Helping students select characters is one of the more challenging parts of being a JCAT facilitator. The parameters of their choices are totally up to you, and teachers set these parameters following criteria ranging from “giving as much opportunity for choice as possible” to “building opportunities for curricular connections” later in the year. As you know by now, some teachers require their students to choose Jewish characters and some teachers do not. The guiding principle we suggest for everyone is to have a diverse collection of characters in your class group to help with modeling, responding to multiple perspectives, and making any in-character discussions you might have among your students more interesting.

You want each student or pair of students to have a character they’re excited about, and that presents them with rich learning opportunities as they research and then portray them. Of course, since every character can only be portrayed once in the simulation, it can be hard to come up with ideas for engaging characters…so we’re here to help!

The attached list is a compendium of suggestions for interesting, and perhaps somewhat lesser-known characters. You’ll find a simple list of Jewish characters from many walks of life, as well as more detailed suggestions for people who led interesting but less heralded lives, as well as a list in the format of alternate suggestions for our most-commonly requested characters (“instead of Abraham Lincoln, consider Frederick Douglass or Andrew Johnson…”). In addition, we also offer some suggestions specific to the 2020 simulation, made up of notable figures from French history.

We hope this list (and terrific resources on the web like the Jewish Women’s Archive: https://jwa.org/encyclopedia) will help you ​ ​ more easily fulfill our request that you not duplicate characters on the list of character requests you’ll be submitting to us by the end of September, and will also help you find intriguing characters for your students to portray and learn about. As always, let us know how we can help you to navigate this process. JCAT CHARACTERS 2020 (additional suggestions below table)

NO. NAME Nationality/Eth. DESCRIPTION LINK 1 Charlie Chaplin British, Romani Film director, actor, and one of the leading Chaplin: (1889-1977) comedians of all time, Chaplin was also http://www.charliechaplin.com/biogr notorious for his leftist political aphy/articles sympathies and his initially controversial film ‘The Great Dictator’ (1940) which The Great Dictator: openly mocked Hitler and criticized his http://brattleblog.brattlefilm.org/?p=9 treatment of Jews long before anyone else 8 in America was willing to speak of it. He reportedly made the film for his half brother, Sydney, who was Jewish. 2 Buffy Sainte-Marie Cree, Canadian Indigenous musician, songwriter, poet, Her site: (1941—present) educator and activist, Buffy Sainte-Marie http://www.creative-native.com/ is well known for her protest songs “Universal Soldier”, and her activism on behalf of Indigenous Americans. It would be interesting to get an indigenous cultural perspective on matters such as reparations. 3 Tecumseh Shawnee, Native In the early 1800s, as Native Americans http://www.history.com/this-day-in- (1768-1813) American were being pushed further West by white history/chief-tecumseh-urges-indians- settlers, their population decimated by to-unite-against-whites disease, Tecumseh tried to unite different tribes to fight back. He wanted to create We Shall Remain documentary: an Indian nation separate from the U.S. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/wesh allremain/the_films/episode_2_about 4 Michael Collins Irish Irish freedom fighter (as head of http://www.notablebiographies.com/ (1890-1922) intelligence for the IRA) who was Co-Da/Collins-Michael.html instrumental in establishing the Irish Free State. He helped bring the British Empire http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic ‘to its knees’ and signed the truce that _figures/collins_michael.shtml established the partition.

5 Frederick Douglass African-American African-American activist who fought for http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4 (1818-1895) the abolition of slavery, the rights of p1539.html African Americans, and women. His speeches and writings among the best known and most powerful arguments against slavery. After the Civil War, he fought for civil rights for all. 6 Diego Rivera Mexican Mexican painter/muralist who, after the http://www.moma.org/collection/obje (1886-1957) Mexican Revolution, focused his work on ct.php?object_id=80682 the lives of the working class and the native people of Mexico. His works were http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanma controversial because of their political sters/episodes/diego-rivera/about-the- perspective (Communist). artist/64/ 7 Simon Bolivar Venezuelan Key military and political leader who led http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Biography/Si (1783-1830) the fight for independence from the mon_Bolivar.htm Spanish Empire for various Latin American countries and helped establish nationhood in Latin America. He is called the “Liberator” of South America. 8 John Ross Cherokee, Native Chief of the Cherokees. He conceived of http://www.georgiatribeofeasterncher (1790-1866) American the tribe as a sovereign, independent okee.com/chiefjohnross.htm nation –a Republic with a written constitution. He fought against the Indian Removal that was beginning in the 1800s, eventually being forced with them to Oklahoma. 9 Studs Terkel American, Jewish Author, radio broadcaster, and oral http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/200 (1912-2008) historian who is well-known for his 8/nov/01/studs-terkel-usa bottom-up, oral histories of average Americans. Blacklisted during the http://www.studsterkel.org/bio.php McCarthy era, he is also well known for his progressive political stances for Civil Rights, against the war in Iraq, and many more.

10 Aunt Molly American “Miner's wife, mother, widow, midwife, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~MA05/luc Jackson union organizer, political activist, and key/amj/kentucky.htm (1880-1960) ballad singer” who was briefly famous for her folk songs recounting the hard lives and injustices faced by Miners, farmers, union workers, and their families.

11 Bartolome de las Spanish 16th century Spanish priest and colonist in http://www.lascasas.org/manissues.ht Casas Latin America who ended up chronicling m#BdelasCasas:Brief Outline of His (1484-1566) the atrocities committed by the Spanish Life and Labor against the Indigenous peoples. He was one of the first human rights activists. 12 Polish, Jewish Famous musician and composer who, with http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhi Władysław his family, was forced to live in the bit/focus/pianist/ Szpilman Warsaw Ghetto. His family was sent to a (1911-2000) concentration camp but he was left behind. He managed to survive outside the ‘ghetto’, overcoming violence and hunger. After the war, he continued to be a musician 13 Kathe Kollwitz German Artist whose work captured the plight of http://www.nmwa.org/collection/prof (1867-1945) poor mothers and children, and the human ile.asp?LinkID=511 cost of poverty and war. She was considered subversive by Kaiser Wilhelm and her work was banned by Hitler. 14 Marlon Brando American One of the most famous actors of all time, http://www.google.com/search?sourc (1924-2004) known for his performances in The Wild eid=chrome&ie=UTF- One, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The 8&q=Marlon+Brando Godfather. He was equally controversial for his support of the Civil Rights http://www.contactmusic.com/news- Movement, Native American rights, and article/native-americans-pay-tribute- Israel. to-marlon-brando

15 Helen Keller American Author and activist, Helen Keller was well http://www.biography.com/articles/K (1880-1960) known for working with teacher Annie eller-Helen-9361967 Sullivan to learn to communicate although being deaf and blind. Not as well known is her advocacy of socialism, pacificism, worker’s rights, and women’s rights. 16 Howard Zinn American, Jewish Historian, playwright, activist who wrote http://www.howardzinn.org/zinn/bio (1922-2010) the bottom-up “A People’s History of the United States.” During World War II, he http://www.boston.com/ae/books/arti was a flew bomber missions—an cles/2010/01/31/alice_walker_says_g experience that turned him against war. oodbye_to_her_friend_howard_zinn/ He studied history and became a professor, as well as an outspoken supporter of Civil Rights, labor rights, and against war. 17 Mark Twain American Great American writer and humorist, best http://www.cmgww.com/historic/twai (1835-1910) known for his work, The Adventures of n/about/bio.htm Huckleberry Finn. He wrote extensively against imperialism and colonialism, slavery, and questioned organized religion. He also championed women’s suffrage and labor unions. 18 Kurt Vonnegut American Author well-known for his humanist http://www.vonnegutlibrary.org/abou (1922-2007) writing that explored the impact of t/ technology, war, media, and inequality. 19 Dalton Trumbo American Screenwriter and author who was http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanma (1906-1976) blacklisted during the 1950s for his sters/episodes/dalton-trumbo/about- membership in the American Communist dalton-trumbo/1166/ Party, his anti-war messages. He was an unfriendly witness who was subsequently blacklisted and jailed. He continued to write screenplays, without credit. 20 Salvadore Allende Chilean The first democratically elected Marxist http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk (1908-1973) president in Latin American history, he /COLDallende.htm was President of Chile from 1970-1973. He redistributed wealth and land to address some of the economic inequity in Chile. When he nationalized some of the industries and banks, the U.S. supported a military coup that eventually led to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. 21 Ruby Dee African American Actress, Writer, and activist. She began http://www.ossieandruby.com/ (1924—present) her award-winning acting career in the 1950s in theatre and jumped into film to http://www.notablebiographies.com/ play Jackie Robinson’s wife. She has De-Du/Dee-Ruby.html been a life-long advocate of Civil Rights and was heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement, with her husband Ossie Davis. 22 Paul Robeson African American Singer, actor, and activist who was equally http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanma (1898-1976) known for his talent and his radical sters/episodes/paul-robeson/about- politics. He became a supporter of the the-actor/66/ communist party, black nationalism, Civil Rights, and spoke out against imperialism. This led to his being blacklisted and constantly watched by the FBI. 23 Harry Belafonte African Actor, musician, activist, and http://www.thehistorymakers.com/bio (1927--present) American, humanitarian. In addition to a successful graphy/biography.asp?bioindex=145 Jamaican career in acting, he popularized Calypso &category=EntertainmentMakers&oc music, supported the Civil Rights cupation=Actor%2C%20Singer%20 movement, and became a global %26%20Humanitarian&name=Harry humanitarian who fought against poverty, %20Belafonte apartheid, and war. http://www.democracynow.org/2006/ 1/30/harry_belafonte_on_bush_iraq_ hurricane

