Transcript from 1877 to Present

William McKinley
(1843 – 1901)
The 25th President of the United States.
McKinley led the nation to victory in
the Spanish–American War, raised
protective tariffs to promote American
industry, and maintained the nation on
the gold standard in a rejection of
inflationary proposals. McKinley was
assassinated by Leon Czolgosz, a
second-generation Polish-American
with anarchist leanings, in 1901, and
was succeeded by Vice President
Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt
(1858 –1919)
Passed the Sherman Antitrust
Act to regulate unfair business
practices. Began construction
of the Panama Canal. Settled a
coal strike. Nobel Peace Prize
winner. Colonel of the Rough
Riders in the Spanish-American
War. Created the National Park
Service, providing federal
protection for millions of acres.
William H. Taft
(1857 –1930)
27th President of
the United States
and later the tenth
Chief Justice of the
United States. Taft
reduced delays and
streamlined
operations in the
justice system.
Woodrow Wilson
(1856 –1924)
28th president of the United
States. He saw America
through World War I, and
negotiated the Versailles
Treaty. Many parts of his
Fourteen Point Plan were
part of the treaty, including a
League of Nations, a precursor
to the United Nations. He suffered a stroke during
the last year of his presidency. Left sweeping reforms
for the middle class, voting rights for women and
precepts for world peace as his legacy.
Warren G. Harding
(1865 – 1923)
The 29th President of the United States. He
promised America a "return to normalcy",
with an end to violence and radicalism, a
strong economy, and independence from
European intrigues. He rewarded his friends
and contributors, known as the Ohio Gang,
with powerful positions. Multiple cases of
corruption were exposed, including the
notorious Teapot Dome scandal, once
regarded as the "greatest and most
sensational scandal in the history of
American politics.“ In 1923, Harding
suddenly collapsed and died in California.
Calvin Coolidge
(1872 – 1933)
The 30th President of the United
States. Coolidge restored public
confidence in the White House after
the scandals of the Harding
administration. As a Coolidge
biographer put it, "He embodied the
spirit and hopes of the middle
class.” He gained a reputation as a
small-government conservative, &
also as a man who said very little.
Some later criticized Coolidge as part of a general
criticism of laissez-faire government.
Herbert Hoover
(1874 —1964)
The 31st president of the
United States, whose term
was notably marked by the
stock market crash of 1929
and the beginnings of the
Great Depression. He was
elected just eight months
before the stock market
crash. Hoover’s policies could not overcome the
economic destruction and despair that resulted.
John F. Kennedy
(1917 –1963)
1) 35th U.S. president,
2) Defeated Richard Nixon in
1960 election
3) Negotiated the Nuclear
Test-Ban Treaty
4) Initiated the Alliance for
Progress.
5) Created the Peace Corps
6) Authorized the Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba
7) Presided over the Cuban Missile Crisis
8) Assassinated in 1963.
Lyndon B. Johnson
(1908-1973)
Often referred to as LBJ
36th President of the U.S.
Domestic policy –“Great Society.”
Signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
allowed him to commit U.S.
troops to Vietnam.
The Economic Opportunity Act established the
Office of Economic Opportunity which became
the foundation of the "War on Poverty."
Richard Nixon
(1913 –1994)
1) 37th U.S. president
2) Successfully negotiated the
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
3) Achieved détente with China and
the Soviet Union.
4) Reduced trade restrictions
against China
5) Traveled to China for talks with Mao Zedong
6) Expanded the Vietnam War into Laos & Cambodia
7) Negotiated U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam
8) Only president to resign after the 1970s Watergate
scandal.
Jimmy Carter
(1924 – Present)
39th President of the
United States.
Negotiated the Camp
David Accords, a peace
agreement between
Israel and Egypt.
Iran Hostage Crisis
Created the Departments of
Energy and Education
Ronald Reagan
(1911 –2004)
40th President of the United
States. Implemented policies to
reduce government, including tax
cuts intended to spur growth known
as "supply-side economics“ or
“Reaganomics During his terms,
the Berlin Wall fell and communism ended in
Eastern Europe. He sent 800 U.S. Marines to
Lebanon and ordered U.S. invasion of Grenada.
Iran-Contra Affair involved selling weapons to Iran
then using money from the weapons sale to buy
guns for the "Contra" guerrillas in Nicaragua.
George Bush Sr.
(1924 – Present)
41st President of
the United States.
First Gulf War
Broke a campaign
promise not to
increase taxes to
deal with an
economic recession,
and budget deficits
Bill Clinton
(1946-Present)
U.S. enjoyed more peace and
economic well being than at any
time in its history. Lowest
unemployment rate in modern
times, Lowest inflation in 30 years,
Highest home ownership in the
country's history, dropping crime
rates, and reduced welfare rolls. He proposed the
first balanced budget in decades & achieved a budget
surplus. In 1998, as a result of issues surrounding
personal indiscretions. Clinton was the 2nd U.S.
president to be impeached. He was found not guilty.
