Activists
Dr. Cornel Ronald West, born June 2, 1953, is an American philosopher, political activist, social critic, actor, and public intellectual. The grandson of a Baptist minister, West’s primary philosophy focuses on the roles of race, gender, and class struggle in American society. A socialist, West draws intellectual contributions from multiple traditions, including Christianity, the Black church, democratic socialism, left-wing populism, neopragmatism, and transcendentalism. Among his most influential books are Race Matters (1993) and Democracy Matters (2004).
Activist Angela Davis, born 1944, is an American political activist, professor, and author who was an active member in the Communist Party and the Black Panther Party. She spoke out about prison reform, women’s rights, racial equality, and the inequality of capitalism. Angela Davis is a founding member of Critical Resistance, an organization dedicated to the abolition of the prison industrial system.
Harry Belafonte, byname of Harold George Belafonte, Jr., born March 1, 1927, New York City, New York, U.S., died April 25, 2023, New York City, New York, was an American singer, actor, producer, and activist who was a key figure in the folk music scene of the 1950s, especially known for popularizing the Caribbean folk songs known as calypsos. He was also involved in various social causes, notably the civil rights movement.
John Carlos, born June 5, 1945, is an African American former track and field athlete who raised his fist in protest after medaling in the Olympics. U.S. Olympic medalists John Carlos and Tommie Smith made history by raising black-gloved fists during the medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, becoming one of the most iconic sports moments of the 20th century. The bronze medal winner in Mexico City, John Carlos and 200 meter winner, Tommie Smith stood at attention, but raised black-gloved fists in the “Black Power” salute, hoping to call attention to the plight of the black man in America.
International Olympic Committee President Avery Brundage banned the two men from the Olympic Village and forced them from the United States Olympic team. After their return to the United States, both men received death threats. However, they had become a significant symbol of the Civil Rights struggle.
Tommie C. Smith, born June 6, 1944, is an American former track and field athlete and former wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith, aged 24, won the 200-meter sprint finals and gold medal in 19.83 seconds; the first time the 20-second barrier was broken officially. Smith insisted that their actions at the 1968 Olympics were misinterpreted as support of Black separatism. He said the protest was instead about fighting for human rights for Black people on a global scale, including in the U.S. and South Africa. Over time, perception of this event changed.
Politicians
Charles Bernard Rangel is an American politician who was a U.S. representative for districts in New York City from 1971 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the second-longest serving incumbent member of the House of Representatives at the time of his retirement, serving continuously since 1971. Congressman Rangel made history in 2006 as the first African American to head the powerful Ways and Means Committee which oversees international trade, health care, economic policy, and other major political issues. Before beginning his public service career, Congressman Rangel volunteered for the Army in 1948 and earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for Valor fighting in the Korean War. Reaping the benefits of the G.I. Bill, he earned a bachelor degree from New York University and a law degree from St. John’s University Law School.
Richard Blumenthal is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Connecticut, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he is one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, with a net worth over $100 million. Senator Blumenthal authored the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, a bipartisan law to improve mental health care and suicide prevention resources. Senator Blumenthal believes all Americans should have equal opportunities and fair compensation for their hard work. Senator Blumenthal believes all students should have access to high quality, equitable, and affordable education. In the midst of a climate crisis, Senator Blumenthal is working to protect our planet.
Mario Matthew Cuomo was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 52nd governor of New York for three terms, from 1983 to 1994. A member of the Democratic Party, Cuomo previously served as the lieutenant governor of New York from 1979 to 1982 and the secretary of State of New York from 1975 to 1978. Cuomo was known for his liberal views and public speeches, particularly his keynote speech address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention in which he sharply criticized the policies of the Reagan administration, saying, “Mr. President, you ought to know that this nation is more a ‘Tale of Two Cities’ than it is just a shining ‘city on a hill.'” He was widely considered a potential front-runner for the Democratic nomination for president in both 1988 and 1992, though he declined to seek the nomination in both instances. His legacy as a reluctant standard-bearer for the Democrats in presidential elections led to his being dubbed “Hamlet on the Hudson.”
Mitchell Joseph Landrieu served as the mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2010 to 2018. He was first elected in 2010 and won re-election to a second term in 2014. Landrieu was the lieutenant governor of Louisiana from 2004 to 2010 and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1988 to 2004. On November 14, 2021, President Joe Biden (D) announced he would appoint Landrieu as a senior advisor responsible for coordinating and implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Mitch Landrieu oversaw the removal of the city’s prominent Confederate monuments and helped his city to recover and reemerge from a series of natural disasters.
Entertainers