24 Cesar Chavez American, American farmworker and then, later, http://www.ufw.org/_page.php?inc=h (1927-1993) Mexican labor activist who fought to open labor istory/07.html&menu=research unions to Latino members, and championed the rights of agricultural workers. His organization, United Farm Workers, led a successful boycott of California grape growers who had refused to raise the wages of workers. Since his death, he has been a symbol of unity to Latin Americans and workers in general. 25 Audrey Hepburn British, Dutch Actress, fashion icon, and humanitarian, http://www.unicef.org/people/people (1929-1933) Audrey Hepburn grew up German- _audrey_hepburn.html occupied Holland. As a young girl and ballerina, she performed to raise money http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O for the Dutch Resistance and even carried Jj5RoLAhzw messages for them in her ballet shoes. Throughout the period, she suffered from malnutrition and grew to hate violence. After an extremely successful acting career, she became known for humanitarian work for UNICEF, bringing public attention to the poverty and hunger rampant in Africa, Asia, and South America. 26 Ho Chi Minh Vietnamese Vietnamese communist revolutionary http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk (1890-1969) leader who led the fight for independence /VNhochiminh.htm against the French, and later Americans. 27 Robert American, Jewish The “Father of the Atom Bomb,” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/bom Oppenheimer Oppenheimer was an American physicist b/peopleevents/pandeAMEX65.html (1904-1967) known for his role in the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. During the Depression, he joined the Communist Party as a reaction to the rise of Nazism in Europe (a threat to his family), and the economic plight around him. Despite this, he headed the Manhattan Project. And even though he helped create the bomb, he worked hard to control it. 28 Fela Kuti Nigerian Nigerian musician and activist, Fela Kuti http://www.felaproject.net/ (1938-1997) helped create the musical style ‘Afro-beat’ (a combination of jazz, funk, and African http://www.felaonbroadway.com/ music). He was also a major activist, using his music to support the Pan-African and anti-colonial movements of the 1960s on. In 2010, his life and music were the subject of a Tony Award winning musical “Fela!” 29 Robert McNamara American McNamara served as Secretary of Defense http://www.pbs.org/opb/thesixties/top (1916-2009) to both President Kennedy and President ics/war/newsmakers_4.html Lyndon Johnson. Under him, the Vietnam conflict escalated to war. By the http://www.sonyclassics.com/fogofw late ‘60s, he privately tried to end the war. ar/ In his 1995 memoir, and the 2003 documentary The Fog of War, he expressed guilt and remorse over the human cost of the Vietnam War and shared lessons he learned about the nature of war. 30 Patrice Lumumba Congolese Lumumba was the first democratically http://www.guardian.co.uk/global- (1925-1961) elected Prime Minister in the Democratic development/poverty- Republic of Congo. He attempted to matters/2011/jan/17/patrice- achieve a fully independent country, in lumumba-50th-anniversary- control of its own politics, economy, and assassination resources. Only a few months after independence, there was a coup (supported by Belgium and the U.S.). This led to a long period of civil and political unrest. 31 Vanessa Redgrave British An award winning actress of the stage, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/200 (1937-present) screen, and television, she has been 7/06/01/60minutes/main2876167.sht outspoken in her opposition to war, ml support of feminism, and many causes across the globe. She has spoken out http://movies.nytimes.com/person/59 against racism and anti-Semitism, but also 206/Vanessa-Redgrave been criticized for her support for organizations like the Palestinian Liberation Organization. 32 Mohammad Iranian Iranian Prime Minister (1951-1953) and http://www.nytimes.com/library/worl Mosaddegh progressive reformer. He was elected d/mideast/041600iran-cia-index.html (1882-1967) democratically in 1951. He spearheaded a great deal of progressive reform and http://www.iranian.com/History/2001 nationalized the oil industry (which had /May/Amini/index.html been controlled by the British for decades). In response, the British and Americans organized a coup to oust him from power. He was subsequently imprisoned until he died in 1967. 33 Diana Mitford British A British aristocrat and writer, known for http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/200 (1910-2003) being one of the famous Mitford girls. 3/aug/14/guardianobituaries.thefarrig She married to Sir Oswald Mosley, leader ht of the British Union of Fascists, and a supporter and friend of Adolph Hitler and German Fascism. Once Britain went to war with Germany, she and her husband were imprisoned for three years. Upon release from prison, she became a writer. She refused to apologize for her support of Hitler as well as her anti-Semitism. 34 Clara Lemlich American, Labor activist Clara Lemlich was born in http://icarusfilms.com/new2005/clar. (1886-1982) Ukrainian Ukraine to a Jewish family. In 1903, html already an avowed socialist, she arrived in America and began working in New York http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanex garment industry. In response to the perience/features/biography/triangle- horrible treatment of the workers, she lemlich/ joined the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, and led many strikes, including the famous ‘uprising of 20,000.’ A year later, many workers from that same factory, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, died in a fire because management would not allow them to leave the building. Lemlich was also a suffragist, and consumer advocate. 35 Andrew Jackson American American military leader and President http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st (1767-1845) (1829-1837). He became a war hero in the ory.php?storyId=99915988 War of 1812 when he defeated the British in the battle of New Orleans. With his http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4 military accomplishments and populist p2959.html ideas of democracy, Jackson became President in 1829. He was known for his aggressive use of executive powers (veto and bully pulpit). He also aggressively enforced the Indian Removal Act, which forced Native Americans west into Oklahoma. 36 Juan Peron Argentine Argentine military leader and three time http://latinamericanhistory.about.com (1895-1974) President. He did a great deal to help /od/thehistoryofargentina/p/09juanper labor and those living in poverty. He also on.htm helped ended British domination of Argentina. On the other hand, his regime ruthlessly oppressed any political opposition. However, he also let former Nazi war criminals enter and live in Argentina, with government protection.

Alternatives for Popular JCAT Characters

In JCAT, certain characters are requested frequently. Unfortunately, there can only be one of each character per game. Find rich alternatives for such characters here! The links provided for each alternative character offer general, interesting, or scenario-related information.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Lincoln-related Mary Todd Lincoln (1818-1882): wife and widow of Abraham Lincoln (1)

Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926): son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln; lawyer; secretary of War; and witness to a few assassinations (1)

American Presidents Andrew Johnson (1808-1875): president after Lincoln’s assassination; most known for ‘going easy’ on the southern states after the war & being a ‘bad president’; impeached but acquitted (1)

George Washington (1732-1799): American Revolutionary war leader, founding father and first president of the United States

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945 ): Lawyer, Secretary of Navy, Governor of NY, and longest serving American President; Presidency spanned Great Depression & WWII; suffered from polio (1, 2)

Barack Obama (1961-): first African American President; 2 terms spanned end of American recession and wars in Iraq & Afghanistan; healthcare reform; (1, 2)

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919): Police Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, “Rough Rider,” and 26th President; Progressive, known for conservation, ‘Square Deal’ policies, and American imperialism (1)

Civil War era, abolition Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885): Union General whose military victories helped the Union win the war; President of the USA whose administration was marked by corruption (1, 2)

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895): American social reformer, abolitionist, and orator who was born into slavery and escaped to freedom; leader of abolition movement (1) Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861): Illinois politician who, following the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, lost presidential nomination to Lincoln; proponent of popular sovereignty to decide issues (1)

William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-1891): Union General during Civil War who is infamous for his march through the south; commander of the army after Grant; Indian Wars (1)

William Seward (1801-1872): US Secretary of State under Lincoln, former Governor/Senator of NY; purchased Alaska; almost assassinated (1)

Jefferson Davis (1808-1889): the first and only President of the Confederacy

Robert E. Lee (1807-1870): Commander of Confederate Army ( 1 , 2 , 3 )

Walt Whitman (1819-1872): Poet, journalist; one of the most influential and (in his time) controversial of all time; wrote O Captain! My Captain! About Lincoln’s death ( 1 )

ADAM SANDLER

Comedians / entertainers Chris Rock (1966 -): Comedian, director, actor, writer; one of the most successful and acclaimed comics of all time; often deals with American culture and race ( 1 , 2 )

Judd Apatow (1967 - ): Comedian, writer, director, producer known for his movies and television shows about growing up ( 1 )

Drew Barrymore (1975 - ): actress and producer from famed acting family who survived turbulent childhood to have a successful career ( 1 , 2 )

Henry Winkler (1945 - ): Actor and author who achieved great success in TV, film, and books; overcame dyslexia ( 1 ,2 , 3 )

Amy Sherman Palladino (1966 - ): Writer, Director, and Producer known for her clever, female driven TV shows ( 1 , 2 , 3 )

Mel Brooks (1926 -): Writer, producer, director, comedian known for his comic parodies (1, 2)

Groucho Marx (1890-1977): American comic star who, with his brothers, formed ‘Marx Brothers’ stage and film act; known for his wit, grease mustache, and cigar ( 1 , 2 ) Sid Caesar ( -2014): one of the first and greatest television comic stars ( 1 , 2)

ALBERT EINSTEIN

Physicists, Scientists J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967): American physicist and ‘father of the atomic bomb’; known for troubled relationship to his creation and desire to end nuclear arms race; ‘blacklisted’ for leftist political beliefs; (1)

Richard Feynman (1918-1988): physicist and physics populizer; publicly known for books, lectures; worked on development of atomic bomb (1, 2)

Stephen Hawking (1942-2018): English physicist and author; suffered from early onset ALS

Marie Curie (1867-1934): scientist known for pioneering studies into radioactivity; often did not receive credit for discoveries and work due to sexism of the time

Lise Meitner (1878-1968): co-discovered nuclear fission (but sexism prevented her from receiving Nobel Prize); fled Nazi Germany

Carl Sagan (1934-1996): physicist, astronomer, and science popularizer known for his books, movies, and television shows that made science accessible (1)

ALEXANDER HAMILTON

Hamilton-related Eliza Schuyler Hamilton (1757-1854): wife of Alexander and founder of NY Orphan Asylum

Angelica Schuyler (1756-1814): sister-in-law of AH, socialite, letter writer ( 1 )

Founding Fathers, George Washington (1732-1799): American Revolutionary war leader, founding father and first Revolutionaries president of the United States

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826): President & writer of the Declaration of Independence ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) James Madison (1751-1836): 4th President; an architect of the US Constitution / Bill of Rights

Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834): French military officer who helped the colonies during the American Revolutionary War ( 1 , 2 )

John Adams (1735-1826): American diplomat, founding father VP, President

Aaron Burr (1756-1836): American founding father, VP who is famous for shooting Hamilton (1 )

King George III (1738-1820): King of Great Britain/Ireland during American Revolution (1, 2)

Hamilton musical Lin-Manuel Miranda (1980-): award winning American composer and playwright who wrote In the Heights and Hamilton ( 1 , 2 )

ALY RAISMAN

Gymnasts, Olympians Sophina DeJesus (1994-): UCLA gymnast who became famous for viral competition routine; outspoken about racism in US, and represented Puerto Rico in Olympics (1)

Nadia Comaneci (1961-): famed female gymnast from Romania who received the first ‘perfect ten’ in olympics gymnastics history. Harrowing defection from Romania, then under the rule of dictator Ceausescu.

