Square Deal" domestic policies.

 3 
John Adams
(2nd President of United States (1797-1801))
John Adams
59
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 30, 1735
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Braintree, Massachusetts, United States
Died: July 4, 1826

One of the Founding Fathers of America, John Adams was a statesman, attorney, and diplomat who served as the second president of the United States. He was a principal leader of the American Revolution. As a lawyer, he was devoted to the right to counsel and presumption of innocence. His administration has been favorably ranked by historians and scholars.

 4 
Neil deGrasse Tyson
(American Astrophysicist, Planetary Scientist and Science Communicator)
Neil deGrasse Tyson
55
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 5, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Public Welfare Medal-winning astrophysicist and academic Neil deGrasse Tyson hosted shows such as NOVA ScienceNow, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, and Star Talk. He is the director of Hayden Planetarium and contributed to the dismissal of Pluto’s status as the ninth planet. He has also written a monthly column as "Merlin.”

 5 
J. Robert Oppenheimer
(American Theoretical Physicist and Former Wartime Head of the ‘Los Alamos Laboratory’)
J. Robert Oppenheimer
21
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 22, 1904
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: February 18, 1967

Hailed as a brilliant scientific mind, American physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, led the Manhattan Project which resulted in the development of atomic bomb during the World War II. The bombs were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. However, Oppenheimer was in a constant conflict over the moral issue of the weapons of mass destruction and rallied against nuclear proliferation.

 6 
Henry David Thoreau
(Naturalist, Philosopher & Author Of 'Walden')
Henry David Thoreau
54
Birthdate: July 12, 1817
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Concord, Massachusetts, United States
Died: May 6, 1862

Henry David Thoreau was an American philosopher, essayist, poet, and naturalist. He is credited with popularizing transcendentalism and simple living. His philosophy of civil disobedience, which was detailed in his essay of the same name, later influenced world-renowned personalities like Leo Tolstoy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mahatma Gandhi.

 7 
Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Famous For his Essay 'Nature' and Speech Entitled 'The American Scholar')
Ralph Waldo Emerson
20
Birthdate: May 25, 1803
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: April 27, 1882

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American philosopher who led the transcendentalist movement that developed in the eastern United States in the 1820s and 1830s. He is credited with popularizing individualism through his numerous lectures and essays. Emerson influenced many thinkers and writers that followed him; he mentored Henry David Thoreau, who went on to become a leading transcendentalist.

 8 
Yo-Yo Ma
(American Grammy-Award Winning Cellist )
Yo-Yo Ma
23
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: October 7, 1955
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paris, France
French-born Chinese cellist Yo-Yo Ma was a child prodigy and later won 18 Grammys for his works. The Juilliard and Harvard alumnus has experimented with various types of music, including Brazilian and Chinese music. Named to Time 100 in 2020, he is also a U.N. Messenger of Peace.
 9 
Michael Crichton
(Best Known as the Author of “Jurassic Park” and the creator of the TV Drama “ER”)
Michael Crichton
9
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 23, 1942
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: November 4, 2008

Michael Crichton was an American filmmaker and author. He wrote several science-fiction books, which have sold more than 200 million copies. Many of his books, such as The Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park, Congo, Rising Sun, and Disclosure, have been adapted into highly successful films. He is also credited with creating the popular medical drama TV series, ER.

 10 
Dean Norris
(Actor)
Dean Norris
16
Birthdate: April 8, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: South Bend, Indiana, USA
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 11 
Bobby Jones
(American Amateur Golfer)
Bobby Jones
9
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 17, 1902
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: December 18, 1971

Bobby Jones was an American amateur golfer and lawyer. One of the most important personalities in the history of golf, Jones founded or co-founded the Augusta National Golf Club as well as the Masters Tournament. He also helped design the Augusta. Bobby Jones’ innovations, which he brought to the Masters Tournameny, have been used in professional golf tournaments around the world.