George W. Bush
(1946-Present)
43rd President of the United
States. President during the
9/11 terrorist attacks. Bush
announced the War on Terror,
which included the war in
Afghanistan in 2001 and the
war in Iraq in 2003. He signed
broad tax cuts, the PATRIOT Act, the No Child
Left Behind Act, & the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban
Act, into law.
Barack Obama
(1961-Present)
The 44th and current
President of the United
States, and the first
African American to hold
the office. Passed the
“American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act” in 2008, and passed the controversial
“Affordable Care Act” in 2010.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
(1882 –1945)
32nd U.S. president
Only president to be elected 4 times.
Led the U.S. through the Great
Depression and World War II.
Greatly expanded the powers of
the federal government through a
series of programs & reforms known
as the “New Deal.” Pushed U.S.
factories to become an “arsenal of democracy“ Used the
“Lend Lease” policy to aid allies in World War II.
Attended conferences in Casablanca, Tehran, & Yalta during
World War II
Harry Truman
(1884 –1972)
The 33rd president. In
his first months in office
he dropped the atomic
bomb on Japan, ending
World War II. The
Truman Doctrine, his
policy of communist
containment started the
Cold War, and he initiated U.S.
involvement in the Korean War.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
(1890-1969)
"Ike" was the 34th President
of the United States. He was a
five-star general in the United
States Army during WW II and
served as Supreme Allied
Commander. Commander of
the D-Day invasion in 1944. Strengthened Social
Security, and launched the Interstate Highway
system. Sent federal troops to Little Rock, AR, to
enforce desegregation of Central High School.
Made strong efforts to wage the Cold War.
Douglas MacArthur
(1880 –1964)
An American general who
commanded Allied forces in
the Pacific Theater during
World War II. He oversaw the
occupation of Japan from
1945 to 1951. He led the
United Nations Command in
the Korean War until he was
removed from command by
President Harry S. Truman on
11 April 1951.
John J. Pershing
(1860 –1948)
"Black Jack" Pershing,
was a general officer
in the United States
Army who led the
American Expeditionary
Forces in World War I.
Omar Bradley
(1893 –1981)
A United States Army field
commander in North
Africa and Europe during
World War II, and a
General of the Army. From
the Normandy landings
through the end of the
war in Europe, Bradley had
command of all U.S.
ground forces invading
Germany from the west.
George Patton
(1885 –1945)
A general in the United
States Army, best known
for his command of the
Seventh United States
Army, and later the Third
United States Army, in the
European Theater of
World War II. America's
greatest combat general of
World War II. He was an
expert at tank warfare.
Chester W. Nimitz
(1885 –1966)
A Fleet Admiral of the United
States Navy. He held the dual
command of Commander in
Chief, United States Pacific
Fleet, for U.S. naval forces and
Commander in Chief, Pacific
Ocean Areas, for U.S. and
Allied air, land, and sea forces
during World War II. Nimitz
was the leading U.S. Navy
authority on submarines
George Marshall
(1880 –1959)
An American military
leader, served as chief
of staff from 1939 to
1945. The Marshall
Plan, offered U.S. aid
to help Europe quickly
rebuild and modernize
its economy after WW II.
Alvin York
(1887 –1964),
Known also by his rank,
Sergeant York, was one of
the most decorated
American soldiers in World
War I. On one mission he
shot over 20 German
soldiers and brought in a
total of 132 German
prisoners. He received the
Congressional Medal of
Honor, and the French
Croix de Guerre
Hector P. Garcia
(1914-1996)
A Mexican-American
physician, surgeon,
World War II veteran,
civil rights advocate,
and founder of the
American G.I. Forum.
Martin Luther King Jr.
(1929 –1968)
An American clergyman,
activist, humanitarian,
and leader in the AfricanAmerican Civil Rights
Movement. He is best
known for his role in the
advancement of civil
rights using nonviolent
civil disobedience.
Thurgood Marshall
(1908 –1993)
An Associate Justice of
the United States
Supreme Court, serving
from October 1967 until
October 1991. Marshall
was the Court's 96th
justice and its first
African American
justice.
César Chavez
(1927-1993)
An American farm
worker, labor leader
and civil rights
activist, who, with
Dolores Huerta, cofounded the National
Farm Workers
Association.
Rosa Parks
(1913 –2005)
An African-American
civil rights activist,
whom the United
States Congress
called "the first lady of
civil rights" and "the
mother of the
freedom movement".
Malcom X
(1925 – 1965)
An African-American Muslim
minister and a human rights
activist. To his admirers he was a
courageous advocate for the rights
of blacks, a man who indicted
white America in the harshest
terms for its crimes against black
Americans; detractors accused him of preaching
racism and violence. He has been called one of the
greatest and most influential African Americans in
history. He was assassinated in 1965.
Medgar Evers
(1925 – 1963)
An African-American
civil rights activist from
Mississippi involved in
efforts to overturn
segregation at the
University of Mississippi.
Evers was assassinated
in 1963
Betty Friedan
(1921 –2006)
An American writer, activist
and feminist. A leading
figure in the women's
movement in the United
States, her 1963 book The
Feminine Mystique is often
credited with sparking the
second wave of American
feminism in the 20th
century.
