Historical heroes are always fascinating to take a look at. History is often dominated by a few names that we are all familiar with. Almost everyone knows names like George Washington and Albert Einstein, but what about the unsung figures whose contributions were overlooked? Obviously, it’s impossible to remember everyone from history, but some people still deserve some love, and we’re here to help you find them. Here are 10 historical heroes that need more recognition.
1. Claudette Colvin
Claudette Colvin was a civil rights pioneer who came before Rosa Parks. At the young age of 15, Claudette refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The media overshadowed her brave stand, but her courage was an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement, and she deserves to be remembered by us all.
2. Irena Sendler
During WWII, Irena Sendler risked her life to rescue more than 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw ghetto. She smuggled children out as a part of the Zegota resistance and helped them find refuge with Polish families. Although her efforts were largely ignored for decades, she remains one of the greatest heroes of the war.
3. Sophie Scholl
Sophie Scholl was a member of the White Rose resistance group in Nazi Germany. She courageously opposed Hitler’s regime by as many pamphlets opposing them as she could. Her commitment to justice ended up costing her life, and she hasn’t gotten the recognition she deserves. Her story only recently gained recognition, and it is a symbol of moral integrity in the face of a dictator.
4. Bessie Coleman
Bessie Coleman defied racial and gender barriers in the early 20th century and became the first African American woman to earn a pilot’s license. Her achievement was groundbreaking, but her legacy is often overshadowed by her male counterparts. Coleman’s bravery deserves to be echoed for generations.
5. Zora Neale Hurston
Zora Neale Hurston was a novelist and folklorist who brought the stories and voices of African American communities to society. Her most popular novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, sold over a million copies, but most of her work was forgotten after her death. Hurston deserves to have her work revived and celebrated as a cornerstone in American literature.
6. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker made history as the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor. Dr. Walker was a surgeon during the Civil War, where she not only served in the Union Army but also advocated for women’s rights and the abolishment of slavery. Despite these groundbreaking achievements, her name remains a mystery to most.
7. Bass Reeves
Bass Reeves was the first African American U.S. Marshal and a staple figure in maintaining law and order in modern-day Oklahoma. His incredible feats as a lawman, including the arrests of over 3,000 outlaws, have been long overlooked. Reeves deserves a place in every textbook for putting that many outlaws behind bars, but he has since been overlooked.
8. Alice Ball
Alice Ball was a chemist who created the first effective treatment for leprosy. This breakthrough went on to save countless lives. It is estimated that thousands of people with leprosy owed their lives to Ball, but she was incredibly humble about it. Tragically, she passed away at a young age, and her contributions are often attributed to others.
9. Ching Shih
Ching Shih was a legendary pirate who commanded a fleet of hundreds of ships during the early 19th century. Shih is known for her military expertise and is formally known as the Pirate Queen. Despite her dominance over the seas, her name is often forgotten in history, and overshadowed by a plethora of other pirates, even though she is considered the most successful pirate in history.
10. Henry Johnson
Henry Johnson was a member of the all-black 369th Infantry Regiment and earned the French Croix de Guerre for his bravery and heroism. Despite being majorly outnumbered, Johnson fought off a massive German battalion in the Argonne Forest and saved the lives of his fellow soldiers. Though his bravery was honored by the French, he didn’t receive the recognition he deserved in the U.S. till many years later.
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