Politicians
Who is Winston Churchhill?
A Baptist minister and civil rights activist who had a seismic impact on race relations in the United States, beginning in the mid-1950s. He headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Through his nonviolent activism and inspirational speeches, he played a pivotal role in ending legal segregation of Black Americans as well as the creation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, among several other honors, before his assassination at the age of 39.
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
A Swedish environmental activist who works to address the problem of climate change. In 2018 she founded a movement known as Fridays for Future (also called School Strike for Climate).
Who is Greta Thunberg?
A Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the master of Chinese sages, as well as the first teacher in China to advocate mass education.
Who is Confucious?
Her philanthropy and activism focus on mental health awareness and LGBTQ rights. She has her own non-profit organization, the Born This Way Foundation, which supports the wellness of young people.
Who is Lady Gaga?
First American president, commander of the Continental Army, president of the Constitutional Convention, and farmer. He did not want to be a king like the one they'd just fought, so he set the precedent for a two-term limit on the presidency.
Who is George Washington?
An American civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her seat on a public bus precipitated the 1955–56 Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama, which became the spark that ignited the civil rights movement in the United States. She is known as the “mother of the civil rights movement.”
Who is Rosa Parks?
She went to Tanzania in 1960 to study wild chimpanzees. She immersed herself in their lives, bypassing more rigid procedures to make discoveries about primate behavior that have continued to shape scientific discourse. A highly respected member of the world scientific community, she advocates for ecological preservation.
Who is Jane Goodall?
The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism and an influential figure promoting peace, compassion, and mindfulness.
Who is the Dahli Lama?
She’s just finished the highest-grossing music tour in history; she’s won 14 Grammy Awards; she holds the record for the most albums to debut at number one consecutively (beating Elvis Presley) and has the record for the most number one albums by a woman in history. She’s also used her fame to address political and social issues, like LGBTQ+ rights and voter registration in the US.
Who is Taylor Swift?
Became Britain's Conservative Party leader and in 1979 was elected prime minister, the first woman to hold the position. During her three terms, she cut social welfare programs, reduced trade union power and privatized certain industries. She resigned in 1990 due to unpopular policy and power struggles in her party. She died on April 8, 2013, at age 87.
Who is Margaret Thatcher?
An American lawyer who was appointed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1967. He was the first African American to hold the position and served for 24 years, until 1991. In 1954, he won the Brown v. Board of Education case, in which the Supreme Court ended racial segregation in public schools.
Who is Thurgood Marshall?
Though he was a known big-game hunter, he was one of the most active champions of wilderness preservation in history. As governor of New York, he outlawed the use of feathers as clothing adornment in order to prevent the slaughter of birds. While president (1901–1909), he set aside hundreds of millions of wilderness acres, actively pursued soil and water conservation, and created more than 200 national forests, national monuments, national parks, bird sanctuaries, and wildlife refuges.
Who is Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt?
An American evangelist whose large-scale preaching missions, known as crusades, and friendship with numerous U.S. presidents brought him to international prominence.
Who is Billy Graham?
They created the Clooney Foundation for Justice to combat the growing number of journalists and defenders of democracy being detained, prosecuted, and jailed. Their work supports women and girls, LGBTQ+ people, and individuals subject to unfair laws and targeted for abuse.
Who are George and Amal Clooney?
The 16th president of the United States. He served from 1861 to 1865, and guided the Union through the Civil War. His eloquent support of democracy and insistence that the Union was worth saving embody the ideals of self-government that all nations strive to achieve. In 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves across the Confederacy.
Who is Abraham Lincoln?
A minister, civil rights activist, and prominent Black nationalist leader who served as a spokesman for the Nation of Islam during the 1950s and 1960s. A naturally gifted speaker, Malcolm X encouraged Black people to cast off the shackles of racism “by any means necessary,” including violence.
Who is Malcolm X?
An Australian wildlife conservationist, television personality, and educator who achieved worldwide fame as the exuberant host of The Crocodile Hunter (1992–2006) television series and related documentaries. Although sometimes criticized for disturbing wildlife unnecessarily or for indulging in showmanship, he claimed that his risk-taking style helped to raise concern for threatened but dangerous animals and enabled viewers to appreciate directly their power, beauty, and uniqueness.
Who is Steve Irwin?
A German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and Augustinian friar. He was the father of the Protestant Reformation, and his theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western and Christian history.
Who is Martin Luther?
He earned worldwide stardom after starring in James Cameron’s 1997 epic drama Titanic and has become one of Hollywood’s most successful leading men. He wrote, narrated, and produced an environmental documentary called The 11th Hour and was heavily involved in the production of the 2016 documentary Before the Flood, about climate change. He has also served on the boards of the World Wildlife Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
Who is Leonardo DiCaprio?
Became South Africa’s first Black president from 1994 to 1999. After becoming involved in the anti-apartheid movement in his 20s, he joined the African National Congress in 1942. For 20 years, he directed a campaign of peaceful, nonviolent defiance against the South African government and its racist policies.
Who is Nelson Mandela?
A scholar and an activist, he became the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1895. He co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909.
Who is WEB Du Bois?
Received a Ph.D. in 1971, effectively becoming the first woman in either East or Central Africa to earn a doctorate. She was elected to Kenya's National Assembly in 2002 and has written several books and scholarly articles. She won the Nobel Peace Prize for her "holistic approach to sustainable development that embraces democracy, human rights, and women's rights in particular."
Who is Wangarĩ Maathai?
Has served as the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church since March 2013. Named Person of the Year by Time magazine in 2013, Pope Francis’ tenure has been characterized by humility and outspoken support of the world’s poor and marginalized people. He has also advocated in areas of political diplomacy and for environmentalism.
Who is Pope Francis?
She has had a long and successful career as a British actor, from Hermione in the “Harry Potter” film series to Sam in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” By her mid-20s, she was already seeking a greater purpose in activism with involvement in promoting girls’ education and humanitarian efforts throughout Zambia and Bangladesh. In July 2014, she became the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador to continue her passion for empowering young women and gender equality.
Who is Emma Watson?