Melvin Herbert King was an American politician, community organizer, and educator best known for being the first Black mayoral finalist in Boston’s history, receiving a strong 20 percent of the ballots cast by white voters. King attended Claflin University in Orangeburg, where he was captain of the football team graduating in 1951 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a year later received a master’s in education from Boston Teachers College. He taught at two local high schools before bec... moreMelvin Herbert King was an American politician, community organizer, and educator best known for being the first Black mayoral finalist in Boston’s history, receiving a strong 20 percent of the ballots cast by white voters. King attended Claflin University in Orangeburg, where he was captain of the football team graduating in 1951 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a year later received a master’s in education from Boston Teachers College. He taught at two local high schools before becoming a social worker. King was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1973 to 1982, where he led the passage of laws creating nonprofit agencies that helped finance and renovate substantial amounts of affordable housing. For that he was referred to as the father of affordable housing in Boston. King taught urban studies and planning department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1970 to 1996. In 1997, he created the South End Technology Center at Tent City, which offers community residents free or low-cost training in computer technology. On top of that, King founded the Rainbow Coalition Party in Massachusetts. He authored Chain of Change: Struggles for Black Community Development and in 2021 an intersection in Boston's South End was named the "Melvin H. 'Mel' King Square" in his honor.
Randall Robinson was an American lawyer, author and activist best known for his Anti-Apartheid stance and for championing the payment of reparations for the descendants of slaves. Robinson attended Norfolk State College on a basketball scholarship and subsequently graduated from Harvard Law School. After graduation he became a civil rights attorney in Boston before working for U.S. Congressman Bill Clay in 1975 and as administrative assistant to Congressman Charles Diggs the following year. In ... moreRandall Robinson was an American lawyer, author and activist best known for his Anti-Apartheid stance and for championing the payment of reparations for the descendants of slaves. Robinson attended Norfolk State College on a basketball scholarship and subsequently graduated from Harvard Law School. After graduation he became a civil rights attorney in Boston before working for U.S. Congressman Bill Clay in 1975 and as administrative assistant to Congressman Charles Diggs the following year. In 1977 he founded the, TransAfrica Forum an advocacy organization that sought to influence the foreign policy of the United States concerning African and Caribbean countries. Robinson was involved in sit-ins, hunger strikes and other protests as the president of the lobbying and research organization TransAfrica, as a founder of the Free South Africa Movement and on behalf of Haitian refugees. In 2001, he authored the book The Debt: What America Owes To Black's. Soon after he emigrated to St. Kitts with his wife because of his antipathy towards America's domestic policies and foreign policy, both of which he believed exploit minorities and the poor.
Judith Ellen Heumann was an American disability rights activist best known for spending decades of her life attacking a political establishment indifferent to the rights of disabled people, which led to the development of human rights legislation and policies benefiting children and adults with disabilities.
Heumann was not born disabled but she contracted polio at 18 months, which confined her to the wheelchair for the rest of her life. Growing up she faced discrimination in public schools wh... moreJudith Ellen Heumann was an American disability rights activist best known for spending decades of her life attacking a political establishment indifferent to the rights of disabled people, which led to the development of human rights legislation and policies benefiting children and adults with disabilities.
Heumann was not born disabled but she contracted polio at 18 months, which confined her to the wheelchair for the rest of her life. Growing up she faced discrimination in public schools who did not admit her because of her disability. She first became an advocate for the disabled in 1970, when she tried to become a New York City teacher. In spite of having passed every requirement except a physical, she was denied a position because of her disability. She went ahead and sued the city and won becoming New York City’s first teacher in a wheelchair. Heumann went on to become a lifelong civil rights advocate for people with disabilities, she worked with governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profits, and various other disability interest groups to produce stellar results. She founded founded Disabled in Action (DIA), an organization that focused on securing the protection of people with disabilities through political protest. She worked with a lot of foundations and organizations like the World Bank and helped develop Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. She was also a recipient of numerous awards for her activism.
Betty Lee Sung was an American activist, author, and professor at City University of New York( CUNY). She was the founding professor of Asian American Studies program focusing on Asian diaspora at CUNY. She was also the author of nine books. Sung was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Chinese immigrant parents who left their country after the Japanese invasion. She credits her interest in the history of Chinese Americans to have been shaped by her own experience as a child of Chinese immigrant paren... moreBetty Lee Sung was an American activist, author, and professor at City University of New York( CUNY). She was the founding professor of Asian American Studies program focusing on Asian diaspora at CUNY. She was also the author of nine books. Sung was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Chinese immigrant parents who left their country after the Japanese invasion. She credits her interest in the history of Chinese Americans to have been shaped by her own experience as a child of Chinese immigrant parents. After her divorce from her her first husband Hsi Yuan Sung in 1966, she moved to New York. She started working as a script writer for the Voice of America. It is during her time there that inspired her first book Mountain of Gold: The Story of the Chinese in America, to correct inaccurate and often stereotypical assumptions about Chinese culture viewed by American culture. After publishing Mountain of Gold, Sung was invited to join the Asian American Studies program at The City College of New York. She advanced to the Chair of the Department of Asian Studies. She held this position from 1970 until her retirement in 1992.
