E. B. Tylor ( 2 October 1832 – 2 January 1917 ) and James George Frazer ( 1 January 1854 – 7 May 1941 ) are generally considered the antecedents to modern social anthropology in Britain.

* Robert E. Cox ( 1917 – 1989 ) who conducted the " Gleanings for ATMs " column in Sky and Telescope magazine for 21 years.

* 1917 – World War I: The United States declares war on Germany ( see President Woodrow Wilson's address to Congress ).

* 1849 – John William Waterhouse, British painter ( d. 1917 )

* 1917 – Leonora Carrington, British surrealist painter ( d. 2011 )

* 1917 – World War I: Canadian forces successfully complete the taking of Vimy Ridge from the Germans.

* 1917 – Helen Forrest, American singer ( d. 1999 )

* 1877 – Léon Flameng, French cyclist ( d. 1917 )

* 1917 – Peanuts Lowrey, American baseball player ( d. 1986 )

* 1917 – World War I: Battle of Mărăşeşti between the Romanian and German armies begins.

* 1917 – Robert Mitchum, American actor ( d. 1997 )

Category: Corresponding Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences ( 1917 – 1925 )

* 1917 – Sid Gordon, American baseball player ( d. 1975 )

* 1917 – Scott Joplin, American musician and composer ( b. 1868 )

Eastern European theorists include Pyotr Stolypin ( 1862 – 1911 ) and Alexander Chayanov ( 1888 – 1939 ) in Russia ; Adolph Wagner ( 1835 – 1917 ), and Karl Oldenberg in Germany, and Bolesław Limanowski ( 1835 – 1935 ) in Poland.

* 1917 – Les Elgart, American trumpet player and bandleader ( d. 1995 )

* 1917 – Ferdinand Georg Frobenius, German mathematician ( b. 1849 )

Bloch was highly interdisciplinary, influenced by the geography of Paul Vidal de la Blache ( 1845 – 1918 ) and the sociology of Émile Durkheim ( 1858 – 1917 ).

* 1860 – Alan Leo, English astrologer ( d. 1917 )

* 1876 – Mata Hari, Dutch spy ( d. 1917 )

* 1917 – Jack Lynch, Irish politician ( d. 1999 )

* 1917 – Jack Karnehm, English sportscaster ( d. 2002 )

* 1917 – Jack Moroney, Australian cricketer ( d. 1999 )

Jack Kirby ( August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994 ), born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium.

Jack Kirby was born Jacob Kurtzberg on August 28, 1917, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, where he was raised.

In 1916 – 1917 he participated in exhibitions of the Jack of Diamonds group in Moscow together with Nathan Altman, David Burliuk and A. Ekster, among others.

* 1999 – Jack Lynch, Taoiseach of Ireland ( b. 1917 )

After the Russian Revolution of 1917 he edited several journals, lectured on writing, and edited Russian translations of works by Jack London, O. Henry, H. G. Wells, and others.

* October 20 – Jack Lynch, Taoiseach of Ireland ( b. 1917 )

* January 11 – Jack Soo, Japanese-American actor ( b. 1917 )

* July 22 – Jack Lescoulie, American actor ( b. 1917 )

In 1917, the band made the first appearance of a jazz band in a motion picture, a silent movie entitled, The Good for Nothing ( 1917 ), directed by Carlyle Blackwell, who also played the lead role as Jack Burkshaw.

In 1917, Jack was sent to Los Angeles to open another film exchange company.

* Jack C. Montgomery-( 1917 – 2002 ) was a United States Army officer who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during World War II

John Mary " Jack " Lynch ( 15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999 ) was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office ; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979.

Jack Kennedy is a common popular reference to John F. Kennedy ( 1917 – 1963 ), 35th President of the United States.

* Jack Beale ( 1917 – 2006 ), Australian politician

" Black Jack " Pershing in May 1917 ; Pershing remained in command for the entire war.

Baker made the following G & S recordings with HMV: 1917 The Mikado ( Ko-Ko, Pish-Tush ( part ), and Pooh-Bah ( part )), 1919 The Gondoliers ( Antonio, Don Alhambra ( part ), Duke of Plaza-Toro and Giuseppe ); 1920 The Yeomen of the Guard ( Jack Point and Sergeant Meryll ( part )); 1920 The Pirates of Penzance ( Major-General Stanley ); 1921 Patience ( Bunthorne and Major ); and 1922 Iolanthe ( Lord Chancellor ).

* John Shiel ( born 1917 ) footballer, known as Jack Shiel, oldest surviving Newcastle player

* Jack Robertson ( 1917 – 1996 ), cricketer who played for Middlesex and England

* The series of fights between Ted " Kid " Lewis and Jack Britton continues with Britton taking the World Welterweight Championship into 1917.

* Tom Thomson: Jack Pine ( 1917 )