Historical Figures

The important things about Paul Revere are: He lived in the late 1700’s in Boston, Massachusetts He was a silversmith. He had to overcome taxes on goods that he made. During his lifetime England was ruling the colonies. This government would not let the people help make decisions and were taxing them unfairly. He was a member of the Sons of Liberty, a group that wanted independence for the colonies. He made a famous midnight ride to warn leaders that the British soldiers were coming.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Paul Revere is…. he helped bring independence to the people in America.

The important things about Frederick Douglass are: He was born a slave in the south. He had to stop learning to read because it was against the law for enslaved people to know how to read. To escape slavery, he dressed like a sailor, used a free African American sailor’s papers, and took a train to New York. After becoming free, he started the antislavery (abolitionist) newspaper, The North Star and gave speeches against slavery.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Frederick Douglass is…. he helped bring civil rights to the African American people in America.

The important things about Mary McLeod Bethune: She was born in 1875 in Maysville, South Carolina, after slavery had been abolished. She promised herself that one day she would learn to read because some white girls told her that she couldn’t read. She was on a special team at school, called the debate team. She learned to argue for her ideas. She decided to start a school in Daytona, Florida. There were not enough schools for African American children. She was an example of diligence, respect for and acceptance of authority, and justice. She was the first woman and African American to be honored with a statue in a public park.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Mary McLeod Bethune is…. she helped bring education to the African American people in America.

The important things about Susan B. Anthony: When she lived, women were not allowed to vote. She wanted to change laws to allow women to vote. Her family were Quakers (a religion that believed in equal rights for men and women. She became a teacher. She lost her job because she complained about not being paid as much as men who did the same thing. After teaching, she wanted to work for justice or fair treatment. Slavery was another injustice that angered her. She fought for equal rights for women and was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Susan B. Anthony is…. she helped bring women’s rights to women in America.

The important things about Eleanor Roosevelt are: She was born in 1884 in New York into a wealthy family. Her parents died when she was young. She lived during a time when women didn’t have many rights. She was shy, but worked to overcome this shyness and was able to give speeches later in life. She married Franklin D. Roosevelt, who later became President. She was the First Lady. She believed it was unfair that some people had so much and others had so little. She became a social worker and dedicated her life to helping others. She traveled around the world working with the United Nations, an organization that worked for peace around the world.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Eleanor Roosevelt is…. that she worked for human rights – improving life for all people (especially the lives of the poor and workers)

The important things about Franklin D. Roosevelt are: He was born in 1882 in New York to a wealthy family. He was able to attend good schools. This famous person lived in a big house, had dogs and ponies as pets, but believed in helping people less fortunate than himself. In 1921 he had polio. Because of this disease he would not be able to walk he visited Warm Springs, Georgia to help him feel better. He was President of the United States during the Great Depression. Many people lost their jobs during this time period. As President he helped the country through his New Deal program. He helped start the United Nations, an organization that worked for peace around the world. As President of the United States he led the country during World War II.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Franklin D. Roosevelt is…. Helped the country through his New Deal program and during World War II.

The important things about Thurgood Marshall are: He was born in 1908 and died in He was a lawyer, a judge, and a civil rights activist. He couldn’t go to the college he wanted to because he was African American (discrimination). Segregation was a problem during the time he lived. African Americans were kept apart from other Americans in many public places. He was the lawyer who took the case, Brown vs. The Board of Education to the Supreme Court. The decision ended segregation in the schools. He was the first African American to be a Supreme Court Justice. He was appointed by Lyndon B. Johnson.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Thurgood Marshall is…. he helped the country through his work for the civil rights of African Americans

The important things about Lyndon B. Johnson are: He was born in He grew up poor and later became a teacher. He believed that education could overcome poverty. He became President after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He worked diligently with Thurgood Marshall and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to get civil rights laws passed. As president, he worked to build a “Great Society”. He worked for programs to end racial unfair treatment and poverty. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act were passed when he was president.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Lyndon B. Johnson is…. he helped the country as president through his Great Society programs.

The important things about Cesar Chavez are: He was born in 1927 in Yuma, Arizona His family lost their farm during the Great Depression. He and his family worked as migrant farm workers. He wanted to improve working conditions for migrant farm workers. He believed migrant farm workers should be paid for their work and allowed to speak their own language. He organized and lead the United Farm Workers Union. They led the grape boycott to let others know the working conditions that needed to be improved.

But, the IMPORTANT THING about Cesar Chavez is…. he worked to improve worker’s rights.