George Wallace
(1919 –1998)
An American politician and
the 45th governor of
Alabama, having served
two nonconsecutive terms
and two consecutive terms
as a Democrat: 1963–1967,
1971–1979 and 1983–
1987. Supported
Segregation.
Orval Faubus
(1910 –1994)
Served six consecutive terms
as governor of Arkansas. Most
widely remembered for his
attempt to block the
desegregation of Little Rock’s
Central High School in 1957.
His stand against “forced
integration” resulted in
President Eisenhower’s sending
federal troops to Little Rock to
enforce the 1954 desegregation
ruling of the Supreme Court.
Lester Maddox
(1915 –2003)
An American politician
who was the 75th
Governor of the U.S.
state of Georgia from
1967 to 1971. A populist
governor and Democrat,
Maddox came to
prominence as a staunch
segregationist.
Ida B. Wells
(1862 –1931)
An African-American
journalist, newspaper
editor, suffragist,
sociologist and, with
her husband,
newspaper owner
Ferdinand L. Barnett,
an early leader in the
civil rights movement.
W.E.B. DuBois
(1868 - 1963)
An American sociologist,
historian, civil rights activist,
Pan-Africanist, author and
editor. One of the co-founders
of the National Association
for the Advancement of
Colored People (NAACP) in
1909. He protested against
lynching, Jim Crow laws, and
discrimination in education
and employment.
Langston Hughes
(1902 –1967)
An American poet, social
activist, novelist,
playwright, and columnist.
He was a central figure of
the Harlem Renaissance.
Hughes used his poetry,
novels, plays, and essays to
champion his people and
voice his concerns about
race and social justice.
Dorthea Lange
(1895 –1965)
An influential American
documentary
photographer and
photojournalist, best
known for her
Depression-era work for
the Farm Security
Administration.
Eleanor Roosevelt
(1884 –1962)
An American political leader
who used her influence as
an active First Lady from
1933 to 1945 to promote
the New Deal policies of her
husband, President Franklin
D. Roosevelt, as well as
taking a prominent role as
an advocate for civil rights.
Dolores Huerta
(1930- Present)
A labor leader and civil
rights activist who,
along with César
Chávez, co-founded the
National Farmworkers
Association, which later
became the United
Farm Workers.
Upton Sinclair
(1878 –1968)
An American author
who wrote close to one
hundred books. He
achieved popularity in the
first half of the twentieth
century, acquiring
particular fame for his
classic muckraking novel,
The Jungle.
Frances Willard
(1839 – 1898)
An American educator,
temperance reformer,
& women's suffragist.
Her influence was
instrumental in the
passage of the 18th &
19th Amendments to the
United States
Constitution.
Susan B. Anthony
(1820 –1906)
A prominent American
civil rights leader and
feminist who played a
pivotal role in the 19th
century women's rights
movement to introduce
women's suffrage into
the United States.
Jane Addams
(1860 –1935)
A pioneer settlement social worker,
public philosopher, sociologist, author,
and leader in women's suffrage and
world peace. One of the most
prominent reformers of the
Progressive Era. She helped turn the
US to issues such as the needs of
children, public health, and world
peace. Adams co-founded Hull House
in Chicago, Illinois, the first settlement
house in the United States. In 1931
she became the first American woman
to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Jacob Riis
(1849 –1914)
A social reformer, "muckraking" journalist &
social documentary photographer. He is
known for using his photographic &
journalistic talents to help the impoverished
in New York City; those impoverished New
Yorkers were the subject of most of his
prolific writings & photography. While living
in New York, Riis became a police reporter
writing about the quality of life in the slums.
He attempted to alleviate the bad living
conditions of poor people by exposing their
living conditions to the middle & upper
classes.
Lincoln Steffens
(1866 –1936)
The son of a wealthy businessman 19021911 editor of McClure’s Magazine
Published books and articles focusing on
municipal corruption. Through his articles
and books, such as The Shame of the Cities
and The Struggle for Self-Government;
Steffens exposed corrupt political machines
in St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, and New
York. Steffens also spoke out about the
exclusion of African American voters in the
south. Steffen’s work paved the way for the
break-up of these political machines as well
as important municipal legislation.
Thomas Nast
(1840-1902)
American cartoonist, best known for
his attack on the political machine
of William M. Tweed in New York
City in the 1870s. Known as the
“Father of the American Political
Cartoon,” a title earned no doubt
because of his scathing political
caricatures of Boss Tweed and New
York City’s Democratic political
machine at Tammany Hall. Thomas
Nast's artistic wit attacked slavery
and brought down a big crime boss.
Ida Tarbell
(1857 – 1944)
An American teacher,
author and journalist.
She was one of the
leading "muckrakers"
of the progressive
era. She wrote an
expose that led to the
breakup of the
Standard Oil
Company's monopoly.
Vernon J. Baker
(1919 –2010)
A United States Army
officer who received
the Medal of Honor, the
highest military award
given by the United
States Government for
his valorous actions
during World War II.
