Nobel Prize Winners

The Nobel Foundation has given out this many prizes since 1901. A record number of names were submitted for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. Each winner receives a diploma, a medal (pictures) and a pretty big cash award. The last prize was added in 1968. In honor of the prizes that will be handed out this week, (which one will be awarded at a later date?) we take a look at the award's namesake and some memorable winners.

Alfred Nobel

The pacifist inventor - sometimes known by this nickname - established the Nobel Prizes in his will in 1895. (What did he invent?) He died a year later.

Curie family

Marie Curie who holds this esteemed distinction, her husband, their daughter and even their son-in-law each won a Nobel Prize in physics and/or chemistry.

Lawrence Bragg

The Australian scientist became the youngest winner in 1915 when he won this Nobel Prize along with this relative for their work in this field.

Albert Einstein

The German-born physicist finally won the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics for this research, not his most popular work.

Sir Winston Churchill

Many think the British prime minister won the 1953 Nobel Peace Prize (who won it?), but he actually was awarded this prize.

Martin Luther King. Jr.

The civil rights leader had given his most powerful speech the year before he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964.

Henry A. Kissinger and Le Duc Tho

The U.S. Secretary of State and the North Vietnamese politician were awarded the 1973 Peace Prize for their roles in this agreement. Le Duc Tho declined his prize.

Mother Teresa

The Catholic nun won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her work with impoverished people in the slums of this city.

Toni Morrison

The "Beloved" author became the first black woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1993.

President Jimmy Carter

The former president - who was recently hospitalized - won the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for these efforts since leaving the White House.

Leonid Hurwicz

The then 90-year-old Russian-born economist earned this distinction when he was awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in economic sciences for his work in this field

President Barack Obama

The first African-American president - who had been in office less than a year - won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize and it caused some controversy.