Vote for Your Favourite American Women Activists
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1
Harriet Tubman
(Activist and Abolitionist Known for Her Efforts in Rescuing Slaves and Abolition of Slavery)
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27
Birthdate: 1822
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Dorchester County, Maryland, United States
Died: March 10, 1913
Born to parents who were bonded slaves, Harriet Tubman life was a difficult one from the very beginning. Yet with her remarkable courage and determination, she not only escaped slavery herself, but also led other enslaved people to freedom. The prominent political activist and abolitionist was also the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the American Civil War.
2
Rosa Parks
(American Activist in the Civil Rights Movement Best Known for Her Pivotal Role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott)
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36
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 iconicMontgomery Bus Boycott, which also led her to work with Martin Luther King Jr.
3
Helen Keller
(American Author and First Deaf-Blind Person to Earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree)
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13
Birthdate: June 27, 1880
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Tuscumbia, Alabama, United States
Died: June 1, 1968
A prolific author, having written 12 published books and several articles, Helen Keller was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Her autobiography, The Story of My Life, made Keller famous and was adapted for film and stage. She was also an activist and campaigned for women's suffrage, labour rights, socialism and other such causes.
4
Susan B. Anthony
(Social Reformer and Women's Rights Activist Who Was a Pioneer Crusader for the Women’s Suffrage Movement)
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23
Birthdate: February 15, 1820
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Adams, Massachusetts, United States
Died: March 13, 1906
Susan B. Anthony's vital role in the women's suffrage movement changed the course of history. She led one of the two national suffrage organizations, which later became the National American Woman Suffrage Association, with Susan as its leading force. She also played an instrumental role in publishing The Revolution, a women's rights newspaper.
5
Ashley Judd
(Best Known for Her Role in the Movie 'Double Jeopardy')
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10
Birthdate: April 19, 1968
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Ashley Judd is a popular American actress who is vocal about topics, such as sexual assault. As a three-time rape survivor—as claimed by her—Ashley serves as an inspiration to rape survivors around the world. Known for her humanitarian work, Ashley has worked on gender equality for over a decade. She is also famous for her political activities.
6
Alyssa Milano
(Actress and Political Activist Known for Her Role in the 'MeToo Movement')
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Birthdate: December 19, 1972
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bensonhurst, New York, United States
An unexpected audition led a young Alyssa Milano to her role in touring musicalAnnie. She became a teen star with sitcomWho's the Boss?. A bit of struggle later, she finally bagged her big break as an adult in the television show Charmed. Alyssa Milano is also a political activist and UNICEF Ambassador.
7
Erin Brockovich
(Environmental Activist)
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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.
8
Sojourner Truth
(Abolitionist and Women's Rights Activist)
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12
Birthdate: 1797 AD
Birthplace: Rifton, New York, United States
Died: November 26, 1883
Sojourner Truth was an American women's rights activist and abolitionist. Born into slavery, Truth escaped to freedom in 1826. She then approached the court to recover her son, subsequently becoming the first black woman to emerge successful against a white man in such a case. In 2014, she was named in Smithsonian's 100 Most Significant Americans of All Time list.
9
Linda McCartney
(American Photographer, Musician, Animal Rights Activist and Vegetarian Cook Book Author)
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Birthdate: September 4, 1941
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Scarsdale, New York, United States
Died: April 17, 1998
Linda McCartney, the first wife of Paul McCartney, formed the band Wings with her husband, after the Beatles disbanded. An animal rights activist, she wrote several vegetarian cookbooks, apart from launching Linda McCartney Foods. She was also a skilled photographer and published a photo book. She died of breast cancer.
10
Eartha Kitt
(Singer with a Distinctive Voice Known for her Hits "Let's Do It", and "C'est si bon")
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6
Birthdate: January 17, 1927
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: North, South Carolina, United States
Died: December 25, 2008
Eartha Kitt was an American actress, comedian, dancer, and singer-songwriter. Renowned for her distinctive singing style, Kitt recorded several chartbusting songs during the 1950s. Also a well-known activist, Eartha Kitt established a non-profit organization called the Kittsville Youth Foundation, which helped underprivileged youths in Los Angeles. She was also an ardent advocate for same-sex marriage and LGBT rights.