Dominique Moceanu (1981-): Olympic gymnast. Her parents fled poverty in Romania and came to the US. She has detailed the difficulty of her her childhood: being forced into gymnastics. Enduring grueling training and diet regimens. Legally separated from her parents. (1)

Tonya Harding (1970-): Olympic figure skater infamous for taking part in an attack on competitor Nancy Kerrigan (1)

ANNE FRANK

Anne Frank-related Otto Frank (1889-1990): Anne Frank’s father; sole member of Frank family to survive Holocaust; published Anne’s diary Miep Gies (1909-2010): young Dutch woman who helped hide Frank family

Eva Schloss (1929 -): Holocaust survivor and Otto Frank’s stepdaughter; lived “in shadow of Anne Frank”

Young women who made a Emma Gonzalez (1999-): Parkland school shooting survivor who has become well-known gun difference control activist (twitter)

Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (2000-): indigenous environmental activist who spearheads a conservation organization, has addressed the UN on climate change, and is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the American federal government for failing to act on climate change

Claudette Colvin (1939-): Nurse and activist; as a youth, became a Civil Rights pioneer for refusing to give up seat on a bus

Ruby Bridges (1954-): first student to integrate southern schools at age 6 (2)

Bana al-Abed (2009-): young Syrian girl whose alleged tweets about the war, hunger, and destruction of Syria received international attention

Naomi Wadler (2007-): youth gun control activist who raises awareness about gun violence against young black girls that often goes unreported (2)

Sophie Cruz (2010-): young American immigration activist who became known for handing Pope Francis, then visiting America, a letter asking him to support immigration reform. Sophie’s parents are both undocumented and living in the US

Holocaust, WWII Anna Maria Settela Steinbach (1934-1944): Dutch Romani girl who perished in concentration camp; photo of her deportation was symbolic of children victims of Holocaust; thought to be Jewish until 1994 when story was uncovered (2)

Maria Altmann (1916-2011): Austrian Jewish refugee who fought to regain possession of artwork stolen from her family by Nazis

Young Diarists during the Hélène Berr (1921-1945): young Jewish French woman who kept a diary during Nazi occupation Holocaust of France; perished in Bergen-Belsen

Mary Berg (1924-2013): young Polish survivor of Warsaw Ghetto; wrote a diary of her experiences published in America was one of first English language accounts of the Holocaust; very private about experience later Petr Ginz (1928-1944): young Czech boy who, while interred in kept an illustrated diary / published a magazine called Vedem at Theresienstadt (1,2)

BOB DYLAN

Musicians & Writers Joan Baez (1941-): American folk singer, songwriter, and social justice activist ( 1 )

Woody Guthrie (1912-1967): American folk singer and songwriter who wrote hundreds of songs chronicling working class life, the dust bowl, labor, and social justice issues; influenced generations of musicians and writers ( 1 , 2 , 3 )

Phil Ochs (1940-1976): American protest singer and songwriter known for sharp, witty, insightful songs about social and political issues of the day ( 1 , 2 )

Johnny Cash (1932-2003): American country singer, songwriter, actor, and author known for his affiliation with ‘outlaw country’ and other genres; known as the ‘man in black’ (1 , 2 , 3 )

Robbie Robertson (1943-): First Nations Canadian musician, actor, and author who was a member of The Band, and ‘went electric’ with Dylan ( 1 , 2 , 3 )

Dylan Thomas (1914-1953): Welsh poet and writer whose work & myth inspired Bob Dylan (1)

Odetta (1930-2008): African American folk singer and songwriter whose powerful voice and activism inspired many musicians ( 1 , 2 )

DAVID BEN-GURION

Israeli Prime Ministers Moshe Sharett (1894-1965) second PM of Israel; family helped found of Tel Aviv; known for political moderation ( legacy , description of his book )

Yitzhak Rabin (1922-1995) Fifth PM of Israel (and first born in Israel) served two terms until assassination in 1995; won Nobel Peace Prize with Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat in 1994 (Nobel Lecture, Assassination )

Ehud Barak (1942-) 10th PM of Israel; most decorated soldier in Israeli history; (on Netanyahu & Israel today , interview about peace ) Levi Eshkol (1895-1969) third Israeli Prime Minister and founder of the Israeli labor party; anulled military rule over Israeli Arabs; Led government during Six-Day War (“Forgotten Hero” , Six Day War . Meeting with LBJ )

Nation founders Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) Russian communist revolutionary; architect of the Bolshevik revolution; one of the founders and leaders of the Soviet Union (influence of reading ; position on capitalism , battle over statue in Berlin )

Toussaint Louverture (1743-1803) former Haitian slave who became the leader of the Haitian Revolution that toppled French rule ( defeating Napoleon, legacy , statue in the Smithsonian )

Simon Bolivar (1783-1830) known as ‘El Libertador’, this Venezuelan military and political leader helped to gain independence for many South American nations including Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama ( SB monuments around the world , how legacy is used today , personality “cult” )

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) Italian general and nationalist who led the unification of Italy (legacy on 150th anniversary of unification , legacy , Garbaldi & the 1,000 , primary source with explanation )

Michael Collins (1890-1922) Irish revolutionary and politician who was a leading figure in the struggle for Irish independence; was commander of the National army in the Irish Civil War; assassinated (death of Michael Collins , controversial legacy , and Eamon de Valera , more on legacy )

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938) Turkish revolutionary and founder of the Republic of Turkey; a secularist, nationalist, who aimed to modernize Turkey (adoration in Turkey , portraits in Turkey , secret private life , price of insulting Ataturk , secularism , statue)

Sun Yat-Sen (1866-1925) Chinese philosopher and revolutionary who founding father of the Republic of China; played critical role in overthrowing Qing dynasty and uniting China ( timeline , lecture “The Principle of Democracy” , China after his death , struggle over legacy )

DONALD TRUMP

“Populist” figures and William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) powerful politician and media mogul infamous for demagogues sensationalist “yellow journalism”; inspiration for “Citizen Kane” film ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4)

George Wallace (1919-1998) Governor of Alabama during 1960s-1970s; vocal proponent of racial segregation (and opponent of equal rights); ran for President, almost assassinated ( 1 , 2 ) Andrew Jackson (1767- ) American soldier and politician who became the seventh president of the US; a founder of the Democratic Party and proponent of individual rights; legacy is very controversial, particularly because of his Indian Removal policy (controversial legacy 1, controversial legacy 2, & Donald Trump , the big block of cheese , Trail of Tears , $20 bill, anti- establishment)

Matteo Salvini (1973-) Italian politician currently serving as Deputy Prime Minister; a big critic of the European Union / euro ; strong opponent of undocumented immigration and asylum seekers in Italy; known for being ‘far right’ and ‘populist’ as well as nationalist and anti- globalization (Aljazeera profile , Guardian profile , close of Italy’s ports to migrants , populism )

Nigel Farage (1964-) British politician who led the fringe UK Independence Party and leader of Brexit; since resigned and is now a media figure ( 1 , 2 )

Geert Wilders (1963-) Dutch politician and founder and leader of the Party for Freedom; known for his strong opposition to Islam and Muslims; hard-line stance on immigration and against multiculturalism; called the ‘Dutch Donald Trump’ (his call for Muslim travel ban in Europe, interview with his brother , GW Effect , profile , BBC profile , Guardian profile , Politico Profile , quotes)

Business people Henry Ford ( 1863 - 1947 ) American industrialist known for development of mass production of automobiles; was a promoter of antisemitism ( 1 , 2 , 3 )

William Levitt (1907 - 1994) Real estate developer who ‘invented’ the American suburb, providing affordable housing -- and furthering racist housing policies in the US ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 )

J. Paul Getty (1892-1976) American-British industrialist, founder of Getty Oil Co.; was the richest man in the world, a philanthropist, and art collector, but was notoriously frugal and paranoid about his money (negotiating his kidnapped grandson’s ransom) ( 1 )

DRAKE

Hip-hop / Rap & Pop Music Boots Riley (1971-) Ameircan rapper, poet, musician, film director and activist (systemic inequality , living wage , about his new film , Moth storytelling

Adam Yauch (1964-2012) Rapper, musician, director, and activist best known as MCA of the Beastie Boys. Raised Jewish, he became Buddhist as an adult and organized ‘Tibetan Freedom Concerts’ and other activism (Many Lives of AY , Tibetan Freedom Concert, Feminism , anti- Islamophobia , park) Sagol 59 (1968-) Jerusalem based hip hop MC and ‘godfather’ of Israeli hip hop’ who also writes for Haaretz. Has recorded several times with Palestinian rappers, in an effort for peace and common ground (on Arab-Israeli music collaboration , Interfaith tolerance )

