American Leaders and Statesman

1. William Jennings Bryan - He was a tireless defender of the common lot comprising of the farmers and laborers. He won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1890 and worked relentlessly to better the condition of the economically impoverished class. His efforts earned him the title the "Great Commoner".
   
   
2. Benjamin Franklin - He was a multi-faceted genius. He was a writer, a scientist, a statesman, an inventor, a civic leader and a diplomat. He was also the only person to sign the Declaration of Independence, the peace treaty with Britain that ended the Revolutionary War, and the Constitution. 
   
   
3. George C. Marshall - George Carlett Marshall is best remembered for his efforts to establish peace. He held important posts during World War I, and in World War II, Marshall became head of the Army. As secretary of state, he convinced the Congress to give Europe $13 billion to help rebuild. The "Marshall Plan" as it is popularly known won acclamation from many quarters. It was the harbinger of peace and hope to many nations. Marshall received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. 
   
   
4. Thurgood Marshall - The credit of being the first Afro-American member of the Supreme Court goes to Thurgood Marshall. Throughout his life, Marshall used the law to promote social justice and civil rights .
   
   
5. George S. Patton - He is remembered in history as one of the most effective American generals of the second World War. He was a brilliant commander and an inspiring leader. He led the US forces to decisive victories in many wars.
   
   
6. John Joseph Pershing - He had the honor of being chosen the first captain of the Corps of Cadets. After the war Pershing was promoted to the post of the general of the armies, after having served as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe.

Activists and Reformers

1. Jane Addams - She was the founder of Hull House, a place that provided aid to poor working class families in Chicago. These places are called "settlement houses". She committed herself to improve the lives around her through social reform and world peace.
   
   
2. Caser Chavez - He was Mexican American labor activist and the leader of the United Farm Workers. He relentlessly voiced his protest against the terrible working conditions of the migrant farm workers which ultimately bore fruitful results.
   
   
3. Martin Luther King Jr. - Perhaps the most resounding voice of the American civil rights movement was that Martin Luther King Jr. He never resorted to violent means to realise his demands. Rather, he fought inequality and injustice with non- violence. He never tired of condemning segregation laws and did everything to convince that "all men are created equal". He received the Nobel prize for peace in 1964. 
   
   
4. Elizabeth Candy Stanton - She was one of the first leaders of the American Woman's rights movement. She along with Susan B. Anthony formed the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869. They worked towards securing the women's right to vote.

Explorers and Adventurers

1. Amelia Earhart - She was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic as a passenger in 1928. Within four years, she became the first woman to pilot a plane across the same ocean. She was in many ways an inspiration for the women of her times in the sense that she was a pathbreaker.
   
   
2. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark - An expedition from the Mississippi River to the West Coast and back, is the feat that makes Meriwether Lewis and William Clark well known. The expedition began in May of 1804 and ended in September 1806.

Composers and Musicians

1. Leonard Bernstein - Bernstein was the first American-born, internationally acclaimed orchestra conductor. Bernstein traveled the world as a conductor and encouraged appreciation of the music of American composers. Bernstein not only composed classical works but also wrote music for Broadway. West Side Story (1957) and On the Town (1944) are some of his memorable creations.
   
   
2. Duke Ellington - He is credited of being one of the founding fathers of jazz music. He started composing at the young age of 15. He was a pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer. He and his band played together for 50 years. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "Sophisticated Lady" and "In a Sentimental Mood", are some of his most famous songs.
   
   
3. John Philip Sousa - Best remembered for his marches, his band, and his patriotism, Sousa was an American composer and entertainer. Operettas, waltzes and popular songs were also his forte. He also served as the leader of the U.S. Marine Band. Later he formed his own band, the Sousa band which entertained millions of people around the world.

Writers and Artists

1. Langston Hughes - He was one of the most important figure of the Harlem Renaissance- an African- American movement that celebrated the black life and culture. His literary works helped shape American literature and politics. He used his poetry, novels, essays and children's book as a mouthpiece to promote equality and condemn racism and injustice.
   
   
2. Mark Twain - His original name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Mark Twain was the pen name that he adopted five years after the publication of his first major literary work. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are the most popular novels of Twain.
   
   
3. Frank Lloyd Wright - He is credited to be the most original American architects of the 20th century. The designs and the organization of the buildings as they stand today, owes a lot to Wright. Wright took inspiration from various cultures and developed a unique style of his own. Wright designed office buildings, houses, neighborhoods, public buildings, churches, and museums. He designed about 800 buildings.

Scientists and Inventors

1. George Washington Carver - He is the most famous agriculture scientist of America. He is popular for his research on peanuts and the help he rendered to the poor Southern African American farmers. The first national monument to honor an African American was built in the honor of Carver.
   
   
2. Thomas Alva Edison - He was the inventor of more than 1000 things among which were phonograph and motion picture projector. Edison also created the first industrial research laboratory.

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