Roy Benavidez
(1935 –1998)
Master Sergeant in
the United States
Army. He received
the Medal of Honor
for his actions in
combat near Lộc
Ninh, South Vietnam
on May 2, 1968.
William Jennings Bryan
(1860 –1925)
A leading American politician
from the 1890s until his death.
Democratic and Populist leader
and a powerful speaker, viewed
as a champion of liberal causes.
He ran unsuccessfully three times for the U.S.
presidency (1896, 1900, 1908). In the Scopes
trial in July 1925, Bryan assisted in the
prosecution of a teacher, accused of teaching
the theory of evolution, rather than the
doctrine of divine creation.
Clarence Darrow
(1857 –1938)
An American lawyer and leading
member of the American Civil
Liberties Union, best known for
defending teenage thrill killers
Leopold and Loeb. In 1925
he defended John T. Scopes, a
teacher accused of teaching
evolution rather than divine creation. His main
opponent in the case was William Jennings Bryan,
who believed the literal interpretation of the Bible.
Although it is claimed that Darrow outshone Bryan
during the Scopes Trial, Scopes was found guilty.
Charles Lindbergh
(1902 –1974)
Nicknamed Lucky Lindy,
was an American aviator,
author, inventor, explorer,
and social activist. He made
the first solo nonstop flight
across the Atlantic Ocean in
May 1927. The kidnapping
and murder of Lindberg’s first
born son made national
headlines for nearly three years.
Amelia Earhart
(1897-1939)
An American aviation
pioneer and author.
Earhart was the first
female aviator to fly
solo across the Atlantic
Ocean. Mysteriously
disappeared in the Pacific Ocean while
trying to circumnavigate the globe from
the equator.
Louis Armstrong
(1901 – 1971)
Nicknamed Satchmo
or Pops, was a jazz
trumpeter and singer.
He is considered one of
the most influential jazz
artists of all time, is
remembered for songs
like 'Star Dust,' 'La Via
En Rose,' 'What a
Wonderful World.'
Booker T. Washington
(1856 – 1915)
An African-American educator,
author, orator, & advisor to
presidents of the United States.
Between 1890 & 1915, Washington
was the dominant leader in the
African-American community. He
became a leading voice of former
slaves & their descendants, who
were newly oppressed by
disfranchisement & the Jim Crow discriminatory laws
enacted in the post-Reconstruction Southern states.
Josephine Baker
(1906–1975)
An American-born dancer, singer, &
actress who came to be known in
various circles as the "Black Pearl,"
"Bronze Venus" and even the
"Creole Goddess.“ Baker was the
first African-American woman to
star in a major motion picture,
Zouzou (1934) or to become a
world-famous entertainer. Baker,
who refused to perform for
segregated audiences in America,
is also noted for her contributions
to the Civil Rights Movement.
Duke Ellington
(1899 –1974)
An American composer,
pianist and bandleader of
jazz orchestras. His career
spanned over 50 years,
leading his orchestra from
1923 until death. The most
prolific composer of the
20th century in terms of
number of compositions
and variety of forms.
Samuel Clemens
(1835 – 1910)
Better known by his pen
name Mark Twain, was an
American author & humorist.
He wrote The Adventures
of Tom Sawyer & its sequel,
Adventures of Huckleberry
Finn, the latter often called
"the Great American Novel."
John Steinbeck
(1902 –1968)
An American writer,
widely known for
the Pulitzer
Prize-winning novel
The Grapes of Wrath,
East of Eden and the
novella Of Mice and Men.
Ernest Hemmingway
(1899 –1961)
An American author
and journalist. His
economical and
understated style
had a strong influence
on 20th-century fiction, while his life of
adventure influenced later
generations. Wrote Farewell to Arms,
The Old Man and the Sea, etc.
Maya Angelou
(1928–2014)
Dr. Maya Angelou is one of
the most renowned and
influential voices of our
time. Dr. Angelou is a
celebrated poet, memoirist,
novelist, educator, actress,
dramatist, producer,
historian, filmmaker, and
civil rights activist.
Boss Tweed
(1823 –1878)
Leader of New York City's
corrupt Tammany Hall political
organization during the 1860s
and early 1870s. Tweed
became a powerful figure in
Tammany Hall, New York City's
Democratic political machine,
in the late 1850s. By the mid
1860s, he had formed the "Tweed Ring," which
openly bought votes, encouraged judicial corruption,
extracted millions from city contracts.
Glenn Curtiss
(1878 –1930)
An American aviation
pioneer and a founder of
the U.S. aircraft industry.
Known as the father of
naval aviation. Among
many other important
aviation accomplishments, Curtiss was
responsible for the first aircraft to take
off from/land on the decks of ships at sea.
Joseph McCarthy
(1908 –1957)
A Senator from Wisconsin
who publicly charged that
205 communists had
infiltrated the U.S. State
Department. Used his
position to launch investigations designed
to expose Communists in government. He
used suspect evidence and was seen as a
bully. He was censured by the Senate.
Sandra Day O’Connor
(1930-present)
Was the first woman
appointed to the U.S.
Supreme Court.
