Famous 21st Century Activists

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 1 
Malala Yousafzai
(Women's Rights Activist, World's Youngest Nobel Prize Laureate)
Malala Yousafzai
42
Birthdate: July 12, 1997
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mingora, Pakistan

Named to Time 100 thrice, Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai exhibits phenomenal grit and inspires young girls everywhere. An assassination attempt by Islamic fundamentalists could not dampen her spirit, and she fought back with a bestselling memoir and won the Nobel Peace Prize as its youngest recipient, at 17.

 2 
Rosa Parks
(American Activist in the Civil Rights Movement Best Known for Her Pivotal Role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott)
Rosa Parks
37
Birthdate: February 4, 1913
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Tuskegee, Alabama, United States
Died: October 24, 2005

Rosa Parks, “the first lady of civil rights,” was a pioneer in the American revolution against color segregation and racism. Her refusal to leave her bus seat to a white passenger gave rise to the iconic Montgomery Bus Boycott, which also led her to work with Martin Luther King Jr.

 3 
Kailash Satyarthi
(Child Rights Activist)
Kailash Satyarthi
15
Birthdate: January 11, 1954
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Vidisha, India

Kailash Satyarthi is an Indian social reformer who won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Satyarthi is best known for his campaign against child labor in India. Kailash Satyarthi is credited with founding several social activist organizations like Global March Against Child Labour, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, and Global Campaign for Education.

 4 
Steve Irwin
(Television Celebrity & Wildlife Conservationist Who Died After Getting Stung by a Stingray Barb)
Steve Irwin
23
Birthdate: February 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Victoria, Australia
Died: September 4, 2006

Australian Steve Irwin was a world famous, high-spirited, lively host of The Crocodile Hunter television series. A conservationist, he was also part of other shows and documentaries on wildlife and environment. He was known for close encounters with some of the most dangerous and endangered animals in various jungles. He died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

 5 
Edward Snowden
(American Intelligence Contractor Who Leaked Highly Classified Information from the National Security Agency)
Edward Snowden
14
Birthdate: June 21, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Elizabeth City, North Carolina, United States

A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee who came into the limelight after leaking confidential information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013, Edward Snowden has been variously called a “hero", “whistle-blower", and “traitor". A controversial figure in USA, he was granted asylum in Russia, where he now lives with his wife.

 6 
Erin Brockovich
(Environmental Activist)
Erin Brockovich
14
Birthdate: June 22, 1960
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Lawrence, Kansas

Legal consultant, environmental activist, and consumer activist Erin Brockovich is known for suing California-based Pacific Gas & Electric Company, alleging them of contamination of water with hexavelent chromium, in 1993. Her story inspired the Julia Roberts-starrer 2000 movie Erin Brockovich. She has written two books and hosted TV shows, too.

 7 
Angela Davis
(Political Activist)
Angela Davis
20
Birthdate: January 26, 1944
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Birmingham

Activist, philosopher, academic and author, Angela Davis is a founding member of the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (CCDS). She has worked in the areas of feminism, class, race and the US prison system. She has also received criticism for supporting the erstwhile Soviet Union and has been accused of supporting political violence.

 8 
Naomi Klein
(Canadian Author and Activist Best Known for Her Books: ‘No Logo’, ‘The Shock Doctrine’ and ‘This Changes Everything’)
Naomi Klein
3
Birthdate: May 5, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Montreal, Canada

Canadian author, social activist, and filmmaker Naomi Klein is known for her criticism of corporate globalization and capitalism. She became internationally known following the release of her alter-globalization book No Logo. She often appears on global and national lists of top influential thinkers and is the recipient of the 2016 Sydney Peace Prize. She is a prominent environmentalist as well.

 9 
Ruby Bridges
(Philanthropist)
Ruby Bridges
10
Birthdate: September 8, 1954
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Tylertown
American civil rights activist Ruby Bridges became the first African-American child to attend an all-white educational institute when she joined the Louisiana-based William Frantz Elementary School in November 1960. She was the subject of Norman Rockwell’s painting The Problem We All Live With and the TV movie Ruby Bridges.
 10 
Anna Hazare
(Social Activist)
Anna Hazare
5
Birthdate: June 15, 1937
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India

Anna Hazare is an Indian social activist known for his efforts to improve rural places in India. His contribution to the development of Ralegan Siddhi earned him the Padma Bhushan in 1992. He is also known for his fight against corruption; he went on a hunger strike in 2011 to exert pressure on the government to enact an anti-corruption law.