 12 
Samuel Adams
(American Political Philosopher and 4th Governor of Massachusetts (1794–1797))
Samuel Adams
20
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: September 27, 1722
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 2, 1803
Samuel Adams, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, also served as the governor of Massachusetts. Samuel formed the Boston Tea Party and also played a major role in drafting the Articles of Confederation and the Massachusetts Constitution. He was a second cousin of President John Adams.
 13 
Al Franken
(Former United States Senator from Minnesota (2009 - 2018))
Al Franken
20
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 21, 1951
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Al Franken served as the U.S. senator from Minnesota, from 2009 to 2018. He has also gained fame as a Saturday Night Live writer, has authored several bestsellers, has hosted The Al Franken Show on radio, and has starred in screen projects such as Stuart Saves His Family.

 14 
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
(United States Naval Aviator and Eldest Son of Joseph P. Kennedy SR and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy)
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
13
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 25, 1915
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Hull, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 12, 1944

Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was a US Navy lieutenant. The eldest of the famous Kennedy siblings, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was groomed by his father from a very young age to become the president of the United States. After his death during World War II at age 29, John F. Kennedy took it upon himself to materialize his father's dreams.

 15 
Chris Wallace
(Journalist Who Was Named One of America's Most Trusted TV News Anchors)
Chris Wallace
9
Birthdate: October 12, 1947
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Journalist, Chris Wallace ,is best known for his stint as the TV news anchor of the Fox News program Fox News Sunday. As an ambitious young man, he graduated from Harvard University and became a broadcast journalist. Over the years, he gained fame for his tough and wide-ranging interviews. He is the recipient of a Paul White lifetime achievement award.

 16 
John Updike
(Poet, Novelist)
John Updike
6
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 18, 1932
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Reading, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: January 27, 2009
 17 
Suzanne Malveaux
(Journalist)
Suzanne Malveaux
1
Birthdate: December 4, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Lansing, Michigan, United States
 18 
George Santayana
(Regarded as One of the Most Important Thinkers of the First Half of the 20th Century)
George Santayana
6
Birthdate: December 16, 1863
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Madrid, Spain
Died: September 26, 1952

One of George Santayana’s initial works, The Sense of Beauty, spoke about aesthetics, an oft-repeated topic in his later works. The Spanish-born American philosopher and Harvard professor is remembered for his quote “Only the dead have seen the end of war,” which has often been misattributed to Plato.

 19 
J. P. Morgan Jr.
(American Finance Executive, Banker and Philanthropist)
J. P. Morgan Jr.
7
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: September 7, 1867
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Irvington, New York, United States
Died: March 13, 1943

J. P. Morgan Jr. was an American finance executive, banker, and philanthropist. He became the head of the investment banking institution, J.P. Morgan & Co., after his father J. P. Morgan's demise in 1913. J. P. Morgan Jr. was also an important philanthropist, who donated his London residence to the U.S. government in 1920.

 20 
Dick Button
(American Former Figure Skater, Skating Analyst and Two-Time Olympic Champion)
Dick Button
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 18, 1929
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 21 
Gordon Allport
(American Psychologist)
Gordon Allport
1
Birthdate: November 11, 1897
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Montezuma, Indiana, United States
Died: October 9, 1967
 22 
William Weld
(Lawyer)
William Weld
2
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: July 31, 1945
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Smithtown, New York, U.S.
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 23 
Nestor Carbonell
(Actor)
Nestor Carbonell
4
Birthdate: December 1, 1967
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 24 
Harry A. Blackmun
(Lawyer)
Harry A. Blackmun
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 12, 1908
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Nashville, Illinois Nashville, Illinois, United States U.S.
Died: March 4, 1999
 25 
Caspar Weinberger
(Politician)
Caspar Weinberger
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 18, 1917
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: March 28, 2006
 26 
John Quincy Adams
(6th President of United States (1825 - 1829))
John Quincy Adams
90
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 11, 1767
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Braintree, Massachusetts, United States
Died: February 23, 1848

The sixth president of the United States of America John Quincy Adams played a key role in shaping America during its formative years. He helped develop the Monroe Doctrine, which eventually became a vital tenet of the U.S. foreign policy. He is also widely regarded as one of the greatest secretaries of state and diplomats in the American history.

