An immigrant himself, Jacob Riis became one of the first progressive photojournalists in the United States, drawing the public’s attention to the plight of poor immigrants living in U.S. cities.
Read the full storyAs bishop (1838–50) and archbishop of New York (1850–64), John Hughes was among the most influential figures in what Roger Daniels calls the “Hibernization of the American Roman Catholic Church.”
Read the full storyJose Angel Gutierrez was one of the earliest leaders of the CHICANO movement, helping to elect five Chicano city council members in the face of threats and Jim Crow laws.
Read the full storyBorn in Denver, Colorado, to a family of migrant farmworkers, Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales became one of the leading activists for fair treatment of Mexican laborers in the United States.
Read the full storyCesar Chavez became the most visible public spokesman for the rights of migrant farmworkers in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s and the first national symbol of the Mexican-American labor community.
Read the full storyCarlos Bulosan, a Filipino migrant worker, emerged as one of America’s most respected writers and labor activists during the 1940s.
Read the full storyThomas John Barnardo was best known for his philanthropic work among London’s destitute children.
Read the full storyMary Antin was a powerful voice for immigrant assimilation in America and one of the foremost champions of an open immigration policy in the early 20th century.
Read the full storyOne of the most influential advocates of social justice for immigrants, minorities, and the poor, Jane Addams attempted to reconcile human needs to the demands of modern industrial urban life.
Read the full storyBorn in Falls City, Texas, to a family of migrant workers who claimed to be heirs to an old land grant, Tijerina became one of the earliest CHICANO activists in the United States.
Read the full storyLillian Wald was a pioneer in the field of public health nursing.
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