People Who Made A Difference

In this list - People who changed the world I listed 100 people who influenced and changed the world. Often they are important public figures who made a big difference to changing the world.

In this list I wanted to choose people who have made a difference to the world in a positive way. Their contributions may be less powerful and influential but I wanted a list which selected people who have really made a difference to improving the world. I have not spent too much time trying to order people.

If you wish to suggest someone, you can leave a comment on this post.

A List of People Who Made A Difference

  1. Martin Luther King. Inspiring leader of the non-violent civil rights movement. Inspired millions of people black and white to aspire for a more equal society.
  2. Benjamin Franklin. Great polymath and promoter of American ideals at home and in the US. A practical man of great dynamism and good character.
  3. Mikhail Gorbachev. Had the courage, tenacity and strength of character to give up the absolute power of Soviet Communism. Moved the Soviet Union to democracy and respect for human rights. In doing so he enabled the Berlin Wall to come down and Eastern Europe gained freedom from Communist control.
  4. Jesus Christ. Prophet and inspiration of Christianity. Taught a message of love, forgiveness and faith. Born in a turbulent period of Roman rule, after his crucifixion, his message inspired millions around the world.
  5. William Wilberforce. Fought tirelessly for ending the slave trade, at a time when many accepted it as an 'economic necessity'. He awakened the conscience of many of his fellow countryman and made slavery appear unacceptable.
  6. Nelson Mandela. Campaigned for justice and freedom in his South Africa. Spent 20 years in jail for his opposition to apartheid. On release he healed the wounds of apartheid by his magnanimous attitude to his former political enemies.
  7. Albert Einstein. His theories of relativity were a very significant scientific breakthrough. As well as being a genius scientist, Einstein was also a champion of human rights and campaigned for a more peaceful world.
  8. Marie Curie. Marie Curie is one of the few scientists to win a Nobel Prize for both Chemistry and Physics. Her discoveries with radiation helped advance medical science. Also, her achievements were even more remarkable at a time when few women gained education, let alone became respected scientist.
  9. Charles Darwin. Darwin published his Origin of Species detailing a belief in evolution at a time when such a decision was very controversial.
  10. Thomas Jefferson. One of America's founding fathers. Jefferson helped draft the Declaration of Independence and a belief in human rights. Jefferson passed one of the first bills on religious tolerance in his state of Virginia. Sought to improve education and was a noted polymath with a wide range of interests.
  11. Mother Teresa - Lived a life of poverty to try an ameliorate the conditions of others. Her devotion and compassion inspired the lives of many thousands she came into contact with.
  12. Abraham Lincoln - Abraham Lincoln overcame many setbacks to become the most influential American President. In his famous Gettysburg speech, he inspired the nation with his noble words and helped to bring about the abolishment of slavery.
  13. Leonardo da Vinci - One of the greatest minds in human history. There were few areas, Leonardo didn't delve into. In many areas he was a couple of centuries ahead of scientific discovery. He helped make great advances in anatomy, astronomy, physics, science and others. Amidst all this found time to paint the most iconic picture in history - The Mona Lisa.
  14. Muhammad Ali - Champion boxer and great character. Refused to fight in Vietnam war and became a champion of civil rights and African interests.
  15. Joan of Arc - As a young, illiterate peasant girl, Joan of Arc inspired the Dauphin of France to defeat the English. Although burned at the stake for 'heresy' her prophecy of French unity came true after her death.
  16. Jane Goodall - Made groundbreaking study into the behaviour of chimpanzee's. Became a noted campaigner and activist for environmental protection and kindness to animals.
  17. Swami Vivekananda - Arriving in American as a penniless Hindu sannyasin, Vivekananda became the star of the 1893 World Parliament of Religions calling for religious tolerance and religious unity. Also encouraged the education of women and inspired fellow Indians to take greater pride and belief in the best of Hindu culture.
  18. Mahatma Gandhi - Gandhi was the principle figurehead of the Indian independence movement. Taught a philosophy of non-violence and peaceful protest.
  19. Florence Nightingale. Florence Nightingale helped to revolutionise the treatment of patients after her experience of treating wounded soldiers in the Crimean war.
  20. Rosa Parks Rosa Parks became a well respected figurehead
    21. of the American civil rights movement. Rosa showed what ordinary people can do when they stick fast to their beliefs in testing conditions.
  21. Winston Churchill. In the worst moments of 1940, the Nazi war machine looked invincible as it swept through Europe. Churchill inspired the free nations to keep alive the fight against the tyranny of Hitler's Germany.
  22. Anne Frank. Anne Frank was nobody special, just an ordinary teenage girl. But, she became a symbol of how ordinary people can get caught up in man's inhumanity. But, despite the most testing of conditions Anne retained an optimistic spirit.
  23. Barack Obama. America's first black president. Offered a positive message of hope to America and world. Barack Obama stood for a return to American values based on liberty and respect for human rights. Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2009
  24. Socrates - Socrates showed the power and integrity of independent thought. Socrates taught by encouraging people to honestly question their pre-conceptions. His method of self-enquiry laid the foundations of Western Philosophic thought.
  25. Raisa Gorbachev - Wife of Mikhail Gorbachev. Engaged in humanitarian works and supported her husband during great change of his Presidency.
  26. Tom Paine - Free thinking radical who passionately argued for greater democracy and representation for ordinary people. Influential in American and French revolutions, though narrowly escaped with his life after falling foul of Robespierre.