11
Ali MacGraw
(Actress)
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4
Birthdate: April 1, 1939
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pound Ridge, New York, United States
A veteran actress with a career spanning over half a century, Ali MacGraw first came to prominence in the 1970s after acting in many popular action and romantic films. She was also active on the stage and in TV shows. Besides acting, she has been an animal rights advocate throughout her life.
12
Daryl Hannah
(Actress Best Known for Her Role in the Films: 'Kill Bill', 'Blade Runner' and 'Splash')
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9
Birthdate: December 3, 1960
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Daryl Hannah is best known for her Saturn Award-winning performances as Madison in Splash and Elle Driver in the Kill Bill movies. In 2017, she claimed she had been sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein in the past. Hannah is a vegan and has struggled with autism in childhood.
13
Angela Davis
(Political Activist)
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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 receivedcriticism for supporting the erstwhile Soviet Unionand has been accused of supporting political violence.
14
Marlo Thomas
(Actress)
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5
Birthdate: November 21, 1937
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
15
Elizabeth Smart
(Child Safety Activist and Commentator for 'ABC News')
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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.
16
Ruby Bridges
(Philanthropist)
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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.
17
Angelina Jolie
(Hollywood's Highest-Paid Actress In Her Hey Days)
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Birthdate: June 4, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
A fashion icon, acclaimed actress, influential humanitarian and Special Envoy for the UNHCR, Angelina Jolie is a highly noted celebrity in Hollywood. She has been hailed for her philanthropic efforts around the globe and praised for her power packed performances. Mother of six, of whom three are adopted, Angelina Jolie is a role model for the women of this generation.
18
Fran Drescher
(Actress & Comedian Known for Her Role of 'Fran Fine' in the Sitcom 'The Nanny')
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Birthdate: October 30, 1957
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Flushing, New York, United States
Fran Drescher is an American actress and comedian. Characterized by her thick New York accent and nasal voice, Fran Drescher serves as an inspiration to many cancer patients as she successfully fought off the disease after suffering from uterine cancer. She is also an outspoken LGBT rights activist and healthcare advocate.
19
Marcheline Bertrand
(American Actress and Former Wife of Actor ‘Jon Voight’)
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5
Birthdate: May 9, 1950
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Blue Island, Illinois, United States
Died: January 27, 2007
Marcheline Bertrand was an American actress. The former wife of Jon Voight and the mother of Angelina Jolie, Marcheline Bertrand had a brief acting career. She had a greater impact as a humanitarian as she co-founded an organization called All Tribes Foundation in an attempt to provide economic and cultural benefits to Native Americans.
20
Jazz Jennings
(LGBTQ Rights Activist, Internet Personality, Spokesmodel)
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Birthdate: October 6, 2000
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Florida
21
Gloria Steinem
(American Feminist Journalist and Co-Founder of ‘Ms,' Magazine)
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Birthdate: March 25, 1934
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Toledo, Ohio, United States
Hailing from a humble background, Gloria Steinem went on to become a celebrated journalist and an iconic feminist. Founder of the New York magazine and Ms Magazine, her life has been dedicated to writing, talking and fighting for women’s rights, gender equality, legalisation of abortion, among other things. She brought issues like female genital mutilation to the forefront in America.
22
Cynthia Nixon
(American Actress, Best Known for Her Performance in the HBO Series 'Sex and the City')
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7
Birthdate: April 9, 1966
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Apart from being one of the most popular American actresses, Cynthia Nixon is also a well-known activist. Being an openly bisexual actress, she also serves as an inspiration to the LGBTQ community. Cynthia is acancer survivor and continues to inspire people affected with cancer.
23
Shailene Woodley
(Actress Best Known for Her Film 'The Fault in Our Stars' and TV Series 'Big Little Lies')
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Birthdate: November 15, 1991
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Bernardino County, California, United States
A child model at four and a television actor at eight, Shailene Woodley began working early and found fame with The Descendants, The Spectacular Now and the Divergent film series. She later gained tremendous appreciation for her work in the movieThe Fault in Our Stars and HBO series Big Little Lies. The award winning actress is also an environmentalist and activist
24
Pauley Perrette
(Television Actress, Activist, Singer)
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Birthdate: March 27, 1969
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Pauley Perrette is a former actress, singer, and writer. Perrette is best known for portraying Abby Sciutofrom 2003 to 2018 on the popular police procedural TV series NCIS. Also an activist, Pauley Perrette supports several animal rescue organizations, LGBT rights organizations, and civil rights organizations. Over the years, she has been an ardent supporter of the American Red Cross.