O'Connor voted for
certain limits on access
to abortion, but
supported the
fundamental right to
abortion.
Warren Burger
(1907-1995)
15th Chief Justice of the
United States from 1969 to
1986. Although Burger was a
conservative, the Supreme
Court delivered a variety of
transformative decisions on
abortion, capital punishment,
religious establishment, and
school desegregation during
his tenure.
Sonia Sotomayor
(1954-present)
First Hispanic
Associate Justice
of the Supreme
Court of the
United States,
and its third
female justice.
J.P. Morgan
(1837-1913)
An American financier,
banker, philanthropist
and art collector who
dominated corporate
finance and industrial
consolidation during his
time. He bought the
Carnegie Steel Company
in 1901 for $500 million
to create U.S. Steel.
John D. Rockefeller
(1839-1937)
An American business
magnate and
philanthropist. He was
a co-founder of the
Standard Oil Company,
which dominated the
oil industry and was
the first great U.S.
business trust.
Andrew Carnegie
(1835-1919)
A Scottish-American
industrialist who led the
enormous expansion of
the American steel
industry in the late 19th
century. He was among
the most famous and
wealthy industrialists of
his day.
Cornelius Vanderbilt
(1794 –1877)
An American tycoon,
businessman, and
philanthropist who
built his wealth in
railroads and
shipping.
William Randolph Hearst
(1863-1951)
An American newspaper publisher
who built the nation’s largest
newspaper chain. Hearst used
“Yellow Journalism,” to build mass
appeal for newspapers with bold
headlines, aggressive news gathering,
generous use of cartoons & illustrations.
Hearst’s coverage of the Cuban crisis & the
Spanish-American War were often based on no
actual evidence - & used rumor, propaganda, &
sensationalism to stoke public outrage against Spain.
Henry Ford
(1863 –1947)
An American
industrialist, the
founder of the Ford
Motor Company, and
developed the assembly
line technique of mass
production. Ford’s
Model T cars were once
all over America.
Bill Gates
(1955-Present)
An American business
magnate, investor,
programmer, inventor &
philanthropist. He is
founder, technology
advisor and board
member of Microsoft
Corporation, the
worldwide leader in
software.
Sam Walton
(1918 –1992)
Known for building a
single franchise store
into the world's largest
company, Wal-Mart. An
amazing entrepreneur
who went from dime store merchant to
richest man in America
in just 30 years.
Oprah Winfrey
(1954 – Present)
An American media proprietor, talk show
host, actress, producer, & philanthropist.
Best known for her self-titled, multiaward-winning talk show, which has
become the highest-rated program of its
kind in history & was nationally
syndicated from 1986 to 2011. She has
been ranked the richest African-American
of the 20th century, the greatest black
philanthropist in American history, & was
for a time the world's only black billionaire. She is also, one of
the most influential women in the world.
Estée Lauder
(1906 – 2004)
An American businesswoman.
Estée Lauder founded her
cosmetics company in 1946
with four products and an
unshakeable belief: that
every woman can be
beautiful. Estee Lauder
became one of the wealthiest
self-made women in America.
The Wright Brothers
Orville (1871 –1948)
Wilbur (1867 –1912)
American brothers,
inventors, and aviation
pioneers who were
credited with inventing
and building the world's
first successful airplane
and making the controlled,
powered and sustained
heavier-than-air human
flight, on December 17, 1903.
Thomas Edison
(1847 –1931)
An American inventor
and businessman. He
developed many devices
that greatly influenced
life, including the
phonograph, the motion
picture camera, and a
long-lasting, practical
electric light bulb.
George Washington Carver
(1864-1943)
An American scientist, botanist,
educator, & inventor. He is believed
to have been born into slavery in
Missouri. Carver's reputation is based
on his research into and promotion
of alternative crops to cotton, such
as peanuts, soybeans and sweet
potatoes, which also aided nutrition
for farm families. He also developed and promoted
about 100 products made from peanuts, including
cosmetics, dyes, paints, plastics, gasoline, and
nitroglycerin. He received numerous honors.
Tuskegee Airmen
(Red Tails)
• All-black combat unit formed in 1941
• 99th Fighter Squadron formed in
Alabama
• Escorted bombers over central
Europe
• Proved superior or equal to white pilots
Flying Tigers
• American pilots who volunteered
to serve in the Chinese Air Force
before U.S. entered the war
• Later transferred to the United
States after Pearl Harbor
• Played a vital role in the air war
in China and Burma
Navajo Code Talkers
• Members of the Navajo tribe
• Used to transmit messages in
the Pacific Theater
• Based on the Navajo language
• Navajo words frequently
substituted for military terms
• Code was never broken
Rosie the Riveter
• A symbol of working
women during the war
• Based on factory
worker Rose Will
Monroe
• Miller and Rockwell
both created iconic
“Rosie” images
The
nd
442
Regiment
• Formed in 1943
• Made up of Nisei
• Fought with distinction
in Italy and France
• Most decorated
combat unit in U.S.
history
Sitting Bull
(1831-1890)
A Hunkpapa Lakota chief & holy man
under whom the Lakota tribes united
in their struggle for survival on the
northern plains. Sitting Bull refused
to bring his people to the Sioux
reservation which led to the Battle of
the Little Bighorn, where the Sioux &
Cheyenne wiped out five troops of
Custer's 7th Cavalry. Sitting Bull
remained defiant toward American
military power & contemptuous of
American promises to the end.
