![ZZ Top Perform At SSE Arena Wembley ZZ Top Perform At SSE Arena Wembley](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-478342684.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
By Kenneth Bachor and Denver Nicks
This weekend marks the National Beard and Moustache Championships in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Nov. 7, 2015. The stated purpose of the event? To “to find and honor the best facial hair in America,” of course.
To celebrate some of the most important facial hair throughout history, we compiled a list of the 25 most influential beards of all time. From musicians like ZZ Top to world leaders, each of the men on this list played a key role in shaping history, politics and culture.
![U.S. Presidential Portraits Abraham Lincoln](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-803398.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![ZZ Top Perform At SSE Arena Wembley ZZ Top Perform At SSE Arena Wembley](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-478342684.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
!["The Expendables 2" - Los Angeles Premiere Chuck Norris](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-150333346.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Celebrity Sightings In New York City - June 09, 2015 Mr. T](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-476468570.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![New Line Cinema's "Lord Of The Rings" Gets 13 Oscar Nominations Gandalf](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-80417015.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon - Season 2 Zach Galifianakis](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-457173334.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Fidel Castro - Revolutionary, Politician, Cuba*13.08.1926-adressing- 1960ies Fidel Castro](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-541531141.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo da Vinci](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-537161629.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The Tonight Show with Jay Leno Billy Mays](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-140316798.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![The Saviour blessing, 1419, by a Tuscan artist, tempera and gold on wood. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images) Jesus](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-148278146.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Karl Marx (1818-1883), philosopher and German poli Karl Marx](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-56215603.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Annenberg Foundation And KCRW's 'Sound In Focus' Concert Series, With TV On The Radio And Boxed In Kyp Malone TV on the Radio](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-481989546.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Photo of Jerry Garcia Jerry Garcia](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-74287733.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Childhood Hunger Jeff Bridges](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-494684508.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Santa Claus Santa Claus](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-3066523.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Claude Monet, Maler, Frankreich Claude Monet](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-545350263.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit - Portraits, October 7, 2015 Rick Rubin](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-493000934.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Brigham Young - US Mormon leader and founder of Salt Lake City in Utah. Brigham Young](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-171093381.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Foo Fighters' Sonic Highway World Tour At The Forum Dave Grohl](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-489511604.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Rock On The Range 2015 - Day 3 Anthrax Scott Ian](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-473776816.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Rock im Park 2014 Slayer Kerry King](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/ap_345600079701.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![TIME Person Of The Year Lunch Mario Batali](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-131950636.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![An undated recent file picture of Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-51406700.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Alaska Presser Don Young](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-462294514.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
![Walt Whitman Walt Whitman](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/gettyimages-158375830.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
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