 27 
Terrence Malick
(Director, Screenwriter)
Terrence Malick
4
Birthdate: November 30, 1943
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ottawa, Illinois, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 28 
Amy Chua
(Lawyer)
Amy Chua
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 26, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Champaign, Illinois Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
 29 
Archibald Cox
(Former Solicitor General of the United States)
Archibald Cox
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 17, 1912
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
Died: May 29, 2004
 30 
Nicholas Kristof
(Journalist)
Nicholas Kristof
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 27, 1959
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
 31 
Robert Lowell
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 1, 1917
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: September 12, 1977
 32 
Tom Cotton
(Lawyer)
Tom Cotton
23
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 13, 1977
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dardanelle, Arkansas, U.S.
 33 
Horatio Alger
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 31, 1832
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States
Died: July 30, 1899
 34 
Richard Blumenthal
(Politician)
Richard Blumenthal
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 13, 1946
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
 35 
Charles Francis Adams Sr.
(Former United States Representative)
Charles Francis Adams Sr.
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 18, 1807
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: November 21, 1886

Charles Francis Adams Sr. was an American writer, historical editor, diplomat, and politician. He played a key role during the American Civil War, serving as the US Minister to the UK under Abraham Lincoln; he used his diplomacy to not recognize the Confederacy and keep the British government neutral. He is credited with building Adams National Historical Park.

 36 
Donald E. Graham
(Business executive)
Donald E. Graham
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: April 22, 1945
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: United States
 37 
Ulysses J. Lupien
(Businessman, Government official)
Ulysses J. Lupien
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: December 12, 1883
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Cochituate, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 15, 1965
 38 
Daniel Zelman
(Screenwriter and Director Who Created The FX Series 'Damages')
Daniel Zelman
3
Birthdate: June 16, 1967
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rye, New York, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 39 
Geraldine Brooks
(Journalist)
Geraldine Brooks
1
Birthdate: September 14, 1955
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
 40 
Catherine Herridge
(Author and Investigative Journalist)
Catherine Herridge
8
Birthdate: May 18, 1964
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Toronto, Canada

CBS News journalist Catherine Herridge has won multiple awards, such as the Tex McCracy Award, for investigative journalism and covered many international events such as the 9/11 attacks. She has also worked with FOX News and penned the book The Next Wave, which spoke about homegrown terrorism.

 41 
Elliott Carter
(Modermist Composer)
Elliott Carter
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 11, 1908
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: November 5, 2012
 42 
Thomas Hutchinson
(Businessman)
Thomas Hutchinson
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: September 9, 1711
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: British America
Died: June 3, 1780
 43 
Michael Lynton
(American Businessman and Chairman of 'Snap Inc')
Michael Lynton
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 1, 1960
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
 44 
William Labov
(American Linguist)
William Labov
0
Birthdate: December 4, 1927
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.
 45 
Kevin Curran
(Screenwriter)
Kevin Curran
0
Birthdate: February 27, 1957
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Died: October 25, 2016
 46 
Theodore H. White
(American Political Journalist and Historian)
Theodore H. White
0
Birthdate: May 6, 1915
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: May 15, 1986
 47 
Benjamin Thompson
(Physicist and Inventor)
Benjamin Thompson
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: March 26, 1753
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Woburn, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 21, 1814
 48 
Henry Hobson Richardson
0
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: September 29, 1838
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: St. James Parish, Louisiana, United States
Died: April 27, 1886

Architect Henry Hobson Richardson is best remembered for introducing what later came to be known as Richardsonian Romanesque. The great-grandson of scientist Joseph Priestley, he was educated at Harvard. Initially an aspiring civil engineer, he later drifted to architecture. His works included libraries, commercial buildings, and the Trinity Church.

 49 
Robert Treat Paine
(Founding Father of the United States)
Robert Treat Paine
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: March 11, 1731
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: May 11, 1814
 50 
Richard Theodore Greener
(Educator)
Richard Theodore Greener
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 30, 1844
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 2, 1922