Kendrick Lamar (1987-) Pulitzer Prize winning rapper, songwriter, and producer known for his political music that uses storytelling to confront realities about race, poverty and other issues in America (Vanity Fair cover story , on capitalism & art , Pulitzer Prize )

Common (1972-) American rapper, poet, and actor known for his conscientious rapping and activism (on being political , in Ferguson, MS , on ending Chicago gun violence )

K’naan (1978-) Somali Canadian poet, rapper, and musician who combines Somali music with hip-hop (controversial HBO project , on being a refugee)

ELIE WIESEL

Holocaust Survivors who Primo Levi (1919-1987) Italian Jewish scientist and Holocaust survivor who later wrote novels wrote about their about science, and about his experiences during the Holocaust (Importance of PL , Mystery of PL experience , Survival in Auschwitz )

Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) Psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor who wrote Man’s Search for Meaning about his Holocaust experience and developed Logotherapy ( On Suffering / Morality , Critique )

Yehuda Nir (1930-2014) Polish psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor who wrote a book about his experiences called “The Lost Childhood” that covered posing as Catholic, losing his father; specialized in treating PTSD in children ( Obit , Interview , about opera )

Nelly Sachs (1891-1970) Jewish German poet and playwright who wrought about Holocaust informed by traditions of Judaism; won Nobel Prize for Literature in 1966 ( Nobel Prize bio , Links to poetry)

Aranka Siegel (1930-) Holocaust survivor and award winning writer of memoirs about imprisonment in Auschwitz-Birkenau and Bergen Belsen ( Oral history interview )

Inge Auerbacher (1934-) Holocaust survivor, writer, scientist, and speaker who wrote “I am a Star: Child of the Holocaust” about her three years in Terezin concentration camp (Museum of Tolerance , Holocaust & Human Rights )

EMMA LAZARUS

Female poets / writers George Eliot (1819-1880) English female poet, journalist, and novelist who wrote under a male pen name to avoid sexism of era ( on MiddleMarch , and Zionism )

Rosebud Ben-Oni (?) Mexican-Jewish poet whose work explores complexity of multicultural identity ( Poetry , Interviews

Hannah Arendt (1906-1975) Jewish German philosopher and political theorist, most known for her explorations of totalitarianism and covering the trials of Eichmann in Israel (Trials of HA , Eichmann in Israel , On Violence , Totalitarianism in the age of Trump )

Cynthia Ozick (1928-) American Jewish short story writer, novelist, and essayist who often writes about Jewish identity in contemporary American Life (Interview about Life/Work, on Anne Frank , on Israel )

Elsa Morante (1912-1985) Italian Jewish novelist best known for her “La Storia” about being Jewish in Italy during WWII (Life and work , on her final book, interview , obit , story )

Naomi Klein (1970-) Canadian writer, activist, and filmmaker most known for her analysis and criticism of globalization and capitalism and coverage of climate change ( on BDS , TEDtalk )

Rebecca Solnit (1961-) American writer who writes about feminism, environment, politics, and art (Articles for The Guardian , Feminist Resistance 2018 , myth of ‘Real’ America , Men explain )

Poets who wrote about Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet and journalist known for humanist and democratic democracy, citizenship, vision of America, use of free verse, and controversial poems ( Poems , on Democracy , government Interesting use of Whitman today , PBS , in Israel )

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) African American poet, activist, novelist, and playwright; leader of the Harlem Renaissance; ( Poetry , on his persona , LH’s anger & joy),

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) Chilean poet and diplomat; when communism was outlawed in Chile, he went into exile for many years, only to return to become an advisor to socialist President Allende until his overthrow in 1973 (Nobel Prize, death, Political importance , ‘poetry of resistance’ )

Carl Sandburg (1878-1967) Pulitzer Prize winning poet, biographer known for his writings about Americans people, cities, and history (PBS doc video clips , legacy , papers , politics , & Chicago )

Audre Lorde (1934-1992) African American poet whose work confronted social injustices like racism, sexism, and homophobia (Audre Lorde Project , Life & work , essay about her ) Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) Pulitzer Prize winning American poet and playwright, known for her feminist activism (celebration of her poetry , life & work , on death penalty , on Sacco & Vanzetti trial )

Julia de Burgos (1914-1953) one of the most celebrated Puerto Rican poets, was also a Puerto Rican nationalist working for Puerto Rican independence, as well as a civil rights/womens rights activist (impact on Puerto Rican identity, life & times , NY Review of Books profile , legacy )

Forough Farrokhzad (1935-1967) Iran’s celebrated but controversial female poet and filmmaker known for writing about freedom, liberation, and equality; her poetry was banned for a time after the Iranian Revolution(legacy , readings of poems , website )

EMMA WATSON

Young actor-activists America Ferrera (1984-) Latinx American actress, writer, and social activist whose work focuses on immigration, body positivity, feminism, gender equality ( on Women’s March , Interview )

Yara Shahidi (2000-) African American / Iranian-American actress, model and activist who is outspoken about minority representation in the media, immigration, gender equality and more ( thoughts / activism , representation , on Travel Ban )

Shailene Woodley (1991-) American actress and environmental / gender equality / political activist ( Activism , DAPL protest )

Amandla Stenberg (1998-) American actress, singer, and social activist who focuses on racial and gender equality ( Activism , more on activism , coming out )

Zendaya (1996-) American actress, singer, and activist ( Youth activism , on Race and more )

Riz Ahmed (1982-) British-Pakistani actor and musician whose activism focuses on portrayals of Muslims in the media, helping Syrians, and racial justice/inclusion ( on Lack of diversity in media , on activism / politics , Typecast )

HENRY KISSINGER Kissinger-affiliated Richard Nixon (1913-1994) American politician & President during the Vietnam War; whose policies and achievements are largely overshadowed by his involvement in the Watergate criminal break-in & cover-up, and his subsequent resignation (Podcast about Watergate , Enemy List , Nixon’s historic visit to China , creating the EPA , RN infamous Senate campaign , Legacy )

Alexander Haig (1924-2010) US Sec of State under Ronald Reagan and Chief of Staff to Richard Nixon & Gerald Ford; commander of NATO( obit , & the attempted of Reagan , turbulent tenure )

Lê Đức Thọ (1911-1990) Vietnamese Revolutionary, and politician who oversaw the Viet Cong insurgency during that led to the Vietnam War ; won Nobel Peace Prize with Kissinger for negotiating ceasefire to Vietnam War but declined it; (Rejection of Nobel Prize , Vietnam )

US Secretaries of State / Condoleezza Rice (1954-) American diplomat, Secretary of State to Pres. George W. Bush (the National Security Advisors first African-American female to hold that position) and National Security Advisor (first woman to serve that position) (Oprah interview , critical view of her legacy , civil rights , recent interview , legacy 2 , Iraq )

LOUIS BRANDEIS

American Supreme Court Harry Blackmun (1908-1999) Supreme Court Justice who, though Republican, authored the Justices landmark ruling in Roe v Wade; later supported issues like affirmative action and immigrants rights (Obit, Personal Papers, Immigrant Rights Case Plyler v Doe)

Roger B. Taney (1777-1864) Supreme Court Justice who, notoriously, delivered the majority opinion on Dred Scott v Sandford that ruled black people could not be citizens (Dred Scott)

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr (1841-1935) Supreme Court Justice who was among the longest serving; famous for his ‘Clear and Present Danger’ test (Clear & Present Danger, Another take)

Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-) first female Supreme Court Justice; notable swing vote on many important SC cases; founder of iCivics (Makers page , Article about her power)

Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) First African-American SC Justice; proponent of judicial activism who staunchly supported expanding civil rights and limiting criminal punishment (Before SC , “True Story behind Marshall” the movie )

MALALA YOUSAFZAI

Muslim Female Activists Linda Sarsour (1980-) Palestinian-American racial justice and civil rights activist and community organizer who helped organize the Women’s March and get Muslim holidays recognized in NYC public schools (NYFoundation , Forward article )

Dalia Mogahed (1974-) author, political advisor, director of of research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, and activist who combats stereotypes about Muslims, advised Obama on policy, (TEDtalk , Interview , Q&A )

Tawakkol Karman (1979-) Yemeni activist, journalist, and Nobel Peace Prize Winner who works for women’s rights and safety and democracy in Yemen, and founded Women Journalists without Chains to help journalists report on human rights (Nobel profile , on Nonviolence , position in Yemen )

Azadeh Shahshahani (1979-) Iranian-American human rights lawyer based in Atlanta, who is legal & Advocacy director for Project South and works with the ACLU on immigrant rights ( Human Rights work , writing , Profile )

Education Activists Michelle Bachelet (1951-) former President of Chile and former Executive Director of UN Women who instituted major reform to give girls equal access to education (Ed reform , legacy , immigration)

Julia Gillard (1961-) former Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of Board of hte Global Partnership for Education who champions education for girls in developing nations (on the Guardian , Global Partnership profile , controversial immigration policy )

Graca Machel (1945-) Former first lady of South Africa, advocate of girls educations and children’s rights (Op-Ed)

Erna Solberg (1961-) Conservative Prime Minister of Norway to led to Norway funding a UN initiative to promote greater access to education for young girls in Malawi (Iron Erna , asylum of Vanunu )

Zainab Salbi (1969-) Iraqi founder of Women for Women International to provide women in conflict areas with resources, support, and education to help rebuild their communities (website , TEDtalk , Makers profile )

Some interesting French Characters

Zinedine Zidane (1972-present) Zidane was born to Algerian parents in the banlieus of Marseilles, where he learned to play soccer in the streets of the neighborhood. By his teens, he was playing professionally. In 1998, he became a national hero when he led France to victory in the World Cup Final. He has reconciled his French and Algerian identities but, although widely respected in France, has been the target of racism (National Front). Biography

Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935) (Will probably be played by a mentor but has interesting ​ family members...)

