Famous 19th Century Social Reformers

Find out more about the greatest 19th Century Social Reformers, including Harriet Tubman, Jane Addams, William Lloyd Garrison, Dorothea Dix and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
Florence NightingaleFlorence Nightingale
12 May 1820, British
Founder of Modern Nursing
Harriet TubmanHarriet Tubman
29 February 1822, American
Abolitionist

Ahmed Raza Khan BarelviAhmed Raza Khan Barelvi
14 June 1856, Indian
Islamic Scholar, Reformer

Dadabhai NaorojiDadabhai Naoroji
04 September 1825, Indian
 

Jane AddamsJane Addams
06 September 1860, American
 

William Lloyd GarrisonWilliam Lloyd Garrison
12 December 1805, American
Abolitionist
Ishwar Chandra VidyasagarIshwar Chandra Vidyasagar
26 September 1820, Indian
Social Reformer, Philosopher

Mary McLeod BethuneMary McLeod Bethune
10 July 1875, American
Educator

Savitribai PhuleSavitribai Phule
03 January 1831, Indian
Social Reformer, Poet
Narayana GuruNarayana Guru
20 August 1856, Indian
Spiritual Leader, Social Reformer

Josiah HensonJosiah Henson
15 June 1789, American
Abolitionist
Vinoba BhaveVinoba Bhave
11 September 1895, Indian
Social Reformer

Dorothea DixDorothea Dix
04 April 1802, American
Social Reformer

Mahadev Govind RanadeMahadev Govind Ranade
18 January 1842, Indian
Judge, Social Reformer

William BeveridgeWilliam Beveridge
05 March 1879, British
Economist

Dhondo Keshav KarveDhondo Keshav Karve
18 April 1858, Indian
Social Reformer and Educator
Josephine ButlerJosephine Butler
13 April 1828, British
Social Worker

Caroline NortonCaroline Norton
22 March 1808, British
Author

Dayanand SaraswatiDayanand Saraswati
12 February 1824, Indian
Indian philosopher

Jyotiba PhuleJyotiba Phule
11 April 1827, Indian
Social Reformer
George LansburyGeorge Lansbury
21 February 1859, British
Social Reformer

Bipin Chandra PalBipin Chandra Pal
07 November 1858, Indian
Writer
Carl SchurzCarl Schurz
02 March 1829, German, American
Politician

Beatrice WebbBeatrice Webb
22 January 1858, British
Sociologist

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of ShaftesburyAnthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury
28 April 1801, British
Politician
Edwin ChadwickEdwin Chadwick
24 January 1800, British
Public servant

Samuel SmilesSamuel Smiles
23 December 1812, British, Scottish
Writer
Kang YouweiKang Youwei
19 March 1858, Chinese, Taiwanese
Philosopher

Charles Freer AndrewsCharles Freer Andrews
12 February 1871, British
Priest

Theodore ParkerTheodore Parker
24 August 1810, American
Transcendentalist
Ricardo Flores MagónRicardo Flores Magón
16 September 1873, Mexican
Political figure

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Florence KelleyFlorence Kelley
12 September 1859, American
Social Reformer
Octavia HillOctavia Hill
03 December 1838, British
Social Reformer

Yosano AkikoYosano Akiko
07 December 1878, Japanese
Author

Mary White OvingtonMary White Ovington
11 April 1865, American
Journalist

Thomas HughesThomas Hughes
20 October 1822, British
Lawyer
Gerrit SmithGerrit Smith
06 March 1797, American
Politician
Rowland HillRowland Hill
03 December 1795, British
Educator

Daniel Carter BeardDaniel Carter Beard
21 June 1850, American
Illustrator

Toyohiko KagawaToyohiko Kagawa
10 July 1888, Japanese
Peace Activist

Samuel PlimsollSamuel Plimsoll
10 February 1824, British
Politician
Sidney Webb, 1st Baron PassfieldSidney Webb, 1st Baron Passfield
13 July 1859, British
Economist

Seebohm RowntreeSeebohm Rowntree
07 July 1871, British
Researcher

Hannah Whitall SmithHannah Whitall Smith
07 February 1832, American
Author

Franklin Benjamin SanbornFranklin Benjamin Sanborn
15 December 1831, American
Journalist

