Famous Civil Rights Activists - List of Famous Civil Rights Activists - page 2

A civil rights activist is one who is actively or non-actively involved or participates in various rights of civil movements in a nation in order to facilitate equal opportunity to all the members in the society. A civil rights activist will campaign and work towards the protection and implementation of various civil rights like personal rights, entitlements, freedoms, civil liberties that a person is entitled to receive naturally by being a citizen of a particular nation. Some of the important civil rights include, right to equality, right to physical and mental integrity, protection from any kind of discrimination, rights to privacy among many other civil rights and liberties. A civil rights activist may be involved in various cases where there have been a breach of civil rights and , he /she may be involved in various kinds of campaigns, protests or demonstrations. Civil rights movement came into existence in the 1960’s, after the world witnessed a series of political movements. In 1966, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognized the concept of civil rights on a global level. Read on, for more information on the world’s famous civil rights activists, with their biographies that include trivia, interesting facts, timeline and life history.

The Most Famous Civil Rights Activists

NameBirthdayNationalityBio
Muhammad AliJanuary 17, 1942AmericanMuhammad Ali was a legendary boxer who became the first and only three-time lineal World Heavyweight Champion
Ida B. WellsJuly 16, 1862AmericanIda Bell Wells-Barnett was an African-American journalist, suffragist and a civil rights activist
Ruby BridgesSeptember 8, 1954AmericanRuby Bridges is renowned for being the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school
Malcolm XMay 19, 1925AmericanMalcolm X was a renowned African-American Sunni Muslim civil rights activist
Lena HorneJune 30, 1917AmericanLena Horne was a famous American actress and civil rights activist and is remembered for her roles in ‘The Duke Is Tops’ and ‘Cabin in the Sky’
Stokely CarmichaelJune 29, 1941Trinidadian, AmericanStokely Carmichael was a Trinidadian-American leader of the ‘American Civil Rights Movement’, known for his radical theories
Thomas ClarksonMarch 28, 1760BritishThomas Clarkson was an English abolitionist and the main force in bringing about the Slave Trade Act
Edith CowanAugust 2, 1861AustralianEdith Dircksey Cowan (née Brown) was an Australian politician and social campaigner
Adam Clayton Powell Jr.November 29, 1908AmericanAdam Clayton Powell Junior was a well-known pastor, a civil rights activist and a renowned politician of the 20th century United States
Claudette ColvinSeptember 5, 1939AmericanClaudette Colvin is an African-American civil rights activist
Mary Church Terrell

Mary Church Terrell

Mary Church Terrell was a renowned national civil rights activist and early advocate for women’s suffrage movement

AmericanSeptember 23, 1863110 views

Lena Horne

Lena Horne was a famous American actress and civil rights activist and is remembered for her roles in ‘The Duke Is Tops’ and ‘Cabin in the Sky’

AmericanJune 30, 1917310 views

Thomas Clarkson

Thomas Clarkson was an English abolitionist and the main force in bringing about the Slave Trade Act

BritishMarch 28, 1760266 views

Abbie Hoffman

Abbie Hoffman was a leading member of the Yippie movement and co-founder of the Youth International party

AmericanNovember 30, 1936208 views

Abbey Lincoln

Anna Marie Wooldridge, better known by her stage name Abbey Lincoln, was a popular American jazz singer and songwriter

AmericanAugust 6, 1930124 views

Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges is renowned for being the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school

Prudence Crandall

Prudence Crandall was an American teacher who established one of the first schools for African- American girls

Claudette Colvin

Claudette Colvin is an African-American civil rights activist

Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson was a famous African-American singer, actor, and civil rights activist

AmericanApril 9, 1898137 views

Medgar Evers

Medgar Evers was an African-American leader of the ‘Civil Rights Movement’, known for his efforts to desegregate ‘University of Mississippi’

AmericanJuly 2, 1925137 views