Crazy Horse
(1840 –1877)
Native American war leader
of the Oglala Lakota. He
took up arms against the
U.S. to fight against
encroachments on Lakota
land & way of life, including
leading a war party to
victory at the Battle of the
Little Bighorn in June 1876.
Geronimo
(1829 –1909)
A prominent leader of
the Bedonkohe Apache
who fought against
Spain, Mexico, Texas
and the U.S. for their
expansion into Apache
tribal lands for several
decades during the
Apache Wars.
Quanah Parker
(1845 or 1852-1911)
One of the last Comanche chiefs, &
the last leader of the powerful
Quahadi band before they gave up
their battle of the Great Plains & went
to a reservation in Indian Territory.
He was the son of Comanche chief
Peta Nocona & Cynthia Ann Parker,
an English-American, who had been
kidnapped at the age of nine &
assimilated into the tribe. Quanah
Parker also led his people on the
reservation, where he became a wealthy rancher &
influential in Comanche & European American society.
Chief Joseph
He led his people on one of the most
remarkable retreats in military history.
Over four months, Chief Joseph and 700
followers, embarked on a 1,400-mile march
toward Canada. The journey included
several impressive victories against a U.S.
force of more than 2,000 soldiers. By the
fall of 1877 Chief Joseph & his people were
within 40 miles of Canada, but were too
exhausted to continue to fight. Chief Joseph
surrendered, delivering one of the great
speeches in U.S. history. “…From where
the sun now stands, I will fight no more
forever."
George Armstrong Custer
(1839 – 1876)
A U.S. Army officer & cavalry
commander in the American Civil
War & the American Indian Wars.
Custer was admitted to West Point
in 1858, where he graduated last in
his class. Custer developed a
strong reputation during the Civil
War. After the Civil War, he was
sent to the west to fight in the American Indian Wars.
Custer & all the men with him were killed at the Battle
of the Little Bighorn in 1876, a battle that has come to
be known in American history as "Custer's Last Stand."
Jackie Robinson
(1919 –1972)
Jackie Robinson became
the first African-American
player in the major
leagues in 1947, with the
Brooklyn Dodgers. He
was named Rookie of the
Year in 1947.
Babe Ruth
(1895 – 1948)
An American baseball outfielder &
pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major
League Baseball from 1914 to 1935.
Nicknamed "the Bambino" & "the Sultan
of Swat", he began his career as a stellar
left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red
Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as
a slugging outfielder for the New York
Yankees. Ruth established many MLB batting (and some
pitching) records, including career home runs (714), slugging
percentage (.690), runs batted in (RBIs) (2,213), & bases on balls
(2,062), some of which have been broken. He was one of the first
five inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.
Jessie Owens
(1913 – 1980)
An American track and field athlete
and four-time Olympic gold medalist.
At the 1936 Summer Olympics in
Berlin, Germany, Owens won
international fame with four gold
medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long
jump, and 4x100 meter relay. He was
the most successful athlete at the
games & as such has been credited
with "single-handedly crushing
Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy."
Jim Thorpe
(1888 – 1953)
An American athlete of both Native
American and European ancestry.
Considered one of the most versatile
athletes of modern sports, he won
Olympic gold medals for the 1912
pentathlon and decathlon, played
American football (collegiate and
professional), & also played pro
baseball and basketball. He lost his
Olympic titles after it was found he was paid for playing semi-pro
baseball before competing in the Olympics, thus violating the
amateurism rules that were then in place. In 1983, the IOC
(International Olympic Committee) restored his Olympic medals.
Alfred T. Mahan
(1840 —1914)
U.S. naval officer & historian. His
classic analysis The Influence of
Sea Power upon History, 1660 –
1783 argued that sea power was
decisive in determining national
supremacy. He argued that sea
power—the strength of a nation’s
navy—was the key to strong
foreign policy. Mahan stressed
the interdependence of military &
commercial control of the sea.
Sanford B. Dole
(1844 —1926)
Sanford Ballard Dole led a group of
American sugar planters in the
overthrow of Queen Liliu’okalani, the
Hawaiian monarch, & establish a new
government with Dole as president.
The coup occurred with the
foreknowledge of the U.S., & 300 U.S.
Marines from the U.S. cruiser Boston
were sent to Hawaii, allegedly to
protect American lives. President
William McKinley appointed Dole to
be the first territorial governor after
U.S. annexation of Hawaii.
H. Ross Perot
(1930 – Present)
An American businessman
best known for being an
independent presidential
candidate in 1992 and
1996. Has an estimated
net worth of about $3.5
billion in 2012, he is
ranked by Forbes as the
134th-richest person in the
United States.
Huey Long
(1893 —1935)
Nicknamed The Kingfish, was the 40th
Governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932
& a member of the United States Senate
from 1932 until his assassination in 1935.