 11 
Elizabeth Smart
(Child Safety Activist and Commentator for 'ABC News')
Elizabeth Smart
15
Birthdate: November 3, 1987
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Elizabeth Smart is a child safety activist who gained national attention when she was kidnapped from her home at the age of 14. She was held captive for nine months before she was rescued by the cops. Smart went on to become an activist and works against human trafficking and abduction. In 2011, she became the founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.

 12 
Jazz Jennings
(LGBTQ Rights Activist, Internet Personality, Spokesmodel)
Jazz Jennings
9
Birthdate: October 6, 2000
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Florida
 13 
Coretta Scott King
(Civil-Rights Activist and the Wife of Martin Luther King Jr)
Coretta Scott King
13
Birthdate: April 27, 1927
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Heiberger, Alabama, United States
Died: January 30, 2006

The American civil rights activist was an ideal foil for her famous husband Martin Luther King Jr. in promoting racial equality. The author and singer led the Women's Movement and fought for the rights of the LGBT community. She was also known for mobilising African-Americans during the 1960 US presidential election. She founded the King Centre, a not-for-profit organization.

 14 
Afeni Shakur
(American Political Activist and Member of the ‘Black Panther Party’)
Afeni Shakur
7
Birthdate: January 22, 1947
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lumberton, North Carolina, United States
Died: May 2, 2016

Afeni Shakur was a political activist best known as the mother of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur. Afeni Shakur was an important member of the popular political organization Black Panther Party where she mentored new members like Jamal Joseph, Dhoruba Bin-Wahad, and Cleo Silvers.

 15 
Johnnie Cochran
(American Lawyer and Civil Activist Best Known for Defending and Acquitting 'O. J. Simpson')
Johnnie Cochran
10
Birthdate: October 2, 1937
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Died: March 29, 2005
Johnnie Cochran was an American civil activist and lawyer. Cochran played an important role in the acquittal of former football player O. J. Simpson in connection with the murder of the latter's ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson. Cochran had also represented other celebrities like Michael Jackson, Sean Combs, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, Riddick Bowe, and Jim Brown to name a few.
 16 
Temple Grandin
(Scientist)
Temple Grandin
6
Birthdate: August 29, 1947
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Temple Grandin is an American activist and scientist. An outspoken proponent of the neurodiversity and autism rights movements, Grandin is one of the first individuals to document the insights gained from her own experience of autism. She has also authored over 60 scientific papers on animal behavior. Her life and work inspired the 2010 biographical drama film Temple Grandin.

 17 
Barbara Bush
(Activist)
Barbara Bush
6
Birthdate: November 25, 1981
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dallas, United States
 18 
Bianca Jagger
(Nicaraguan Social and Human Rights Advocate & Wife of Singer Mick Jagger)
Bianca Jagger
6
Birthdate: May 2, 1945
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Managua, Nicaragua

Bianca Jagger is a Nicaraguan social rights advocate. She is credited with founding the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, where she is currently serving as the chairperson. For her work as a humanitarian, Jagger has received several awards, including the Champion of Justice Award. A former actress, Jagger appeared in many movies and TV shows throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

 19 
Martin Luther King III
(Human Rights Activist)
Martin Luther King III
11
Birthdate: October 23, 1957
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama
The American civil rights activist has continued his legendary father Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle for racial equality. Martin Luther King III headed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference founded by his father and endorsed Barack Obama’s nomination for American presidency. King fought against police brutality, but he also denounced capital punishment, saying he did not belive in retributional justice.
 20 
Nicholas Winton
(British Humanitarian and Banker)
Nicholas Winton
4
Birthdate: May 19, 1909
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hampstead, London, England, United Kingdom
Died: July 1, 2015

Nicholas Winton was a British humanitarian and banker best remembered for founding an organization to save children at risk from Czechoslovakia. He is credited with overseeing the rescue of 669 children from Czechoslovakia just before the commencement of the Second World War. This rescue mission came to be known as the Czech Kindertransport.