Adolfo or Adolphe Kaminsky was an Argentine-born member of the French Resistance, specializing in the forgery of identity documents. He was regarded as the world's best forger creating documents that saved tens of thousands of Jews from the Nazis, spies and freedom fighters. What is so incredible about this is he did it for free, he was a forger and counterfeiter for purely humanitarian reasons. Kaminsky was born in Argentina and when he was 7 years old he and his family moved to Paris. During h... moreAdolfo or Adolphe Kaminsky was an Argentine-born member of the French Resistance, specializing in the forgery of identity documents. He was regarded as the world's best forger creating documents that saved tens of thousands of Jews from the Nazis, spies and freedom fighters. What is so incredible about this is he did it for free, he was a forger and counterfeiter for purely humanitarian reasons. Kaminsky was born in Argentina and when he was 7 years old he and his family moved to Paris. During his early teens Kaminsky worked in a dye shop and was fascinated with colorants and chemistry. At 18 he forged his first passport and joined the Resistance and at 20 he was aiding French secret agents who sought to go to German in search of concentration camps. From the 1960s he assisted various leftist movements from Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia, Perú, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Saint-Domingue, Haiti). Africa (Guinea-Bissau, Angola, South Africa) and from Portugal (then under Salazar's dictatorship) and Francoist Spain. Jacques Falck made a documentary film about his life titled Forging Identity. His daughter Sarah also wrote a biography of her father titled Adolfo Kaminsky.
Charlene Alexander Mitchell was an American international socialist, feminist, labor and civil rights activist. She was the first black woman to run for president as a Communist party candidate in 1968. She was well known for her activism work like leading the activism campaign to free Angela Davis. Mitchell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At 16 she joined the Communist party and also joined the youth branch called American Youth for Democracy when she was 13. She started her activism work in the ... moreCharlene Alexander Mitchell was an American international socialist, feminist, labor and civil rights activist. She was the first black woman to run for president as a Communist party candidate in 1968. She was well known for her activism work like leading the activism campaign to free Angela Davis. Mitchell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. At 16 she joined the Communist party and also joined the youth branch called American Youth for Democracy when she was 13. She started her activism work in the 1940s, participating in sit ins protests at a movie theater. She attended Herzl Junior College in Chicago. In the 1970s after Angela Davis's campaign and release, Mitchell founded the National Alliance Racist and Political Repression. She went on to campaign on the behalf of defenses for Joan Little and the Wilmington Ten. She also focused her campaigns on anti apartheid and visited Nelson Mandela in prison. James Baldwin often referred to Mitchell as the Joan of Arc of Harlem because she dared to utter the unspeakable truth to power.
Cecilia Suyat Marshal was an American civil rights activist and historian. She was married to Thurgood Marshall the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice. She attended the University of Columbia to become a stenographer but ended up becoming the private secretary of Dr Gloster B Current the head of NAACP from 1948 to 1955. She participated in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case. Marshall’s life is featured in the National Museum of African American History and Culture at th... moreCecilia Suyat Marshal was an American civil rights activist and historian. She was married to Thurgood Marshall the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice. She attended the University of Columbia to become a stenographer but ended up becoming the private secretary of Dr Gloster B Current the head of NAACP from 1948 to 1955. She participated in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case. Marshall’s life is featured in the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian. She was recorded by the Library Congress regarding her experience with the civil rights in the United States. Suyat spent her life preserving history and fighting for civil rights, she gave oral history interview for the Library of Congress. She attended the opening of a new school building for the Thurgood Marshall Academy for Learning and Social Change in New York City’s Harlem neighbourhood in 2004.
Born in Pununene, Maui in Hawaii, she started to work for the NAACP in Washington when she moved to New York to live with her uncle and aunt. Suyat is mother to John W Marshall a former Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and former U.S Marshals Service Director.
Hebe Maria Pastor de Bonafini was an Argentine activist and founder of Mothers of Piazza di Maggio an association that has been fighting for the rights of people who disappeared during the civic-millitary dictatorship, and their families. The association was founded in 1979 and since then up to the time of her death Bonafini was the president of the association. She demanded all of the forced disappearances to be counted including her sons and in 1982 she organised a March of resistance along A... moreHebe Maria Pastor de Bonafini was an Argentine activist and founder of Mothers of Piazza di Maggio an association that has been fighting for the rights of people who disappeared during the civic-millitary dictatorship, and their families. The association was founded in 1979 and since then up to the time of her death Bonafini was the president of the association. She demanded all of the forced disappearances to be counted including her sons and in 1982 she organised a March of resistance along Avenida de Mayo, making it the first time the group was joined and had support from crowds of sympathizers. She defended human rights and spoke out against it in Argentina and around the world, gaining international recognition. She received numerous awards for her work including the 1999 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education.