French-Jewish artillery officer in the French army who, in 1895, was falsely accused of treason and sentenced to life imprisonment. His obvious innocence made him a cause celebre in France, with such influential people as Emile Zola coming to his defense. Eventually, the controversy led to re-trials and he was eventually found innocent and re-instated into the military. His case is widely seen as a symbol of the plight of French Jews, who though largely assimilated by that time, still faced suspicion and persecution. About Dreyfus and the Dreyfus Affair

Marcel Proust (1871-1922) “Marcel Proust, born into a wealthy French family on July 10, 1871, started his writing career ​ covering the exclusive Parisian drawing rooms. Proust was half-Jewish, which led him to support Alfred Dreyfus during the infamous anti-Semitic affair. Upon the death of his mother, Proust began a ​ voluntary seclusion that led him to write the seven part work, In Search of Lost Time, or ​ ​ Remembrance of Things Past.” -Biography NY Times Review Blog: Was Proust an anti-Semite?

Emile Zola (1840-1902) Born in France to a French mother and Italian father, Emile Zola started his life as a journalist but quickly became a novelist. In both his journalistic writing and the novels he wrote, he focused on the plights and stories of common people. When Alfred Dreyfus was accused of treason, Zola published the famous letter, J’Accuse, to champion his innocence. For his defense of Dreyfus, he was ​ ​ accused of libel and briefly fled the country to escape his own imprisonment. Biography J’Accuse letter (translated)

Ousmane Sembene (1923-2007) Senegalese author and “father of African film”, Sembene spent his early life in colonial West Africa. After he fought for French liberation during World War II, he moved to France for an education. There, he discovered the work of communist and revolutionary writers who influenced his anti-colonial ideas (first during the Algerian War, then for various African independence movements) and the desire to express those ideas through literature and film. He moved back to Africa in order to give those that had been margnalized a voice. Biography

Abd al Malik (1975-present) Rapper Abd al Malik was born to Congolese parents in the housing projects of Strasbourg, France. As a teenager, he did well in school but fell into drug dealing and stealing. Despite being told he was French, he faced racism, xenophobia, and police persecution--all of which made him struggle with his identity. He converted to Islam at age 15 because it gave him a solid, and because this fundamentalist and anti-western form of Islam allowed him to voice his discontent with France. He struggled to reconcile his religion with his way of life and his career in hip hop and as a result, turned to Sufism (a mystical branch of Islam). The change in beliefs is reflected in his music. His exploration of identity, race, religion, and class have won him popularity and critical acclaim. Interview/Profile Music Video for 12 Septembre 2001

Camille Pissaro (1830-1903) Known as one of the fathers of French impressionism, Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro was born on the island of St. Thomas to a Dominican mother and a Portuguese father of Sephardic Jewish descent. He was interested in art from an early age, the interest growing stronger after traveling to Venezuela with an artist in 1852. He moved to France in 1855 where he studied art and began painting, his early works characterized by their broad strokes (made with a palette knife rather than a brush). He fled France for London in 1870 during the Franco-Prussian war and returned after the war ended only to find the majority of his paintings had been destroyed. Aside from pioneering some of the impressionist techniques, he is also well known for his depiction of common people in France, as well as his influence over artists like Gaugin, Cezanne, and Cassatt. Biography Pissarro and Judaism

Rachel-French Jewish Actress-19th century (Eliza Rachel Felix) https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/rachel-eliza-rachel-felix https://judithwechsler.com/films/rachel-of-the-com%C3%A9die-fran%C3%A7aise https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/paintings/madame-r-or-rachel-i n-the-role-of-camille/

Jean-Marie Le Pen (1928-present) A leader of the far-right National Front Party, Le Pen was born in France in 1928. As a young man, he joined the French Foreign Legion and served in Indochina and Algeria when both colonies were fighting for their independence. During the 1950s, he entered politics, championing extreme right-wing candidates. In 1972, he became associated with the new National Front Party in France, an ultra-nationalist and anti-immigrant political group. An extremely controversial figure who has been accused of anti-semitism, xenophobia, racism, and even of Nazi sympathizing, he has run for president several times in France. Although he has never won, he garnered a great deal of support in the 2002 presidential election in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Honorary president of the National Front Partyfrom 2011-2018. BBC Profile About the National Front Party

Marine Le Pen (1968+) Marion Anne Perrine " Marine " Le Pen is a French politician and lawyer serving as President of the National Rally political party (previously named National Front) since 2011, with a brief interruption in 2017 to run for president of France. She came in second to current president Emmanuel Macron. She followed her father as the leader of the National Front Party. This anti-EU politician wants to call a ​ referendum on EU membership, crack down on immigration and ban the burka.

Jules Ferry (1832-1893) “Ferry was twice prime minister of France, from [1880-1881, 1883-1885]. He is especially remembered ​ for championing laws that removed Catholic influence from most education in France and for promoting a vast extension of the French colonial empire.” -Fordham ​ Encyclopedia Profile

Henri-Phillippe Petain (1856-1951) Petain was a French war hero after World War I. His popularity allowed him to fill various important roles in France during the 1930s: minister of war and secretary of state. The Germans marched on France in 1940. Petain set up an agreement with them, giving them control of the north of the country (including Paris), while his government would control most of the south. The new capital was Vichy, France, hence the name Vichy government. The Nazis later invaded even the neutral zones, rendering the Vichy government powerless. He actively collaborated with the Nazis to persecute and exterminate Jews and was condemned to death (for treason) after the war. His sentence was changed to life of solitary confinement. BBC Profile

Denis Diderot (1713-1784) “The French philosopher (seeker of wisdom), playwright, and novelist Denis Diderot is best known ​ as the editor of the Encyclopédie, a summary of information on all subjects that also questioned the ​ ​ authority of the Catholic Church.” -Encyclopedia of World Biography ​ Brief Biography

Azous Begag (1957+) French, of Algerian descent, writer, politician and researcher in economics and sociology. “Delegate minister” for equal opportunities of France in gov’t of prime minister Dominique de Villepin through April 5 2007; author of Shantytown Kid- memoir of growing up on the ​ ​ outskirts of Lyon https://winthropking.fsu.edu/event/azouz-begag-lessons-government ​

Eric Danon ( 1957+) France’s first Jewish ambassador to Israel https://www.ericdanon.com/biography-eric-danon-english

Rene Dreyfus (1905-1993) French/Jewish Race car driver, Rene Dreyfus (no relation) defeated Hitler’s protégé in a highly visible Grand Prix race in the 1930’s. His team was owned by an American woman who broke all the rules, first as a racer and then as a team owner who embarrassed Hitler. https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a32690075/the-pioneering-rally-driver-who-be at-the-nazis/

JCAT 2020 Character Suggestions

EDUCATION +

Below are figures who would likely have interesting perspectives on the intersection of education with culture/equality/race/religion, etc.

** = controversial green= young person ​

AMERICAN SCHOOL INTEGRATION ● Brown vs. Board of Education, Topeka Kansas ○ Oliver Brown (plaintiff, parent of Linda Carol Brown) ○ Linda Carol Brown ○ Thurgood Marshall (Chief Counsel for Plaintiffs) ○ Charles Hamilton Houston ○ Earl Warren (Chief Justice, Supreme Court) ○ Felix Frankfurter (Associate Justice, Supreme Court) ○ ** Harry F. Byrd (VA Senator, “massive resistance”) ● Little Rock, Arkansas ○ Little Rock Nine (Black students who desegregated Central HS) ■ Minnijean Brown ■ Elizabeth Eckford ■ Ernest Green ■ Thelma Mothershed ■ Melba Patillo ■ Gloria Ray ■ Terrence Roberts ■ Jefferson Thomas ■ Carlotta Walls ○ Little Rock School Board ■ Harold Ingstrom ○ Political figures ■ Dwight D. Eisenhower ■ ** Orval Faubus (Governor, Arkansas) ■ Ronald Davies (Federal judge) ○ NAACP ■ Daisy Bates ● General (School) Desegregation ○ Ruby Bridges ○ Barbara Rose Johns ○ Medgar Evers ○ Mae Mallory ○ James Lawson ● University Integration ○ James Meredith ○ Autherine Lucy ● Freedom Schools ○ Charles Cobb, Jr (created by) ○ Staughton Lynd (coordinated by) ○ James Farmer (CORE) ○ Robert Parris Moses (SNCC, Algebra Project) ​ ​ ● Oakland Community School ○ Huey Newton (founder, Black Panther Party) ○ Bobby Seale (founder, Black Panther Party) ● Highlander Folk School ○ Don West ○ Myles Horton ○ Lilian Wycliffe Johnson ○ Zilphia Horton ○ Esau Jenkins ○ Septima Clark ○ Guy Carawan ● Affirmative Action/Active Recruitment ○ Lyndon Johnson ○ Hobart Taylor, Jr ● BSU ● African Studies/ African American Studies ○ Nathan Hare ○ Carter G. Woodson (“father of black history”) ○ W.E.B. DuBois ○ Melville J. Herskovits ○ Lorenzo Dow Turner ● HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) ○ Howard Morehouse Spelman Fisk ○ Ralph Bunche ○ Mordecai Wyatt Johnson ○ Marian Wright Edelman

INDIGENOUS EDUCATION / SURVIVAL SCHOOLS ● Native American Studies ○ Elizabeth Cooke Lynn ○ Vine Deloria ● Educators / Survival Schools ○ Anna Mae Aquash

