Social Activists from United States

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Americans Social Activists of all time. This list of famous Americans Social Activists is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Americans Social Activists.

1. #1

   

   Martin Luther King Jr.

   1929 - 1968

   HPI 92.49178 langs

   Martin Luther King Jr. is most famous for his role in the civil rights movement, which he lead to fight for equal rights for African...Read moreShow less

   Martin Luther King Jr. is most famous for his role in the civil rights movement, which he lead to fight for equal rights for African Americans.

2. #2

   

   Malcolm X

   1925 - 1965

   HPI 86.4397 langs

   Malcolm X is most famous for being a prominent African-American civil rights activist and minister of the Nation of Islam. He was...Read moreShow less

   Malcolm X is most famous for being a prominent African-American civil rights activist and minister of the Nation of Islam. He was assassinated in 1965 at the age of 39.

3. #3

   

   Eleanor Roosevelt

   1884 - 1962

   HPI 86.1195 langs

   Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served as First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She was...Read moreShow less

   Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served as First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She was also a political activist, diplomat, and author.

4. #4

   

   Helen Keller

   1880 - 1968

   HPI 81.88109 langs

   Helen Keller is most famous for being the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. She was also a prolific author and activist.

5. #5

   

   Rosa Parks

   1913 - 2005

   HPI 79.14106 langs

   Rosa Parks is most famous for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger.

6. #6

   

   W. E. B. Du Bois

   1868 - 1963

   HPI 77.6660 langs

   American sociologist, historian, socialist, activist, and writer

7. #7

   

   Emily Greene Balch

   1867 - 1961

   HPI 77.2772 langs

   Emily Greene Balch was an American Quaker who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946 for her work in the Women's International League for Peace...Read moreShow less

   Emily Greene Balch was an American Quaker who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946 for her work in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

8. #8

   

   Margaret Sanger

   1879 - 1966

   HPI 76.4152 langs

   American birth control activist, educator and nurse

9. #9

   

   Harriet Tubman

   1820 - 1913

   HPI 73.5486 langs

   Harriet Tubman is most famous for her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, a network of people who helped slaves escape to...Read moreShow less

   Harriet Tubman is most famous for her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, a network of people who helped slaves escape to freedom.

10. #10

    

    Angela Davis

    b. 1944

    HPI 72.3965 langs

    Angela Davis is most famous for her involvement in the Black Panther Party and the Communist Party, her activism, and her release from...Read moreShow less

    Angela Davis is most famous for her involvement in the Black Panther Party and the Communist Party, her activism, and her release from prison.