 21 
Daniel Ellsberg
(Activist)
Daniel Ellsberg
4
Birthdate: April 7, 1931
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Economist and political activist Daniel Ellsberg has also served as a U.S. military analyst and worked for RAND Corporation. He made headlines after releasing the Pentagon Papers to leading newspapers such as The New York Times. However, the charges of theft and conspiracy levelled against him were later dismissed.

 22 
Yolanda King
(Civil Rights Activist and Daughter of Civil Rights Leader 'Martin Luther King Jr.')
Yolanda King
4
Birthdate: November 17, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States
Died: May 15, 2007

African American activist, Yolanda King, was the first-born child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Exposed to social justice activism at a young age, she grew up to be an outspoken supporter of civil rights and LGBTQA+ rights. She was also known for her artistic endeavors. She died of heart disease at 51. 

 23 
Claudette Colvin
(Pioneer of the 1950s Civil Rights Movement)
Claudette Colvin
3
Birthdate: September 5, 1939
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Montgomery, Alabama, United States

Claudette Colvin is an American retired nurse aide and pioneer of the civil rights movement during the 1950s. She was arrested at age 15, when she refused to give up her seat in a crowded bus to a white woman. This occurred several months before the more renowned Rosa Parks incident, which helped spark the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955.

 24 
Richard Stallman
(Free Software Movement Activist and Programmer)
Richard Stallman
4
Birthdate: March 16, 1953
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Computer programmer and free-software activist Richard Stallman established the Free Software Foundation. The Harvard and MIT alumnus led the free GNU project, aimed at creating a UNIX-like operating system. He was later dragged into a controversy when he dismissed a sexual assault victim’s allegation against Jeffrey Epstein.

 25 
Emma Gonzalez
(Gun Control Activists)
Emma Gonzalez
6
Birthdate: 1999 AD
Birthplace: Parkland, Florida
 26 
Heather Thomas
3
Birthdate: September 8, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 27 
Arlyn Phoenix
(American Social Activist and Mother of Actors 'River', 'Rain', 'Joaquin', 'Liberty', and 'Summer Phoenix')
Arlyn Phoenix
4
Birthdate: December 31, 1944
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York City, United States

Arlyn Phoenix, or Heart Phoenix, is the mother of actor Joaquin Phoenix. Her other son, River Phoenix, died of a drug overdose. Her three other children are also actors. She and her first husband were members of the cult The Children of God. She is now a renowned peace activist.

 28 
Alexandra Paul
(Actress, Activist and Health Coach Known for Her Role as ‘Lt. Stephanie Holden’ in the TV Series ‘Baywatch’)
Alexandra Paul
3
Birthdate: July 29, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

As a budding model, Alexandra Paul decided to reject an offer from Stanford University to focus on a career in acting. She is best known to fans for her 5-year-long stint as Lt. Stephanie Holden in the internationally renowned series Baywatch. She is also a marathon runner and an avid swimmer.

 29 
Earl Holliman
(Actor)
Earl Holliman
3
Birthdate: September 11, 1928
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Delhi, Louisiana, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 30 
Theresa Saldana
(Actress)
Theresa Saldana
3
Birthdate: August 20, 1954
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Died: June 6, 2016
 31 
Michael Savage
(Author, Political Commentator, Activist, and former radio host)
Michael Savage
3
Birthdate: March 31, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 32 
Laurie David
(Environmental Activist)
Laurie David
4
Birthdate: March 22, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Long Island, New York, United States

Laurie David is an American environmental activist best known for producing An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary film that has been credited for reenergizing the environmental movement and raising public awareness on global warming. In 2003, she was honored with the Children's Nature Institute's Leaf Award for her efforts to educate young children about our environment.

 33 
David Suzuki
(Canadian Academic, Environmental Activist and Host of TV Program ‘The Nature of Things’)
David Suzuki
3
Birthdate: March 24, 1936
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Vancouver, Canada
Best known for the CBC show The Nature of Things, Canadian environmental activist David Suzuki has also been a genetics and zoology professor. The UN Environment Programme Medal winner has been a major force against global warming and has written several books, such as An Introduction to Genetic Analysis.
 34 
Abigail Disney
(Filmmaker)
Abigail Disney
3
Birthdate: January 24, 1960
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
 35 
Liu Xiaobo
(Chinese Human Rights Activist and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate)
Liu Xiaobo
3
Birthdate: December 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Changchun, China
Died: July 13, 2017

Liu Xiaobo was a Chinese activist, literary critic, and philosopher. He is best remembered for organizing campaigns that aimed at ending the one-party rule in China. He was honored with the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his struggle for human rights in China. Liu is the first Chinese citizen to be honored with a Nobel Prize while residing in China.