25
Coretta Scott King
(Civil-Rights Activist and the Wife of Martin Luther King Jr)
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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.
26
Ashley Biden
(Social Worker, Fashion Designer and Daughter of U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden)
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5
Birthdate: June 8, 1981
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Wilmington, Delaware, United States
Ashley Biden, youngest daughter of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, has been the executive director of the Delaware Center for Justice. Ashley owns a clothing company, Livelihood, which donates its sales proceeds to various charities, partnering with online retailer Gilt Groupe. She has fought against animal testing and for dolphin conservation.
27
Rowan Blanchard
(Actress)
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5
Birthdate: October 14, 2001
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Rowan Blanchard is best known as Rebecca Wilson from Spy Kids: All the Time in the World. Named one of Time’s Most Influential Teens in 2015, she also appeared as Riley Matthews in the Disney series Girl Meets World and was seen in the series The Goldbergs and Snowpiercer, too.
28
Afeni Shakur
(American Political Activist and Member of the ‘Black Panther Party’)
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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.
29
Margaret Sanger
(Birth Control Activist Who Opened the First Birth Control Clinic in the United States)
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Birthdate: September 14, 1879
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Corning, New York, United States
Died: September 6, 1966
Margaret Sanger was an American writer and sex educator. She is credited with popularizing the term birth control. A birth control activist, Sanger established the first birth control clinic in America. She also set up organizations that later became the well-known non-profit organization Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She also played a key role in legalizing contraception in the US.
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Maya Angelou
(American Poet and Civil Rights Activist Known for Her Autobiography ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’)
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Birthdate: April 4, 1928
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: May 28, 2014
Poet, author, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was a champion for black feminism and is best remembered for her autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing. The recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and over 50 honorary degrees was also a child sex abuse survivor.
31
Barbara Bush
(Activist)
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Birthdate: November 25, 1981
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Dallas, United States
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Margaret Cho
(Actress & Comedian Known for Her Role in 'All-American Girl' and '30 Rock')
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5
Birthdate: December 5, 1968
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Stand-up comedian, actress, and fashion designer Margaret Cho is best known for creating and starring in the ABC sitcom All-American Girl. She had a difficult childhood marred by sexual abuse and struggled for years to build a successful career. Besides comedy, she has her own clothing line. She actively supports women’s rights and LGBTQA+ rights.
33
Kathy Najimy
(Actress & Comedian Known as the Voice of ‘Peggy Hill’ on the Animated TV Series ‘King of the Hill’)
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Birthdate: February 6, 1957
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: San Diego, California, United States
Kathy Najimy is best known for her Annie Award-winning voice role as Peggy Hill in King of the Hill. She initially gained fame for the play The Kathy and Mo Show. Fans loved her as Sister Mary Patrick in the Sister Act movies. She supports LGBT and women’s rights.
34
Ida B. Wells
(Women's Rights Activist and Civil Rights Leader)
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4
Birthdate: July 16, 1862
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States
Died: March 25, 1931
Civil rights and women's rights activist Ida B. Wells is remembered for speaking up against the lynching of Blacks in the U.S. She was born a slave and freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. She later co-founded the NAACP. She also co-owned and wrote for Memphis Free Speech and Headlight.
35
Eunice Kennedy Shriver
(American Philanthropist and Founder of the ‘Special Olympics’)
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Birthdate: July 10, 1921
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brookline, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 11, 2009
Eunice Shriver, sister of American president John F. Kennedy and wife of diplomat Sargent Shriver, was an avid philanthropist. Motivated by her mentally challenged sister Rosemary’s condition, she began working for the disabled and eventually founded the Special Olympics. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her philanthropic work.
