1001 People Who Made America - Alan Axelrod [82]
Madison, Dolley (1768–1849) Dolley Payne married James Madison on September 15, 1794, and, when he became president of the United States in 1809, she took up what she saw as the duty of the chief executive’s wife: managing the social aspects of life at the White House. She was a valuable political asset to the Madison presidency, creating an atmosphere of great charm and warmth. She is also widely credited with introducing ice cream to America.
Madison, James (1751–1836) Madison may be the least well-known of the founding fathers of the United States. He was, however, a key creator of the Constitution and, with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, wrote The Federalist Papers, which were indispensable in securing ratification of the document. In the House of Representatives (under that new Constitution), Madison sponsored the Bill of Rights. A junior colleague of Thomas Jefferson, he served as his secretary of state and was instrumental in the Louisiana Purchase. His presidency (1809–1817) was marred by the War of 1812, during which Washington, D.C. was burned by the British, forcing Madison and his wife, Dolley, to flee.
Madonna (1958– ) Madonna—original name Madonna Louise Ciccone—began her entertainment career as a dancer, but by the beginning of the 1980s was singing elaborately produced pop songs focused on love and sex. She exploited her sexuality to fashion herself into a cultural and commercial icon who, for more than a decade, was unchallenged as the reigning queen of pop music. As skilled a businesswoman as she was an entertainer, Madonna gained extraordinary power and influence in the entertainment industry.
Mahan, Alfred Thayer (1840–1914) Although he was the son of a West Point professor, Mahan graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis (1859) and served as a naval officer for some 40 years. From 1886 to 1889, he was president of the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island, and lectured on sea power. His 1890 collection of lectures, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783, postulated that sea power was crucial throughout history in the attainment of national supremacy. This and his next book, The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793–1812 (1892), guided U.S. global military strategy during both world wars and helped to transform the nation into a major naval power.
Mailer, Norman (1923– ) Mailer burst onto the literary scene with his 1948 World War II novel The Naked and the Dead, for which he was hailed as “the next” Ernest Hemingway. Mailer produced a series of distinguished (if controversial) works of fiction following this debut, but his most important contribution to American literature and culture was his unique synthesis of journalism and fiction called the “New Journalism.” This journalistic/literary form used the aesthetic techniques of fiction to report on key events and personalities. His 1968 The Armies of the Night, which grew out of the Vietnam-era antiwar movement, was a breakthrough in this uniquely American genre.
Malamud, Bernard (1914–1986) Born in New York, Malamud was the son of Russian Jews and developed his writing career by creating parable-like chronicles of the Jewish immigrant experience. Although he was very successful as a novelist (especially with The Natural in 1952 and The Assistant in 1957), his masterpieces are his short stories, which employ an elegantly terse style to evoke great depth of character and meaning.
Malcolm X (1925–1965) Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little in Omaha and grew up in Lansing, Michigan, where white supremacists burned his house down and, later,