Robert Dale OwenRobert Dale Owen
07 November 1801, American, Scottish
Politician
Moa MartinsonMoa Martinson
02 November 1890, Swedish
Author

Amanda SmithAmanda Smith
23 January 1837, American
Leader
Sophonisba BreckinridgeSophonisba Breckinridge
01 April 1866, American
Educator

Charles Eliot NortonCharles Eliot Norton
16 November 1827, American
Author

Ellen Gates StarrEllen Gates Starr
19 March 1859, American
Social Reformer
Grace AbbottGrace Abbott
17 November 1878, American
Social Worker

Charles Loring BraceCharles Loring Brace
19 June 1826, American
Philanthropist
Mary CarpenterMary Carpenter
03 April 1807, British
Educational and Social Reformer

Lujo BrentanoLujo Brentano
18 December 1844, German
Economist

Josephine Shaw LowellJosephine Shaw Lowell
16 December 1843, American
Biographer

Florence Jaffray HarrimanFlorence Jaffray Harriman
21 July 1870, American
Socialite

Francis PlaceFrancis Place
03 November 1771, British
Social Reformer
Frances Dana Barker GageFrances Dana Barker Gage
12 October 1808, American
Writer

Fowell BuxtonFowell Buxton
01 April 1786, British
Politician

Horace PlunkettHorace Plunkett
24 October 1854, Irish, British
Author

Shiv Narayan AgnihotriShiv Narayan Agnihotri
20 December 1850, Indian
Hindu social reformer
Benjamin LundyBenjamin Lundy
04 January 1789, American
Abolitionist

Samuel BamfordSamuel Bamford
28 February 1788, British
Writer
Thomas Mott OsborneThomas Mott Osborne
23 September 1859, American
Political Figure

Richard OastlerRichard Oastler
20 December 1789, British
Abolitionist

Alice SalomonAlice Salomon
19 April 1872, German
Social worker
Julia LathropJulia Lathrop
29 June 1858, American
Social worker

Samuel RomillySamuel Romilly
01 March 1757, British
Lawyer
Hannah G. SolomonHannah G. Solomon
14 January 1858, American
Social Reformer

Uriah Smith StephensUriah Smith Stephens
03 August 1821, American
Politician

Madeline McDowell BreckinridgeMadeline McDowell Breckinridge
20 May 1872, American
Human Rights Activist
Pavel KiselyovPavel Kiselyov
19 January 1788, Russian
Reformer

Elisabeth IrwinElisabeth Irwin
29 August 1880, American
Educator
Kees BoekeKees Boeke
25 September 1884, Dutch
Educator

Kate Waller BarrettKate Waller Barrett
24 January 1857, American
Physician

Lillie Devereux BlakeLillie Devereux Blake
12 August 1833, American
Writer

May Wright SewallMay Wright Sewall
27 May 1844, American
Reformer
Carleton WashburneCarleton Washburne
02 December 1889, American
Educator
Lizzie Black KanderLizzie Black Kander
28 May 1858, American
Author

George Henry EvansGeorge Henry Evans
25 March 1805, British
Reformer

Kate BarnardKate Barnard
23 May 1875, American
Politician

Annie Turner WittenmyerAnnie Turner Wittenmyer
26 August 1827, American
Writer
Albion Fellows BaconAlbion Fellows Bacon
08 April 1865, American
Writer

Harold RuggHarold Rugg
17 January 1886, American
Educational Reformer

Lugenia Burns HopeLugenia Burns Hope
19 February 1871, American
Social reformer

Martha McClellan BrownMartha McClellan Brown
16 April 1838, American
Educator

Katherine Philips EdsonKatherine Philips Edson
12 January 1870, American
Social Activist
Maud NathanMaud Nathan
20 October 1862, American
Social Worker

W. R. van HoëvellW. R. van Hoëvell
14 July 1812, Dutch
Minister
Caroline Bartlett CraneCaroline Bartlett Crane
17 August 1858, American
Journalist

Caroline SeveranceCaroline Severance
1820 AD, American
Social reformer
John CartwrightJohn Cartwright
17 September 1740, British
British politician
Agnes NestorAgnes Nestor
24 June 1880, American
Politician