Long championed the "little man" against
the rich and privileged. He wanted the
government to confiscate the wealth of the nation's rich and
privileged. He called his program “Share Our Wealth.” It called
upon the federal government to guarantee every family in the
nation an annual income of $5,000, so they could have the
necessities of life, including a home, a job, a radio and an
automobile. Everyone over age 60 would receive an old-age
pension. His slogan was “Every Man A King.”
Eugene V. Debs
(1855 – 1926)
An American union leader, one of the founding
members of the Industrial Workers of the World,
& five times the candidate of the Socialist Party
for President of the United States. Debs was
instrumental in the founding of the American
Railway Union (ARU), one of the nation's first
industrial unions. Debs called a boycott of the
ARU against handling trains with Pullman cars
in 1894, in what became the nationwide Pullman
Strike. As a leader of the ARU, Debs was
convicted of defying a court injunction against
the strike & served six months in prison. Debs was noted for his oratory,
& his speech denouncing American participation in World War I led to his
second arrest in 1918. He was convicted under the Espionage Act of 1917
and sentenced to a term of 10 years. President Warren G. Harding
commuted his sentence in December 1921.
Marcus Garvey
(1887-1940)
A Jamaican political leader,
publisher, journalist, entrepreneur,
and orator who was a staunch
proponent of the Black nationalism
and Pan-Africanism movements.
Garvey founded the Universal
Negro Improvement Association
and African Communities League
(UNIA-ACL). He founded the Black Star Line, which
promoted the return of Africans in America to their
ancestral lands in Africa.
Neil Armstrong
(1930-2012)
An American
astronaut and the
first person to walk
on the Moon. He was
also an aerospace
engineer, naval
aviator, test pilot, and
university professor.
John Glenn
(1930 – Present)
A retired United States Marine Corps
pilot, astronaut, and United States
senator. He was a combat aviator in
the Marine Corps, and a member of
the Mercury Seven; the first American
astronauts. In 1962 Glenn became the
first American to orbit the Earth and
the fifth person in space. In 1998, at age 77, he became
the oldest person to fly in space, and the only one to
fly in both the Mercury and Space Shuttle programs.
Ralph Nader
(1934 – Present)
An American political activist, as well as
an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas
of particular concern to Nader include
consumer protection, humanitarianism,
environmentalism, and democratic
government. Nader wrote the book
Unsafe at Any Speed, a critique of the safety
record of American automobile manufacturers.
He is a five-time candidate for President
of the United States, having run as a
write-in candidate, as the Green Party
nominee & as an independent candidate.
Henry Cabot Lodge
(1850 – 1924)
An American Republican Senator and
historian from Massachusetts. He was
also a friend and confidant of
Theodore Roosevelt. He is best
known for his positions on foreign
policy, especially his battle with
President Woodrow Wilson in 1919
over the Treaty of Versailles. Lodge
demanded Congressional control of
declarations of war; Wilson refused &
blocked Lodge's move to ratify the
treaty with reservations. The U.S.
never joined the League of Nations.
Robert F. Kennedy
(1925 – 1968)
Commonly known as "Bobby" or
by his initials RFK, was an
American politician from
Massachusetts. He was the 64th
U.S. Attorney General from 1961 to
1964, and served as a Senator for
New York from 1965 until his
assassination in 1968. An icon of
modern American liberalism and
member of the Democratic Party,
Kennedy was a leading candidate
for the Democratic presidential
nomination in the 1968 election.
Hillary Clinton
(1947 – Present)
A former United States Secretary
of State, U.S. Senator, and First
Lady of the United States. From
2009 to 2013, she was the 67th
Secretary of State, serving under
President Barack Obama. She
previously represented New York
in the U.S. Senate (2001 to 2009).
In the 2008 election, Clinton was
a leading candidate for the
Democratic presidential nomination.
Samuel Gompers
(1850 – 1924)
An English-born American
cigar maker who became a
labor union leader and a key
figure in American labor
history. Gompers was the first
and longest-serving president
of the American Federation of
Labor (AFL). Under his
leadership, the AFL became
the largest and most influential
labor federation in the world.
Elvis Presley
(1935 – 1977)
An American singer, musician, and
actor. Regarded as one of the most
significant cultural icons of the 20th
century, he is often referred to as
ushisteoc
"the King of Rock and Roll", or
simply, "the King". Presley
appeared on CBS's Ed Sullivan
Show. Presley was shot from only
the waist up to hide his hip
gyrations. It was his first appearance on The Ed
Sullivan Show that made Presley a national celebrity.
Earl Warren
(1891 – 1974)
Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
(1953-1969). Decisions of the Warren
Court, ended school segregation & made
decisions regarding the rights of the
accused, ending public school-sponsored
prayers, & requiring "one man–one vote"
rules of apportionment of voting districts.
The Warren Court issued four landmark
decisions: Brown v. Board of Education
(1954), Gideon v. Wainwright (1963),
Reynolds v. Sims (1964), and Miranda v. Arizona (1966).