ETHNIC STUDIES ● Asian American Movement ○ Yuji Ichioka ○ Grace Lee Boggs ○ Ronald Takaki ○ Charles E. Young (University of California Chancellor 1968-1997) ○ Yuri Kochiyama ○ Merle Woo ● Chican@/Latinx ​ ○ James DeAnda (Civil Rights Attorney) ​ ○ Moctezuma Esparza (East LA school walkouts) ○ Paula Cristomo (East LA school walkouts) ○ Sal Castro (East LA teacher/mentor) ○ Carlos Montes ○ Harry Gamboa, Jr. ○ Reies Lopez Tijerina ○ Father John B. Luce (Social Action Training Center, Church of the Epiphany)

Disability Accessibility advocacy/Special Education https://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/drilm/collection/collection.html http://www.yodisabledproud.org/organize/docs/PRIDE/5_High_School/Unit_3_High/3_1h-Histor y_Timeline.pdf ● Justin Dart Jr, (Americans with Disabilities Act) ● Patrisha Wright (Americans with Disabilities Act) ● Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet (Gallaudet University; education of the deaf) ● Margaret Bancroft (Special Education) ● Judith Heumann ● James LeBrecht ● Frank Bowe ● Dr. Howard Rusk ● Ed Roberts (first student in wheelchair to attend UC Berkeley, Independent Living) ● YOUNG PEOPLE + (education/representation/expression/equality)

There are quite a few young people mentioned above, too

*Names in red = historical figures ​ ​ ● Om Prakash Gurjar:Indian children’s rights/education activist ​ ● Thandiwe Chama: Zambian children’s rights/education activist ​ ● Louise Braille: blind French educator who invented Braille system as a young man ​ ​ ● Claudette Colvin: African American civil rights icon who, at age 15, refused to give up ​ seat on bus ● Emma Gonzalez: American teen gun control activist ​ ● Marley Dias: African American activist, feminist and author who launched ​ #1000BlackGirlBooks ● Mary Beth Tinker: American student peace activist whose protest led to Supreme Court ​ ​ ruling on free speech in American public schools ● Asean Johnson: African American education activist who, at age 9, led protests against ​ closing of Chicago public schools and racial inequality ● Mya (or) Deanna Cook: African American sisters who, after being punished for wearing ​ braids to school, filed legal complaint to school and led to national conversation on how African American hair is policed in school dress codes

Characters related to scenario themes (activism, freedom of speech, connections to Islam)

Salman Rushdie (1947-present) Rushdie was born in Mumbai, India to Indian parents. His father was English-educated and a successful business man. As a young boy, Rushdie was sent to school in England where he was taunted for being Indian. He began writing while attending Cambridge, and published his first novel in 1975. In 1988, he released his novel The Satanic Verses, which so upset some in the Muslim ​ ​ community that the Ayatollah of Iran issued a fatwa (death sentence), causing Rushdie to spend most of the next nine years in seclusion. Official Website About the Fatwa (20 years later) ​

Cat Stevens (1948-present) The famous English folk singer known as Cat Stevens was born Steven Demetre Georgiou to a Greek ​ father and a Swedish mother. He became a famous musician while only 18. After he nearly drowned in the mid-1970s, Stevens eventually converted to Islam (from Greek Orthodoxy) and ​ changed his name to Yusuf Islam. He largely disappeared from popular music for the 1980s-90s. He faced a great deal of controversy in 1989 when he publicly criticized Salman Rushdie’s novel, The Satanic Verses. Many radio stations refused to play his music. In the early 2000s, Stevens ​ returned to music although now his music has much stronger religious themes than his earlier work. Documentary about Stevens/Islam

Mario Savio (1942-1996) As a student at the University of California Berkeley in the early 1960s, Savio became the leader of the freedom of speech movement on campus (and then nationally). He helped develop the sit-in as a form of non-violent protest that would be used in both the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War protest movement of the 60s-70s, as well as in protests into the present day. http://www.savio.org/ Mario Savio speech

Daniel Berrigan (1921-present) An american priest and peace activist who became infamous for his protests of the Vietnam War. In 1968, after traveling to Vietnam, he returned to the United States and participated in the burning of hundreds of draft cards in Maryland. He has continued to protest wars and American intervention in other countries. He is also an anti-death penalty and pro-life activist. American Magazine Profile

Gustavo Gutiérrez (1928-present) Known as the father of liberation theology (a 20th century movement centered in Latin America which concentrated on social and economic injustice), Gutiérrez was born in Peru in 1928 in Lima, Peru. He became an ordained priest in 1957. In 1971, he wrote A Theology of Liberation, which ​ ​ became very popular as well as very controversial (with the Vatican seeking to limit its influence in the following decades). Today, he teaches all over the world. Interview 2003 Academic Website at University of Notre Dame

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938) Born in the Ottoman Empire, Ataturk became a military hero when he helped repel the allied invasion of Dardenelles during World War I. After the war, he helped replace the sultanate with a secular republic. The republic was dominated by a single party until 1945. Ataturk is still highly regarded, even praised, in Turkey for his role in establishing the republic as well as his reforms and attempts to modernize (and westernize) the country. His surname, Ataturk, means “father of the Turks.” Ataturk’s legacy & Kemalism Ataturk’s role in the Armenian genocide

Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) Journalist and one of the leading political writers of the century, the English born Hitchens was very active in leftist politics. He shocked (and angered) many of his colleagues and fans when he supported the war in Iraq. Known for his electric and witty writing style, Hitchens died of pneumonia in 2011. His BBC Obituary Some of his writings for the Atlantic Monthly

Galileo (1564-1642) “Galileo Galilei (born on February 15, 1564) was an Italian scientist who supported Copernicanism, ​ the idea that Earth orbits the sun. Galileo defended his views in Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief ​ World Systems. For doing so, he was tried by the Roman Inquisition, was found ‘suspect of heresy’ ​ and spent the rest of his life under house arrest. His findings changed our world view for all time.” - ​ Biography The Trial of Galileo

Richard Dawkins (1941-present) One of the most respected voices in science as well as one of the most controversial, Richard Dawkins is perhaps the world’s foremost evolutionary biologist and scientific writer. He is both an outspoken atheist and secularist and a critic of creationism and intelligent design, particularly when it is taught in schools. TED profile Secular Europe Campaign (short video)

Theodor Herzl (1860-1904) The “founder of Zionism,” Herzl was born in Austria to a Jewish but secular family. He earned a law degree but was most successful as a writer (a playwright and a journalist). After witnessing the Dreyfus Affair unfold in Paris, he became convinced that Jews would never be accepted by non-Jewish culture, no matter how much they assimilated, and thus needed a country of their own. His idea of Zion, a Jewish state, was as as a socialist utopia. His writings launched an international Zionist movement. A biography from the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise ​ ​ Another brief biography from a Jewish Anti-Zionist website ​ ​

Shirin Neshat (1957-present) “Neshat was born in Qazvin, I ran, and left the country to study art in the United States at 17; she ​ graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with an MFA in 1982. When she returned to her home country in 1990, she found it barely recognizable from the Iran before the 1979 Revolution, a shocking experience that incited the meditations on memory, loss, and contemporary life in Iran that are central to her work. Her Women of Allah series, created in the mid-1990s, ​ ​ introduced the hallmark themes of her pieces through which she examines conditions of male, female, public, private, religious, political, and secular identities in both Iranian and Western cultures.” -Artnet Interview Artwork TEDTalks Speech

Afrika Bambaataa (1957-present) Born Keith Donovan in the Bronx, New York, he grew up with the funky music and black liberation politics of the 1970s. He became a leader of one of the biggest street gangs in New York, the Black Spades, but his life changed directions when he won an essay contest. The prize was a free trip to Africa. The trip, as well as the movie Zulu about the Zulu-Anglo War, changed his life. He changed ​ ​ his name to Afrika Bambaataa (“affectionate leader”) and began his own “Zulu Nation” in the Bronx, as a cultural organization incorporating the music, dance (break-dancing), and art (including graffiti) of the culture at the time. He is credited with popularizing the phrase “hip-hop” as well as fostering the culture that went with the burgeoning form of music. In the 1980s, he was the first hip-hop DJ to tour Europe. Biography ​

Marcus Garvey (1887-1940) Garvey was born in Jamaica in 1887. As a young man, he began educating himself through books and travel (the Americas as well as Europe). Upon returning to Jamaica in 1914, he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). In 1916, he moved the organization to Harlem, New York, where it became a great success. Garvey traveled the country, urging African Americans to not only have pride but to also return to Africa, their ancestral homeland. He even started the Black Star Line, a fleet of ships that took people “Back to Africa.” In the 1920s, he was convicted of fraud (although there is considerable evidence today that he was innocent of these charges) and served time in jail. He spent the last five years of his life in London. Although he was never affiliated with the religion, he is considered a prophet by the Rastafarians. Biography Garvey and Rastafarianism

Haile Selassie (1892-1975) Haile Selassie was born in Ethiopia in 1892. He was the country’s 225th emperor as well as its final one (he was overthrown in 1974 by a Marxist dictator). As a leader, he began reforming and modernizing his country while also solidifying his power. In 1936, he was forced into temporary exile when Italy, led by Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, invaded Ethiopia. While in exile, he lobbied for and eventually won international support and was able to kick Italy out. He ruled until the 1970s. At that time, the country’s economy had tanked, unemployment soared, and millions were starving due to famine. There was a great deal of popular unrest and in 1974, Selassie was overthrown. He died the following year, not of natural causes as was widely reported, but via assassination by the new government. Selassie has an interesting legacy, regarded as both a symbol of African self-rule and independence and as God by the Rastafarian religion (which you can read more about via the BBC link). Obituary, NY Times BBC: Selassie and Rastafarianism

Dorothy Kenyon (1888-1972) Although born and raised in privilege in New York City, Dorothy Kenyon became one of the most outspoken champions of civil rights after she spent a year in Mexico and became aware of social and economic injustice. In 1914, at the age of 26, she earned her law degree from NYU in an effort to fight injustice through the legal system. She became a leading activist for the labor movement, Civil Rights Movement, and the women’s rights, as well as one of the first members of the ACLU. In 1950, Joseph McCarthy labeled her a communist and even though it meant the end of her law career, she stood up to him. She continued her activism. Dorothy Kenyon Papers JCAT 2020 Jewish Characters List

