Jimmy Carter (1924–2024), 39th president of the United States

Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States of America, serving from 1977 to 1981.

Rev. Cecil Williams (1929–2024), San Francisco pastor and humanitarian

Rev. Cecil Williams was the pastor of Glide Church in San Francisco for 60 years, turning it from a small congregation to San Francisco’s largest social services provider, one years ahead of its time in welcoming LGBTQ members.

Carl Erskine (1926–2024), All-Star pitcher during Dodgers’ heyday

Carl Erskine was an All-Star pitcher and the last of the “Boys of Summer” Dodgers teams of the 1940s and 1950s, who hurled two no-hitters with the team during their most illustrious era.

Gina Lollobrigida (1927–2023), Italian film star of Hollywood's Golden Age

Gina Lollobrigida, one of the world's most renowned movie actresses of the 1950s and '60s, died Jan 16, according to authorities in her home country of Italy.

Pelé (1940–2022), soccer icon

Pelé was a Brazilian soccer player considered by most to be the greatest of all time.

Dr. Paul Farmer (1959–2022), global health humanitarian

Dr. Paul Farmer was a co-founder of the nonprofit health organization Partners In Health whose mission is to provide proper health care for people around the world living in poverty.  

Gail Halvorsen (1920–2022), “Candy Bomber” in the Berlin airlift

Gail Halvorsen was a United States Air Force pilot known as the “Candy Bomber” for dropping candy over Berlin from his airplane during the Berlin airlift in 1948.

Dianna Ortiz (1958–2021), nun who survived kidnapping and founded anti-torture group

Dianna Ortiz was a Catholic nun who was abducted and tortured while serving as a missionary in Guatemala, and later foundedtheTorture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International(TASSC).

Rafer Johnson (1934–2020), Olympic decathlon legend

Rafer Johnson won the decathlon gold medal at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome and was the first Black American to be the flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team.

Women's History Month: Legacies & Life Stories

Women accomplish amazing things every day, and that’s always worth celebrating. But in March, we take special notice of women’s achievements as we observe Women’s History Month.

Vera Clemente (2019), widow of baseball legend Roberto Clemente

Vera Clemente was the widow of baseball legend Roberto Clemente who was a 15-time All-Star outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Roberto Clemente was killed Dec. 31, 1972, in a plane crash while en route to Nicaragua to deliver supplies to earthquake victims. After his death, Vera continued his humanitarian work as the chairwoman of the Roberto Clemente Foundation. Roberto and Vera married in 1964 and had three sons, Roberto, Luis, and Enrique.

Kofi Annan (1938–2018), former UN Secretary-General

Nobel Peace Prize winner andfirst black African Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Kate Millett, feminist author of "Sexual Politics"

Activist, artist and educator whose best-selling "Sexual Politics" was a landmark of cultural criticism and a manifesto for the modern feminist movement.

Princess Diana: Style and Substance

More than two decades after her death, we continue to be fascinated by Princess Diana.

Ruth Pfau (1929 - 2017), nun known as Pakistan’s Mother Theresa

Pakistan’s Mother Theresa aided fight against leprosy...

Arthur Ashe: A Timeline of Triumph

On the anniversary of his death, we are celebrating Arthur Ashe with a timeline of his athletic triumphs.

Remembering Arthur Ashe (video)

A video tribute to the tennis legend.

Ruth Gruber (1911–2016), photojournalist and humanitarian

Ruth Gruber, photojournalist and humanitarian who helped 1,000 Jewish refugees come to the U.S. during World War II, has died at the age of 105.

Muhammad Ali (1942–2016), boxing legend & cultural icon

Muhammad Ali, the heavyweight boxing champion named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated magazine, died June 3, 2016. He was 74.

20 Facts About Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa is a household name, but who was this “Blessed” woman? Here are 20 facts about her life and work.

Remembering Sir Edmund Hillary

In 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first to climb to the summit of Mt Everest.

MLK: The Drum Major Instinct

On Feb. 4, 1968, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered a sermon that many consider prophetic of his impending death. In the sermon, King reiterated his long-standing call to his congregation to work through love and service to others as they struggle for greatness for themselves and for humanity at large. Toward the end of the sermon, King spends time talking about how he hoped to be remembered not for his awards and achievements, but for his service to others. He imagines his funeral and shares what he hopes his own eulogy will include.

MLK: I've Been to the Mountaintop

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his final address April 3, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He and members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference were in the city to support an ongoing strike by sanitation workers, the focus of a large portion of the sermon. King gives equal weight to the ongoing nature of the struggle for human rights and the paramount importance of nonviolence for the survival of humanity.

Joan Kroc, Unconventional Philanthropist

Joan Kroc, billionaire widow of McDonald's owner Ray Kroc, sought no fanfare or recognition for her generosity, giving her gifts quietly and surprising dozens of charities with donations big and small.

Audrey Hepburn's Best Roles

Audrey Hepburn starred in some of the most memorable films of her era.

Clara Barton, Battlefield Angel

One hundred years ago today, Clara Barton died, leaving behind an enormous humanitarian legacy.

Missionary in Vietnam

Walter Routh Jr. knew from the age of 14 that he would be a missionary, a calling that took him into war-ravaged Vietnam during the height of conflict.

Happy 50th, Peace Corps!

We commemorate the Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary with a tip of the hat to Peace Corps volunteers who have died in recent months.

Ava Pauling's Vision of Peace

Ava Pauling, wife of renowned chemist Linus Pauling, was born on Christmas Eve in 1903. Today we look at her lifetime of work toward peace on Earth.

Manute Bol: Big Man, Big Heart

We remember Manute Bol, one of the tallest and nicest guys to ever play in the NBA.

Papa Jacques Montouroy, Aid Worker

The legendary aid worker spent decades in war-torn locales, providing food to the hungry and teaching poverty-stricken kids to play soccer.