Dennis Banks
(1937 - Present)
A Native American leader,
teacher, lecturer, activist and
author, is an Anishinaabe
born on Leech Lake Indian
Reservation in northern
Minnesota. He has been a
longtime leader of the
American Indian Movement,
which he cofounded in 1968
with Native Americans in
Minneapolis.
Russell Means
(1939-2012)
An American Oglala Lakota
activist for the rights of Native
American peopleand libertarian
political activist. He became a
prominent member of the
American Indian Movement (AIM)
after joining the organization in
1968, and helped organize
notable events that attracted
national & international media
coverage.
Phyllis Schlafly
(1924-Present)
An American conservative activist,
author, and speaker and founder of
the Eagle Forum. Known for her
social and political conservatism,
her opposition to modern feminism,
and her successful campaign against
the ratification of the Equal Rights
Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution. Her 1964 book
A Choice, Not an Echo was issued in
millions of copies as an attack on
Republican Governor Nelson Rockefeller and
the Eastern Republican Establishment.
Ray Stannard Baker
(1870-1946)
An American journalist &
author. Also known by his
pen name David Grayson.
He covered the Pullman
Strike and Coxey's Army in
1894. Baker wrote the book
Following the Color Line,
becoming the first prominent
journalist to examine
America's racial divide.
Queen Lili’uokalani
(1838-1917)
Hawaii's first queen and final
sovereign ruler before the islands
were annexed by the United States
in 1898. After she attempted to
establish a new constitution that
would restore power to the monarchy
and the Hawaiian people, an elite
class of businessmen and wealthy
landowners staged a coup. To spare
her people a bloody conflict, Liliuokalani stepped down.
In 1894 annexationists established the Republic of
Hawaii, with Sanford Dole named its first president.
Lionel Sosa
(1939-Present)
A Hispanic-American advertising & marketing
executive and political consultant. Sosa grew
up in San Antonio, Texas. In 1978, John Tower
hired Sosa's ad agency to court the Hispanic
vote for his run for the U. S. Senate. Tower
won 37% of the Hispanic vote. Several
national companies, sought Sosa’s advice for
reaching the Hispanic audience. In 1980
Sosa created a new agency, Sosa and
Associates which became the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the
United States. Sosa's experience led him to become active
in Republican politics, serving as an adviser to the Republican campaigns,
of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. In 2005 Sosa was named one of
the twenty five most influential Hispanics in America by Time Magazine.
Sosa was also named to the Texas Business Hall of fame.
Al Capone
(1899-1947)
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was
an American gangster who attained
fame during the Prohibition era as
the boss of the Chicago Outfit. His
reign as crime boss ended when he
was 33 years old. The Saint
Valentine's Day Massacre, resulted
in the killing of seven gang rivals in
broad daylight. Newspapers dubbed him "Public
Enemy No. 1". Federal authorities prosecuted him
for tax evasion in 1931. Capone was convicted and
sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
Billy Graham
(1918-Present)
An American evangelical Christian
evangelist, ordained as a Southern
Baptist minister, who rose to celebrity status
in 1949 reaching moderately conservative
Protestants. He held large indoor and
outdoor rallies; sermons were broadcast on
radio and television, some still being rebroadcast today. In his six decades of
television, Graham is principally known for
hosting the annual Billy Graham Crusades,
from 1947 to 2005. He also hosted The
Hour of Power, which was the longestrunning religious show on television.
Barry Goldwater
(1909-1998)
An American politician and
businessman who was a fiveterm United States Senator
from Arizona and the
Republican Party's nominee
for president in 1964.
Goldwater is credited for
sparking the American
conservative political
movement in the 1960s.
Robert Johnson
(1911-1938)
An American singer-songwriter and musician.
His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937
display a combination of singing, guitar skills,
and songwriting talent that has influenced
later generations of musicians. Johnson's
shadowy and poorly documented life and
death at age 27 have given rise to much
legend, including the myth that he sold his
soul to the devil at a crossroads to achieve
success. Johnson played mostly on street
corners, in juke joints, and at Saturday night
dances. He had little commercial success or
public recognition in his lifetime.
Robert La Follette
(1855-1925)
A Republican politician who is
best known as a proponent of
progressivism and a fierce
opponent to corporate power.
He served as a member of the
U.S. House of Representatives,
the Governor of Wisconsin and
a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin
during his career. He also ran
for President in 1924.
J. Edgar Hoover
(1895-1972)
The first Director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation of the United States,
appointed director of the Bureau of
Investigation-predecessor to the FBI-in
1924. He was instrumental in founding the
FBI in 1935. Hoover is credited with building
the FBI into a modern crime-fighting
agency. Hoover became controversial for
exceeding the jurisdiction of the FBI and
using the FBI to harass political dissenters
& activists, amassing secret files on political
leaders, and collecting evidence using
illegal methods. Hoover amassed a great
deal of power.
Stephen King
(1947 - Present)
An American author of
contemporary horror, super
natural fiction, suspense,
science fiction, and fantasy.
His books have sold more
than 350 million copies.
Many of his stories have
been adapted into feature
films, miniseries, television
shows, and comic books.