General Suggestions:

Prominent US Jews: Israeli politicians: ​ ​ Haim Greenberg Chaim Weizmann Nehemiah Robinson Tzipi Livni Henry Kissinger Ehud Barak Ruth Messinger Ehud Olmert Ruth Bader Ginsberg Natan Sharansky Bella Abzug Eli Yishai Hank Greenberg Golda Meir Henry Morgenthau Shimon Peres Ed Koch Meir Kahane Abe Foxman Yossi Sarid Michael Lerner Moshe Dayan Louis Brandeis Levi Eshkol Hyam Solomon Moshe Sharett Judah P. Benjamin Abba Eban Rahm Emmanuel Michael Oren Alan Greenspan Yitzhak Shamir Lawrence Summers Avraham Burg Daniel Pearl Yigal Allon Barbara Walters Avigdor Lieberman Thomas Friedman David Brooks Prominent French Jews: Frank Rich Andrew Spire Grace Paley Jean-Marie Lustiger Susan Sontag Denise Bloch Ari Fleischer Emmanuel Levinas Barbara Boxer Camille Pissarro Dianne Feinstein Irene Nemirovsky Bess Myerson Marcel Proust Joe Lieberman Tom Lantos Jewish writers: Chaim Potok Prominent figures from Israel: Elie Weisel ​ Chaim Weizmann Saul Bellow David Ben Gurion Bernard Malamud Yigal Allon Phillip Roth Yitzhak Rabin Cynthia Ozick Hannah Senesh Emma Lazarus Avraham Stern Jonathan Safran-Foer Moshe Dayan Marge Piercy Henrietta Szold Nathan Englander Franz Kafka Gloria Steinem Jacques Lipchitz Marie Syrkin Leonard Bernstein Blu Greenberg Erich Korngold Allegra Goodman Kurt Weill Anzia Yezierska Jane Yolen Judy Blume Activists: ​ Gerda Weissman Klein Jeremy Ben-Ami (J Street) Dalia Ofer Lee Rosenberg (AIPAC) Nechama Tec Jessica Montell (Betzelem Israel) Herman Wouk Rabbi Arik Asherman (Rabbis for Human Maurice Sendak Rights) Arthur Miller Talia Livni (president Naamat Israel) Anita Diamant Mati Dan (chairman of Ateret Cohanim) William Kristol Rebecca Gratz Allen Ginsberg Lillian Wald Ayelet Waldmann Avi Weiss Leon Uris Bella Abzug Art Spiegelman Scientists Hebrew & Yiddish writers: Albert Einstein Amos Oz Hans Adolf Krebs A.B. Yehoshua Walter Kohn SY Agnon Gertrude Elion Rachel Rosalyn Yalow Naomi Shemer Isaac Bashevis Singer Athletes Rachel (Bluwstein) Hank Greenberg Leah Goldberg Sandy Koufax Zelda Max Baer Esther Raab Al Rosen Manya Shochat Bobbie Rosenfeld I. L. Peretz Lillian Copeland Shalom Aleichem Philosophers: ​ Artists and Musicians: Baruch Spinoza ​ Achinoam Nini Abraham Joshua Heschel Marc Chagall Martin Buber David Broza Susannah Heschel Bob Dylan Judith Plaskow Tiffany Shlain Noam Chomsky Anna Sokolow Moses Mendelssohn Mark Rothko Franz Rosenzweig Camille Pissaro Emmanuel Levinas Roy Lichtenstein Emil Fackenheim Helen Frankenthaler Moses Mendelsohn Anna Ticho Borowitz Yaakov Agam Psychologists: Carol Gilligan Robert Kegan Rabbis & Sages: 17th-19th century: ​ Sigmund Freud Sahbtai Tzvi Bruno Bettelheim Baal Shem Tov Jerome Bruner Gaon of Vilna Eric Fromm Rabbi Shneir Zalman of Ladi Abraham Maslow Rabbi of Kotzk Amia Leiblich Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter (Sfas Emes) Anna Freud Rav Kook Melanie Klein Shimson Rafael Hirsch Alfred Adler Reb Nachman of Bratslav Moshe Chaim Luzzato Rabbis & Sages: Talmudic: Zecharias Frankel Rabbi Akivah Isaac Meyer Wise Rabbi Yehuda Hanssai Asenath Barzani Abayeh Hannah Rachel Verbermacher Rava Rabbi Meir Rabbis & Sages: 20th century: ​ Alisha Ben Abuyah Sally Priesand (1st US woman Rabbi) Bruriah Menachem Mendel Schneerson Hillel Joachim Prinz Shamai David Forman Resh Lakish Harold Kushner Eric Yoffe Joseph Soloveitchik Rabbis & Sages: Post Talmudic Aish Koshesh Rav Saadia Gaon Regina Jonas (1st woman rabbi) Rashi Abba Hillel Silver Ibn Ezra Abraham Joshua Heschel Ibn Gvirol Maimonides Nachmanides

Rabbis & Sages: Medieval/Early modern: ​ Rabbi Yoseph Caro Isaac Luria Abbarbanel Maharal of Prague

Additional resources:

The Jewish Women’s Archive Check out their curated collections, such as “Women of Valor”, or use search their thousands of profiles of Jewish women www.jwa.org

Centropa Centropa is a Jewish historical institute dedicated to preserving 20th century Jewish family stories from Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans. Check out their interviews and short films. www.centropa.org

Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation Learn about the tens of thousands of young people who stood up to Nazi tyranny and oppression and saved the lives on thousands of Jews. http://www.jewishpartisans.org/

Wikipedia’s list of prominent French Jews https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_French_Jews

Characters we’ve had in the past with a little more information to get you started... (some Jewish, some not; ALL would bring really cool perspectives)

Raoul Wallenberg Swedish diplomat who rescued thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. He was detained by the Soviets at the end of the war and was never heard from again.

Paul Celan Born Paul Antschel – a Romanian-Jew who survived 18 months in Nazi labor camps. After the war, he lived in Romania, then Vienna, and finally Paris. He became a well-known poet writing in German. He committed suicide in 1970.

Nelly Sachs Born in Berlin, Sachs escaped to Sweden in 1940. She was a well known poet and dramatist whose works focused on themes of the Holocaust. She was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1966 along with the Israeli writer, SY Agnon.

Hannah Arendt German-born Philosopher, she was imprisoned by and escaped from the Nazis twice, the first time fleeing to France, the second time to the US. She became a well know political philosopher who wrote The Origins of Totalitarianism and Eichmann in Jerusalem, her best known work.

Charles de Gaulle Leader of the Free French during WWII, he later founded the Second Republic and served as president from 1959-1969. Arthur Lord Balfour British Prime Minister from 1902-1905, he later served as Foreign Secretary during WWI and was responsible for publishing the Balfour Declaration, which promised a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

Abe Foxman Abraham Henry Foxman (born May 1, 1940) is a Soviet-born American lawyer. He is the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League and a survivor of the Holocaust.

Madeline Albright Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright (born Marie Jana Korbel on May 15, 1937) is a Czech-born American politician and diplomat. She is the first woman to have become the United States Secretary of State.

Jacob Birbaum Jacob (Yaakov) Birnbaum (10 December 1926 – 9 April 2014) was the German founder of Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry (SSSJ) and other human rights organizations. Because SSSJ was the first initiative to address the plight of Soviet Jewry, he is regarded as the father of the Movement to Free Soviet Jewry.

Gertrude Weil Born into a prominent family in Goldsboro, North Carolina, Weil was involved in a wide range of progressive and often controversial causes, including women’s suffrage, labor reform and civil rights. In the 1930s and 1940s, she and her mother devoted much time and effort to rescuing Jewish refugees from persecution in Europe. http//jwa.org/womenofvalor/weil

Harold Ickes Ickes served as United States Secretary of the Interior for 13 years, from 1933 to 1946, the longest tenure of anyone to hold the office. In1938, Ickes proposed offering Alaska as a "haven for Jewish refugees from Germany and other areas in Europe where the Jews are subjected to oppressive restrictions”. http//jstandard.com/index.php/content/item/A_Thanksgiving_plan_to_save_Europes_Je ws/3377

Emma Lazarus One of the first successful Jewish American authors, Lazarus was part of the late nineteenth century New York literary elite and was recognized in her day as an important American poet. In her later years, she wrote bold, powerful poetry and essays protesting the rise of antisemitism and arguing for Russian immigrants' rights. http//jwa.org/womenofvalor/lazarus

Chaim Weizman Chaim Azriel Weizmann (27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Zionist leader and Israeli statesman who served as President of the Zionist Organization and later as the first President of Israel. On behalf of the Jewish Agency, he submitted to the governments of the US, USSR, UK, and France, a memorandum demanding reparations, restitution, and indemnification due to the Jewish people from Germany for its involvement in the Holocaust.

Menachem Begin Menachem Begin (16 August 1913 – 9 March 1992) was an Israeli politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Begin vehemently opposed the Reparations Agreement between Israel and West Germany, signed in 1952, claiming that it was tantamount to a pardon of Nazi crimes against the Jewish people.

Nahum Goldman Nahum Goldmann (July 10, 1895 – August 29, 1982) was a leading Zionist and the founder and longtime president of the World Jewish Congress from 1948 to 1977. Out of a meeting that he organized between 23 major Jewish organizations, The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany was created.

