Émile Zola

Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism. He was a major figure in the political liberalization of France and in the exoneration of the falsely accused and convicted army officer Alfred Dreyfus, which is encapsulated in his renowned newspaper opinion headlined J'Accuse…!  Zola was nominated for the first and second Nobel Prize in Literature in 1901 and 1902.

2 April 1840

Born on the same birth day (2 April): Andris Biedriņš • Arthur Boka • Austin Riley • Dimitris Mitropanos • Donald Jackson (figure skater) • Emmylou Harris • Gelindo Bordin • J. C. Squire • Lionel Chevrier • Pablo Aguilar (footballer, born 1987) • Paquita la del Barrio • Remo D'Souza • Rodney King • Rory Sabbatini • Wilhelmine Reichard

Born in the same month (April 1840): Edward Whymper • Ghazaros Aghayan • Odilon Redon