  27. George Orwell - George Orwell was a democratic socialist who fought in the Spanish civil war on the side of the republicans. He gave up his privileged education to spend time with the unemployed of the Great Depression. His greatest contribution was warning of the dangers of totalitarian regimes - whatever the ideology may be behind them.
  28. Buddha - The Buddha was a young prince who gave up the comforts of palace life to seek the meaning of life meditating in the forests. After gaining realisation, the Buddha spent the remainder of his life travelling around India teaching a middle path of meditation and inner peace.
  29. Michelangelo - Never suffering from false modesty, Michelangelo referred to himself as 'God's own artist'. But, in the case of Michelangelo his self-belief was well justified. During his lifetime, he produced some of the greatest works of art ever produced - The Pieta, The Sistine Chapel, the Statue of David.
  30. William Shakespeare. Shakespeare remains the King of English literature. His plays and poetry captured the richness and diversity of human existence in the most powerful and poetic way.
  31. Sri Chinmoy - An Indian spiritual teacher who combined the best of Eastern and Western cultures. Founded the World Harmony Run, a world wide run to promote greater friendship and understanding.
  32. Martin Luther - Martin Luther was the most influential figure in the reformation of the sixteenth century. It was Luther who challenged the excesses of the Catholic church leading to the protestant movement - and forcing the Catholic Church to reinvigorate itself.
  33. Akbar - The Great Moghul Emperor who went a long way to uniting India under his rule. Though a great warrior Akbar was also known for his love of culture, music and philosophy. He introduced enlightened laws on religious tolerance in his kingdom and encouraged representatives of different religions to come to his court.
  34. St Therese Lisieux - A Carmelite nun, who died aged 24, unknown to the world. Yet, after her death her simple writings had a profound effect becoming one of the best selling spiritual writings. Her approach was a deceptively simple approach of doing the smallest acts with love.
  35. Woodrow Wilson. Woodrow Wilson had a vision for a League of Nations - a forum where nations could come together to solve disputes. The League of Nations struggled to make an impact before the Second World War, but, became more effective.
  36. Oprah Winfrey - US talk show host who became an important figurehead for women in America. Encouraged belief in self-improvement.
  37. Edward Jenner - led pioneering work on the development of an inoculation against the deadly smallpox. Opened up the way to more immunisations, arguably saving the lives of millions of people around the world.
  38. Sir Isaac Newton - One of the greatest scientists of all time. Isaac Newton led the foundation of modern physics with his development of theories on gravity and mechanics
  39. Jesse Owens - Jesse Owen's four gold medals at Hitler's 1936 Olympics in Berlin was one of the great moments of sport, which helped to puncture the Nazi ideology of Aryan supremacy. Jesse Owens was a modest hero who remained a great ambassador for the sport.
  40. John M Keynes. The greatest economist of the twentieth century. Keynes laid the framework for modern macroeconomics offering solutions to the dreadful calamity of the Great Depression
  41. Leo Tolstoy - Influential Russian author, whose great epics include War and Peace. His philosophy of non-violence and a return to rural simplicity inspired other politicians such as Gandhi.
  42. Eleanor Roosevelt. Supporter of the rights of women and opressed in society. Helped to draft the UN Declaration of human rights.
  43. Emile Zatopek - Greatest long distance runner. Winning three gold medals at the 1954 Olympics. Principled supporter of Czech democracy, being sent to work in mines for his opposition to the Communist government.
  44. Abbe Pierre - French humanitarian
  45. Annie Besant - involved in representing women and workers in 19th Century Britain. Became leading member of Theosophy society and supported Indian independence
  46. Audrey Hepburn - Actress later involved in working for UNESCO
  47. Saladin - Muslim leader during crusades, respected by even opposing armies
  48. Emily Dickinson - Celebrated female poet.
  49. Desmond Tutu - South African anti-apartheid campaigner. Sought to heal wounds after end of apartheid through Truth and Reconcilliation committee.
  50. St Teresa of Avila - 16th Century Spanish mystic and poet. Helped re-vitalise religious life in Spain, despite the Inquisition and patriarchal nature of society.
  51. Mozart - A musical genius who gives joy to millions
  52. Pablo Picasso - Iconic twentieth century artist, known for his commitment to peace.
  53. Sri Krishna - Revered as Hindu Spiritual Teacher. Responsible for the immortal dialogue contained in the Bhagavad Gita.
  54. Betty Williams - peace work in Northern Ireland
  55. Sri Aurobindo - Early Indian nationalist leader who later retired from politics to devote his life to yoga, spirituality and poetry.
  56. C S Lewis - Author of best selling chronicles of Narnia and Christian apologist.
  57. Confucius - Influential Chinese philosopher who laid ground work for much of Chinese philosophy and society.
  58. Catherine The Great - Queen of Russia who was noted for taking a more enlightened approach towards her subjects.
  59. William Blake - Poet and artist
  60. Pele - One of world's greatest ever footballers.
  61. St Francis of Assisi - Christian mystic who founded new order committed to essence of Christian gospels.
  62. Paramhansa Yogananda - Indian spiritual teacher who helped popularise yoga and meditation
  63. Marcus Aurelius - Roman emperor and philosopher.
  64. Maharishi Mahesh yogi - Spiritual teacher
  65. Bernadette Soubirous - Saint of Lourdes
  66. J R R Tolkien - Writer of Lord of the Rings
  67. Rumi - Sufi poet
  68. Lord Baden Powell - Founder of Scout Movement
  69. Carl Lewis - Olympian champion runner.
  70. Henri Bergson
  71. Maya Angelou - Modern American poet.
  72. Pope John Paul II - Polish pope who played a role in transition from Communist to a more democratic Eastern Europe.
  73. Raphael - Artist
  74. Ansel Adams - photographer
  75. Abbe Pierre - French humanitarian

 

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