Hannah Senesh Hannah Senesh (July 17, 1921 – November 7, 1944) was one of 37 Jews from Mandatory Palestine parachuted by the British Army into Yugoslavia during the Second World War to assist in the rescue of Hungarian Jews about to be deported to the German death camp at Auschwitz

Henry Morgenthau Secretary of the Treasury under Franklin Roosevelt, he was a key figure in the New Deal and active in promoting the cause of Jewish refugees. http//www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007408 Joseph Kennedy Made his fortune in the stock market, Hollywood, and real estate. Roosevelt appointed him Chairman of the Security and Exchange Commission and later Ambassador to Great Britain. He was recalled because of his defeatist statements about the war and his desire to appease Hitler rather than fight. http//www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/The-Kennedy-Family/Joseph-P-Kennedy.aspx

Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977) Nationality/Ethnicity British, Romani Film director, actor, and one of the leading comedians of all time, Chaplin was also notorious for his leftist political sympathies and his initially controversial film ‘The Great Dictator’ (1940) which openly mocked Hitler and criticized his treatment of Jews long before anyone else in America was willing to speak of it. He reportedly made the film for his half brother, Sydney, who was Jewish. More Information http//www.charliechaplin.com/biography/articles; The Great Dictator http//brattleblog.brattlefilm.org/?p=98

Buffy Sainte-Marie (1941—present) Nationality/Ethnicity Cree, Canadian Indigenous musician, songwriter, poet, educator and activist, Buffy Sainte-Marie is well known for her protest songs “Universal Soldier”, and her activism on behalf of Indigenous Americans. More Information http//www.creative-native.com/ Tecumseh (1768-1813) Nationality/Ethnicity Shawnee, Native American In the early 1800s, as Native Americans were being pushed further West by white settlers, their population decimated by disease, Tecumseh tried to unite different tribes to fight back. He wanted to create an Indian nation separate from the U.S. More Information http//www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chief-tecumseh-urges-indians-to-unite-against whites;

Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) Nationality/Ethnicity African-American African-American activist who fought for the abolition of slavery, the rights of African Americans, and women. His speeches and writings among the best known and most powerful arguments against slavery. After the Civil War, he fought for civil rights for all. More Information http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html

Studs Terkel (1912-2008) Nationality/Ethnicity American, Jewish Author, radio broadcaster, and oral historian who is well-known for his bottom-up, oral histories of average Americans. Blacklisted during the McCarthy era, he is also well known for his progressive political stances for Civil Rights, against the war in Iraq, and many more. More Information http//www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/01/studs-terkel-usa http//www.studsterkel.org/bio.php

Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) Nationality/Ethnicity American American military leader and President (1829-1837). He became a war hero in the War of 1812 when he defeated the British in the battle of New Orleans. With his military accomplishments and populist ideas of democracy, Jackson became President in 1829. He was known for his aggressive use of executive powers (veto and bully pulpit). He also aggressively enforced the Indian Removal Act, which forced Native Americans west into Oklahoma. More Information http//www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99915988; http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html

Władysław Szpilman (1911-2000) Nationality/Ethnicity Polish, Jewish Famous musician and composer who, with his family, was forced to live in the Warsaw Ghetto. His family was sent to a concentration camp but he was left behind. He managed to survive outside the ‘ghetto’, overcoming violence and hunger. After the war, he continued to be a musician. More Information http//www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/pianist/

Kathe Kollwitz (1867-1945) Nationality/Ethnicity German Artist whose work captured the plight of poor mothers and children, and the human cost of poverty and war. She was considered subversive by Kaiser Wilhelm and her work was banned by Hitler. More Information http//www.nmwa.org/collection/profile.asp?LinkID=511

Helen Keller (1880-1960) Nationality/Ethnicity American Author and activist, Helen Keller was well known for working with teacher Annie Sullivan to learn to communicate although being deaf and blind. Not as well known is her advocacy of socialism, pacificism, worker’s rights, and women’s rights. More Information http//www.biography.com/articles/Keller-Helen-9361967

Howard Zinn (1922-2010) Nationality/Ethnicity American, Jewish Historian, playwright, activist who wrote the bottom-up “A People’s History of the United States.” During World War II, he was a flew bomber missions—an experience that turned him against war. He studied history and became a professor, as well as an outspoken supporter of Civil Rights, labor rights, and against war. More Information http//www.howardzinn.org/zinn/bio; http//www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/01/31/alice_walker_says_goodbye_to_he r _friend_howard_zinn/

Mark Twain (1835-1910) Nationality/Ethnicity American Great American writer and humorist, best known for his work, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He wrote extensively against imperialism and colonialism, slavery, and questioned organized religion. He also championed women’s suffrage and labor unions. More Information http//www.cmgww.com/historic/twain/about/bio.htm

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) Nationality/Ethnicity British, Dutch Actress, fashion icon, and humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn grew up German-occupied Holland. As a young girl and ballerina, she performed to raise money for the Dutch Resistance and even carried messages for them in her ballet shoes. Throughout the period, she suffered from malnutrition and grew to hate violence. After an extremely successful acting career, she became known for humanitarian work for UNICEF, bringing public attention to the poverty and hunger rampant in Africa, Asia, and South America. More Information http//www.unicef.org/people/people_audrey_hepburn.html; http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJj5RoLAhzw

Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) Nationality/Ethnicity American, Jewish The “Father of the Atom Bomb,” Oppenheimer was an American physicist known for his role in the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. During the Depression, he joined the Communist Party as a reaction to the rise of Nazism in Europe (a threat to his family), and the economic plight around him. Despite this, he headed the Manhattan Project. And even though he helped create the bomb, he worked hard to control it. More Information: http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/bomb/peopleevents/pandeAMEX65.html

Clara Lemlich (1886-1982) Nationality/Ethnicity American, Ukrainian, Jewish Labor activist Clara Lemlich was born in Ukraine to a Jewish family. In 1903, already an avowed socialist, she arrived in America and began working in New York garment industry. In response to the horrible treatment of the workers, she joined the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, and led many strikes, including the famous ‘uprising of 20,000.’ A year later, many workers from that same factory, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory, died in a fire because management would not allow them to leave the building. Lemlich was also a suffragist, and consumer advocate. More Information http//icarusfilms.com/new2005/clar.html; http//www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/triangle-lemlich/

Tayyip Erdogan: Turkish President who is in the center of a complex set of issues related to refugees from the Syrian civil war and Europe’s desire to protect itself from having to take in too many refugees.

Angela Merkel: The German chancellor has become the face of a more welcoming, “open door” policy regarding immigrants, and she has paid a political price for that stance.

Justin Trudeau: Canadian Prime Minister and head of another nation that has been notably welcoming to Syrian [and other] immigrants.

Ralph Bunche: African-American diplomat and Nobel Prize winner. Great advocate for the UN and for an international approach to problem solving.

Ayman Odeh: Israeli Arab politician and Member of Knesset who has made notable efforts to build bridges and reduce tensions between Israeli Jews and Arabs. http://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-top-arab-politician-seeks-a-future-in-the-jewish-stat

Elvira Arellano: Elvira Arellano is a Mexican woman who lived in the United States for several years after entering the country illegally. In an effort to stay in the US with her American-born son, she defied an immigration order and took refuge in a Chicago church, where she stayed for over a year. She was deported and separated from her son. Arellano is the ‘unofficial face’ of millions of undocumented people who live and work in the US. She would have a great deal to say about citizenship, justice, and sanctuary. http://latinousa.org/2014/11/21/elvira-arellano-back-forth/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/aug/21/usa.edpilkington

Abd-ar-Rahman III: Emir and Caliph of Cordoba. The most powerful prince of Iberia during the Muslim rule of Spain. Under his rule, Islamic Spain became the cultural center of the Western world--flourishing culturally and economically and experiencing a level of religious tolerance. http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/spain_1.shtml

Sophia Duleep Singh: the daughter of the Last Maharaja of the Sikh empire, Sophia Duleep Singh grew up in luxury (Queen Victoria was her godmother). But a visit to India in 1903 changed everything. There, during the celebration of King Edward’s acension to ‘Emperor of India,’ she witnessed and experienced the harsh treatment of Indians under British rule. Whens he returned to England, she joined the cause of women’s suffrage in Britain, becoming a leader of the movement. Because of her race, she was excluded (until recently) from histories of the suffrage movement. http://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item124196.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAH0MLNfK1U

Mahjoub Sharif: Sudanese poet, teacher, and activist was beloved throughout Sudan and was known as the ‘poet of the people.’ He wrote, in colloquial Arabic, about the lives of Sudanese people. While he and his work were secular, they displayed his leftist beliefs and passion for human rights. Because of his politics, he was imprisoned for over 13 years by different dictators. Celebrated Sudanese musicians often adapted his poetry into music, turning his words into national anthems. These words and songs were said to have kept spirits high and hope alive in Sudan.

Yusra Mardini: A young Syrian refugee competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics as part of the first ever Refugee Team. Her family, along with other Syrian refugees, was on a boat that began to sink as they made their way to Europe. Mardini got out and pushed the boat to safety (3.5 miles). Rose Nathike Lokonyen: A South Sudanese refugee who is competing on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. In training she ran barefoot through the refugee camp where she lives in Kenya. She participated as part of the refugee team.

James Chiengjiek: An olympic athlete competing for the Refugee Olympic team, Chiengjiek fled South Sudan at age 13. His father was a soldier who died in the Civil War, and Chiengjiek fled to avoid becoming a child soldier.

Elián González: When he was only 5 years old, became embroiled in a heated international custody and immigration controversy involving the governments of Cuba and the United States, and family in Miami and in Cuba. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/21/elian-gonzalez-cuba-tug-war

Dred Scott: Dred Scott was an enslaved African-American who unsuccessfully sued to free himself and his family.. The Supreme Court ruling against Scott in 1857 ruled that African Americans were not (and never would be) American citizens and therefore had no rights that white Americans had to recognize. Dred Scott could make interesting points about human rights, citizenship, and more. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2932.html