User:Maurreen copied this list from a version of the page on 24 Oct 2007. The names are still believed to be correct, as of 14 Feb 2010. But quality levels have changed.
Listing by field should help give us an idea of the breadth of the list.
This page has been developed by the Wikipedia:WikiProject Biography to be a list of the 200 most important biographies in WP as a way to have a work list of articles to improve. Any such list will be subjective and unlikely to find universal agreement.
For the time being, we are no longer accepting any suggestions to change the list.
Currently, this is being used as a worklist for the Version 1.0 Editorial Team. The live worklist can be found at Wikipedia:Version 1.0 Editorial Team/Biographies. It is essentially a work list for anyone who chooses to use it.
Lists by Charles Murray, from the book "Human Accomplishment: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences, 800 BC to 1950", compiled mathematically
For placement on this list, consider the following criteria.
Top - Must have had a large impact outside of their main discipline, across several generations, and in the majority of the world. For instance, Einstein, brilliant physicist, but his theories have affected people outside of physics and in many other countries besides his nation of origin and several generations. His ideas have changed the way people think. No member should give this rating to any biography without first getting Project approval from the other members.
For an understanding of how "Top" relates to potential lower-importance categories, keep this in mind, as it might help decide if a biography is really "Top" or "High," etc.:
High - Must have had a large impact in their main discipline, across a couple of generations. Had some impact outside their country of origin.
Mid - Important in their discipline
Low - A contributor to their discipline and is included in Wikipedia to expand depth of knowledge of other articles.
