Mao Zedong (December 26, 1893 – September 9, 1976) was a Chinese revolutionary leader and founding father of the People’s Republic of China whose political and military strategies reshaped the course of 20th-century China. Born into a peasant family in Shaoshan, Hunan, he became a voracious student of Marxist theory while working as a librarian in Beijing and later helped establish the Chinese Communist Party in 1921. As a key strategist of the Red Army, Mao orchestrated the Long March (1934–1935), an epic retreat that preserved the Communist forces and cemented his leadership. After forging an uneasy alliance with the Kuomintang to repel Japanese invaders in the 1930s and ’40s, he led his forces to victory in the civil war and proclaimed the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949. In the early 1950s, Mao implemented sweeping land reforms and nationalized industry, but his radical economic campaigns—most notably the Great Leap Forward (1958–1962)—triggered one of history’s worst famines. In 1966 he launched the Cultural Revolution, mobilizing youth into Red Guard units to root out “counter-revolutionary” elements, a decade-long upheaval that devastated cultural institutions and led to widespread persecution before subsiding with his declining health. Despite the controversies of his later campaigns, Mao’s doctrine of continuous revolution and his melding of guerrilla warfare with Marxist ideology left an enduring imprint on global communism. He died in Beijing in 1976, and though his legacy remains deeply contested—celebrated for unifying China and establishing its modern state apparatus, yet criticized for the human cost of his policies—Mao continues to be a towering figure in Chinese history.

Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska) emerged from a turbulent childhood marked by his father’s murder and his family’s hardships to become one of the most influential Black leaders in American history. After encountering racism in foster care and brushes with the law that led to a prison sentence, he underwent a profound transformation by converting to the Nation of Islam under the guidance of Elijah Muhammad. As a charismatic minister and national spokesperson, he advocated for Black self-reliance, pride, and human rights, sharply critiquing systemic oppression and urging African Americans to assert their dignity “by any means necessary.” In 1964, disillusioned by the Nation of Islam’s leadership, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, embraced Sunni Islam, and broadened his vision to include global solidarity against racial injustice. His autobiography, co-written with Alex Haley, became a seminal account of personal redemption and social critique. On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was assassinated while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City, but his evolving philosophy—from separatist rhetoric to a more inclusive human-rights framework—and his unwavering commitment to justice continue to inspire movements for equality worldwide.

I speak not for myself but for those without voice... those who have fought for their rights... their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity,…

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Maimonides The risk of a wrong…

Mahatma Gandhi (born Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India) was a lawyer turned revolutionary leader whose unwavering commitment to nonviolent resistance reshaped the course of India’s struggle for independence and inspired global movements for civil rights. After studying law in London, he practiced in South Africa, where he first organized Indian communities against discriminatory laws through satyagraha (truth-force). Returning to India in 1915, he became a central figure in the Indian National Congress, leading landmark campaigns such as the Noncooperation Movement (1920–22), the Salt March (1930), and the Quit India Movement (1942), all grounded in civil disobedience and mass nonviolence. His principled stance against British colonial rule, emphasis on self-reliance (khadi spinning), and efforts toward Hindu–Muslim unity earned him the honorific “Mahatma” (great soul). After India achieved independence in 1947, he worked tirelessly to heal the wounds of partition and promote social reforms. On January 30, 1948, he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse—widely regarded as the first terrorist of independent India—ending a life dedicated to peaceful resistance and inclusivity.

Mae West (August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an iconic American actress, singer, playwright, and sex symbol known for her bold wit, sultry persona, and boundary-pushing humor. Beginning her career in vaudeville and on Broadway, West became a Hollywood legend in the 1930s with films like She Done Him Wrong and I'm No Angel, where her clever double entendres and confident sexuality challenged social norms and censorship. Her flamboyant style and memorable one-liners—such as “When I’m good, I’m very good, but when I’m bad, I’m better”—made her a cultural icon and a trailblazer for women’s empowerment in entertainment. West continued performing on stage and screen for decades, influencing generations of comedians and performers with her unapologetic charm and fearless approach to taboo subjects.

Science provides an understanding of a universal experience. Arts provide a universal understanding of a personal experience. Mae Jemison You have to actually be weighted to something to do the…