5) Bayard Rustin Civil Rights Activist and LGBT+ Icon Born: 17 March 1912, West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States of America Died: 24 August 1978, Manhattan, New York, United States of America Civil Rights Icon who is now also remembered as an LGBT+ Icon. He designed the March on Washington and many other Civil Rights activities…
4) Paul Rusesabinga Human Rights Activist in his native Rwanda Born: 15 June 1954, Ruanda-Urundi (Present-day Rwanda and Burundi) Paul is a Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient for his heroic actions in saving 1,268 refugees during the Rwandan Genocide. He was able to do so because at the time (in 1994) he was the manager…
4) Hertha Ayrton Inventor and Electrical Engineer Born: 28 April 1854, Portsea, United Kingdom Died: 23 August 1923, Lancing, United Kingdom Inventor and scientist who became the first woman to ever be proposed as a fellow to the Royal Society (in 1902). She was denied on the basis that she was a married woman and…
3: Specialist Fourth Class Joseph LaPointe Jr Medal of Honor Recipient and Conscientious Objector Born: 2 July 1948, Dayton, Ohio Died: 2 June 1969, Vietnam He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam. Joseph enlisted as a Conscientious Objector in 1968 and served as a medic. When he was stationed…
“The Analytical Engine weaves algebraic patterns just as the Jacquard-loom weaves flowers and leaves.” 3) Ada, Countess of Lovelace Computer Programmer Who Lived Nearly 100 Years Before Computers Were Actually Invented Born: 10 December 1815, London, United Kingdom Died: 27 November 1852, London, United Kingdom Computer programmer and daughter of famed poet Lord Byron (Ada…
2) Corporal Thomas Bennett Conscientious Objector and Medal of Honor Recipient Born: 7 April 1947, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States of America Died: 11 February 1969, Pleiku, Vietnam The Second Conscientious Objector to receive the Medal of Honor. He enlisted into the Army in 1968 as a Conscientious Objector. Because he was raised Baptist, Thomas…
“The world has used me so unkindly, I fear it has made me suspicious of everyone.” 2) Mary Anning Paleontologist and Fossil Collector Born: 21 May 1799, Lyme Regis, United Kingdom Died: 9 March 1847, Lyme Regis, United Kingdom Growing up her family survived in part by selling fossils they collected from the cliffs near…
1: Private First Class Desmond Doss The First Conscientious Objector to be Awarded the Medal of Honor Born: 7 February 1919, Lynchburg, Virginia, United States of America Died: 23 March 2006, Piedmont, Alabama, United States of America For a year, I only had my women’s list of people to remember from history. That all changed…
1: Hypatia of Alexandria The Woman who Inspired it All Birth Date Unknown, Most Likely Alexandria, Roman-Controlled Egypt (Present-day Alexandria, Egypt) Died: March 415 AD, Alexandria, Roman-Controlled Egypt (Present-day Alexandria, Egypt) Hypatia is the woman who inspired this entire project. In 2015, I sat down to watch “Alexandria the Greatest City”; a documentary hosted by Bettany…