36
Alice Walker
(The First African-American Woman to Win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
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Birthdate: February 9, 1944
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Eatonton, Georgia, United States
Author Alice Walker is best known for her National Book Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple. She is credited with coining the term womanist, to mean feminist of color. Her marriage with Melvyn Roseman Leventhal was the first official interracial marriage in the state of Mississippi.
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Dorothy Day
(American Social Activist, Journalist, and Anarchist)
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Birthdate: November 8, 1897
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: November 29, 1980
Dorothy Day was an American social activist, journalist, and anarchist. She is best remembered for co-founding the Catholic Worker Movement along with French activist Peter Maurin. She also co-founded a newspaper called Catholic Worker and served as its editor between 1933 and 1980. In 2001, Dorothy Day was made an inductee of the National Women's Hall of Fame.
38
Temple Grandin
(Scientist)
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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.
39
Sally Struthers
(Actress Known for Her Role of 'Gloria Stivic' in the Series 'All in the Family')
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Birthdate: July 28, 1947
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, United States
Sally Struthers is an American actress best known for playing Gloria Stivic in the popular sitcom television series All in the Family, for which she received a couple of Emmy Awards. Also a well-known activist, Struthers has been working towards improving the lives of impoverished children as part of her work as a spokesperson for the child development organization, ChildFund.
40
Alice Paul
(American Quaker, Feminist, Suffragist, and Women's Rights Activist)
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Birthdate: January 11, 1885
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Mount Laurel Township, New Jersey, United States
Died: July 9, 1977
Alice Paul was an American Quaker, feminist, suffragist, and women's rights activist. She is best remembered for strategizing events like the Silent Sentinels and the Woman Suffrage Procession, which resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1920. Alice Paul often displayed courage while confronting police brutality for her activism.
41
Holly Robinson Peete
(Actress)
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5
Birthdate: September 18, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
42
Betty Ford
(Former First Lady of the United States)
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Birthdate: April 8, 1918
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: July 8, 2011
Betty Ford served as the First Lady of the US from 1974 to 1977. One of the most popular First Ladies in history, Ford was a passionate supporter of abortion rights and worked towards raising breast cancer awareness. She commented on topics like sex, drugs, abortion, and equal pay. In 1991, she was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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AnnaLynne McCord
(Actress)
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5
Birthdate: July 16, 1987
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
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Sheryl Lee Ralph
(Actress)
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Birthdate: December 30, 1956
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Waterbury, Connecticut, USA
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Melissa Mathison
(Screenwriter)
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Birthdate: June 3, 1950
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: November 4, 2015
Melissa Mathison was a screenwriter and an activist for the Tibetan independence movement. She attended the University of California, Berkeley, for a while but quit before graduating. She was acquainted with Francis Ford Coppola who encouraged her to pursue a screenwriting career. She was once married to actor, Harrison Ford, and had two children.
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Mary McLeod Bethune
(American Civil Rights Activist and Founder of the 'National Council of Negro Women')
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5
Birthdate: July 10, 1875
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mayesville, South Carolina, United States
Died: May 18, 1955
Mary McLeod Bethune was an American civil rights activist, educator, womanist, humanitarian, and philanthropist. She is credited with founding the National Council of Negro Women. Bethune also played a key role in the creation of the Black Cabinet while serving as an adviser to Franklin Roosevelt. In 1973, Bethune was made an indutee of the National Women's Hall of Fame.
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Indya Moore
(Actress)
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4
Birthdate: January 17, 1995
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: The Bronx, New York, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
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Bell Hooks
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3
Birthdate: September 25, 1952
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hopkinsville, Kentucky, United States
Died: December 15, 2021
49
Jenifer Lewis
(Actress)
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5
Birthdate: January 25, 1957
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kinloch, Missouri, USA
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
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Padma Lakshmi
(Indian-American Author, Model and Host of the Cooking Competition Show ‘Top Chef’)
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4
Birthdate: September 1, 1970
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Madras, Tamil Nadu, India
Padma Lakshmi is a model, television host and author. She has hosted cooking competition program Top Chef and has published cookbooks. She has acted in films and television too and is also an activist working for immigration and women’s rights and is a critic of skin-lightening creams. She was married to novelist Salman Rushdie for a little over three years.
