Women
She refused to sit at the back of the bus and is known in the USA as "the first lady of civil rights".
Rosa Parks
He was the first black player in the NHL. He is from New Brunswick and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.
Willie O'Ree
An American Baptist minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the civil rights movement from 1954 until his assassination in 1968. He earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is known for his, "I Have a Dream" speech.
Martin Luther King Jr.
He is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time and has his name on a popular brand of shoes.
Michael Jordan
Convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government, he spent 27 years in jail. He served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalised racism
Nelson Mandela
In 1946 she challenged racial segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia by refusing to leave a whites-only area of the Roseland Theatre. She is now on the Canadian $10 bill.
Viola Desmond
He was the first black president of the USA.
Barack Obama
An American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a popular figure during the civil rights movement. He is best known for his controversial advocacy for the rights of blacks and was assassinated in 1965.
Malcolm X
His birth name is Eldrick and he has been awarded PGA (Professional Golf Association) Player of the Year a record eleven times.
Tiger Woods
Civil rights activist and clergyman who participated in civil rights demonstrations with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and has a long list of civil rights accomplishments.
Rev. Jesse Jackson
This famous talk show host is described as one of the most powerful and influential women in the world.
Oprah Winfrey
He was the first African American to play in Major League baseball. His number, 42, is retired by the league.
Jackie Robinson
A rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and was previously co-owner of Death Row Records.
Dr. Dre
This Jamaican sprinter wowed Olympic audiences and holds world records for the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay.
Usain Bolt
One of South Africa's most well-known human rights activists, winning the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in resolving and ending apartheid.
Desmond Tutu
Born Isabella Baumfree in 1797, she was an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. She escaped slavery with her infant daughter and found freedom in 1826.
Soujourner Truth
Born Clive Campbell, he is credited with helping originate hip hop music in The Bronx, New York City.
DJ Cool Herc
On March 3, 1991, this man was violently beaten by LAPD officers, which led to the Los Angeles riots in 1992.
Rodney King
An American track and field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist in the 1936 Games, infuriating Hitler with his dominant performances.
Jesse Owens
Born Cassius Clay, he was arguably the greatest boxer of all time. Citing his religious beliefs, he refused military induction and was stripped of his heavyweight championship and banned from boxing for three years during the prime of his career.
Muhammad Ali
An American author, actress, screenwriter, dancer, poet, and civil rights activist best known for her 1969 memoir, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings", which made literary history as the first nonfiction best-seller by an African-American woman.
Maya Angelou
A network of secret routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early to mid-19th century, and used by African-American slaves to escape into free states and Canada, with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause.
The Underground Railroad (not Railway!)
In 2012, this teenager was fatally shot by a neighborhood watch captain who was suspicious of him. His death sparked a national debate about racial profiling.
Trayvon Martin
This unsigned football player took a knee during the national anthem in protest of what he deems are wrongdoings against African Americans and minorities in the United States. He has not played since he knelt in 2016.
Colin Kaepernick (CAP-er-Nick)
An American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings in the 1800's.
Frederick Douglass