 36 
Rosario Dawson
(Best Known for Portraying the 'Star Wars' Character 'Ahsoka Tano')
Rosario Dawson
14
Birthdate: May 9, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

A popular actress, producer, and activist, Rosario Dawson is known as much for her involvement in politics and philanthropy as for her work in films and television. A strong supporter of various charitable organizations, such as One Campaign and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Rosario came out as member of the LGBT community in 2020.

 37 
Paul Petersen
(American Actor, Novelist, Singer, and Activist)
Paul Petersen
3
Birthdate: September 23, 1945
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Glendale, California, United States

Paul Petersen is an American actor, novelist, singer, and activist. He achieved popularity in the 1950s when he played Jeff Stone on the popular American sitcom, The Donna Reed Show. As an activist, Paul Petersen is best known for founding an organization called A Minor Consideration, which aims at supporting child laborers and child stars through legislation and personal intervention.

 38 
T. Boone Pickens
(Entrepreneur)
T. Boone Pickens
4
Birthdate: May 22, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Holdenville, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died: September 11, 2019
 39 
Ron Silver
(Actor)
Ron Silver
3
Birthdate: July 2, 1946
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: March 15, 2009
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 40 
Elizabeth Jagger
(British-American Actress, Model, Activist, and Feminist)
Elizabeth Jagger
3
Birthdate: March 2, 1984
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York, New York

Elizabeth Jagger is a British-American actress, model, activist, and feminist. Best known for her work supporting the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), Jagger played an important role in Illinois ratifying the ERA. As a model, Elizabeth Jagger has worked with famous brands like Lancôme and Tommy Hilfiger.

 41 
Chirlane McCray
(Writer, Social Activist)
Chirlane McCray
3
Birthdate: November 29, 1954
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
 42 
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
(Critic of Islam and Advocate of Women Rights)
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
5
Birthdate: November 13, 1969
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mogadishu, Somalia

Somali-born Dutch-American activist, feminist, and scholar Ayaan Hirsi Ali is the founder of an organization for the defense of women's rights, the AHA Foundation. She actively opposes forced marriage, honor violence, and child marriage. A former Muslim, she now identifies as an atheist and is a vocal critic of Islam. She is a recipient of the Lantos Human Rights Prize.

 43 
Denise Nicholas
4
Birthdate: July 12, 1944
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 44 
Ron Kovic
(Anti-War Activist)
Ron Kovic
3
Birthdate: July 4, 1946
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Ladysmith, Wisconsin, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 45 
Claire Wineland
(American Activist, Author and Motivational Speaker)
Claire Wineland
3
Birthdate: April 10, 1997
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Austin, Texas, United States
Died: September 2, 2018
 46 
Nadia Murad
(Human rights activist)
Nadia Murad
3
Birthdate: 1993 AD
Birthplace: Kocho, Iraq
 47 
Wangari Maathai
(The First African Woman to Receive 'Nobel Peace Prize')
Wangari Maathai
3
Birthdate: April 1, 1940
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Ihithe, Kenya
Died: September 25, 2011

Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmental, social, and political activist. She achieved popularity after becoming the first African woman to be honored with the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. She is credited with founding a non-governmental organization called The Green Belt Movement (GBM), which focuses on women's rights and environmental conservation.

 48 
Mike Cernovich
(Writer)
Mike Cernovich
3
Birthdate: November 17, 1977
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kewanee, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 49 
Annie Glenn
(Disability rights activist)
Annie Glenn
3
Birthdate: February 17, 1920
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: May 19, 2020
 50 
Phan Thi Kim Phuc
(Napalm Girl Depicted in the Pulitzer Prize–Winning Photograph Titled 'The Terror of War')
Phan Thi Kim Phuc
5
Birthdate: April 6, 1963
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Trảng Bàng, Vietnam

Phan Thi Kim Phuc is a South Vietnamese-born Canadian woman. As a nine-year-old child, she was captured in a photograph taken during the Vietnam War, in which she is shown running naked on a road following a napalm attack. It took her a long time to recover from her injuries. As an adult, she is a peace activist.