Bao Tong was Chinese writer and activist, who was a Director of the Office of Political Reform of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Policy Secretary of Zhao Ziyang. Tong was also director of the Drafting Committee of for the CCP 13th party which was known for its strong support of market reform and opening under Deng Xiapong. He wrote articles and he also appealed for the restoration of civil and political rights of Zhao Ziyang from 1998 until Zhao’s death. He wa... moreBao Tong was Chinese writer and activist, who was a Director of the Office of Political Reform of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Policy Secretary of Zhao Ziyang. Tong was also director of the Drafting Committee of for the CCP 13th party which was known for its strong support of market reform and opening under Deng Xiapong. He wrote articles and he also appealed for the restoration of civil and political rights of Zhao Ziyang from 1998 until Zhao’s death. He was once arrested and followed everywhere under the watch of government. He was not allowed visitors or to the leave the country because he kept criticizing his government and its politics.
Bao's wife was a victim of attacks by some plainclothes security agent when they attempted to attend Zhao Ziyang’s funeral. Tong died in Beijing at the age of 90. His cause of death being myelodysplastic syndrome.
Nafis Sadik was a Pakistan human rights activist and an obstetrician, who led groundbreaking effect to put women rights at the heart of the global population debate. The focused and selfless Nafis was appointed as U.N population fund assistant executive director in 1977 and 10 years later became the first woman to lead a major U.N agency as an Executive director. Nafis was known as the proud “Champion of Choice” and tireless advocate for women’s health, rights, and empowerment.
She earned her ... moreNafis Sadik was a Pakistan human rights activist and an obstetrician, who led groundbreaking effect to put women rights at the heart of the global population debate. The focused and selfless Nafis was appointed as U.N population fund assistant executive director in 1977 and 10 years later became the first woman to lead a major U.N agency as an Executive director. Nafis was known as the proud “Champion of Choice” and tireless advocate for women’s health, rights, and empowerment.
She earned her medical degree at Dow Medical College in Karachi Pakistan. Nafis worked as an intern at Baltimore, Maryland City Hospital practicing gynecology and obstetrics and she managed to study at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine completing her studies, and she furthered her studies to becoming a research fellow in physiology at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario (Canada). Nafis has been renowned for having written opinion essays regarding to how women should have control over their rights to conceive children. Everything she invested her time in was to ensure women are free and empower them in a world and society that oppress, constrain, force, and make them feel inferior.
She retired from the U.N in 2000 and in November 2003 Dr Sadik was appointed a member of the U.N Secretary- General’s High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. This did not stop her career from growing, she went on to become more and more all serving the people as she had vowed to herself when she was a teenager.
Mya Thwe Thwe Khaing was a 19 year-old political activist who was brutally executed by riot police during a significant protest in the Burmese capital of Naypyidaw. Her tragic death was the first known fatality in the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, galvanizing anti-coup demonstrators. Just days before her 20th birthday, the young woman was hiding under a bus shelter, taking cover from water cannons, when officers ruthlessly fired a shot into her head. The incident was caught on camera. Although K... moreMya Thwe Thwe Khaing was a 19 year-old political activist who was brutally executed by riot police during a significant protest in the Burmese capital of Naypyidaw. Her tragic death was the first known fatality in the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, galvanizing anti-coup demonstrators. Just days before her 20th birthday, the young woman was hiding under a bus shelter, taking cover from water cannons, when officers ruthlessly fired a shot into her head. The incident was caught on camera. Although Khaing survived, her brain was rendered functionless, and doctors advised taking her off of life support. Days later, she passed, as political tensions heightened. Her sister, Mya Thado New, used media outlets to urge citizens to “uproot the military dictatorship”. Several thousands of protestors attended Mya’s funeral. Her photos were used to draw worldwide attention to the dangerous and controversial political environment that erupted in this Southeast Asian nation.
Robert Sam Anson was a renowned American journalist, author, and seasoned editor who will be greatly remembered as a contributing editor to Vanity Fair for over 20 years. Robert was known for his immersive stories about ex-presidents, social change and conflict, including his own captivity by North Vietnamese forces in Cambodia, He authored about six Non-fiction books and other American magazines. Anson's grandfather, Sam B. Anson, was also a renowned media personality in the city's journalism i... moreRobert Sam Anson was a renowned American journalist, author, and seasoned editor who will be greatly remembered as a contributing editor to Vanity Fair for over 20 years. Robert was known for his immersive stories about ex-presidents, social change and conflict, including his own captivity by North Vietnamese forces in Cambodia, He authored about six Non-fiction books and other American magazines. Anson's grandfather, Sam B. Anson, was also a renowned media personality in the city's journalism industry, and also worked as an editor and publisher of many local daily newspapers. Robert Anson started writing for Time as a student and was employed full-time after his graduation. Anson covered the Vietnam War for Time two years after graduating and remained in captivity for three weeks after becoming a North Vietnamese troops prisoner on August 3, 1970. He convinced his captors that he was a journalist, which saved him from execution, and discoveries after 15 years showed that Pope Paul VI had appealed to the Cambodian authorities to secure Anson's release. One of Anson's earliest tasks was to cover boxer Joe Frazier. Fellow editor Chris Byron recounted how Anson broke his leg or dislocated his shoulder when he got into the ring with Frazier. Anson overcame a bout of cancer and became involved at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Visible Ink writing program. He died of complications from dementia on November 2, 2020, in New York at 75.
