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History of Cleopatra | History For Kids | The Story of Cleopatra

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Educational Videos for Students (Cartoons on Bullying, Leadership & More)

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Have Fun with history and learn about Susan B. Anthony. Here's a Susan B. Anthony for Kids Video

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Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809-April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States. He led the country through the Civil War and worked to end slavery. His life was cut short early in his second term when he was assassinated.

Abraham Lincoln was born to uneducated farmers. They lived in a one-room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky. The family later moved to southern Indiana. Throughout Lincoln's life, he demonstrated that anyone can achieve greatness. But it requires dedication and hard work. Lincoln attended school for no more than a year. He was an reader, however. He did not attend law school. Instead, he studied on his own. He became an attorney in 1836.

As a lawyer, Lincoln earned a reputation for being clever, fair, and honest. Five years after moving to Springfield, Illinois, he married Mary Todd. They eventually had four children: Robert, Eddie, Willie, and Tad.

In 1834, Lincoln won the first of four elections to the Illinois State Legislature. He then served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1847 to 1849. In 1858, he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate. During the race, he debated Stephen Douglas seven times. Lincoln gained national attention for his skills as an . Two years after losing the Senate race, he made a remarkable comeback. He was elected president.

Defender of the Union

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Lincoln was inaugurated in 1861. At the time, there were rising tensions in the U.S. The country was split over states' rights and slavery. President Lincoln opposed slavery. So did many lawmakers in the North. But Southern landowners depended on slave labor for their farms. They demanded that slavery remain legal. Within months of Lincoln's taking office, seven states broke away from the Union. They formed the Confederate States of America. Later, four more states joined the Confederacy. Lincoln was determined to keep the union . But he knew that it likely meant going to war with the states that had .

The North and South fought the Civil War. It lasted four years. It remains the deadliest conflict ever fought by Americans. An estimated 620,000 soldiers died in the fighting. That was about 2% of the country's population. The bloodiest battle of the war took place in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was fought from July 1 to 3, 1863. More than 50,000 Union and Confederate troops died.

Months after the battle, a cemetery was created to honor the Union soldiers who had died. The dedication was held on November 19, 1863. President Lincoln attended the ceremony. There, in front of 15,000 people, he delivered the Gettysburg Address. It is now considered a key moment in U.S. history. In the speech, Lincoln explained why it was important to preserve the union. He said that the U.S. represented the ideas of democracy and self-government. Lincoln promised that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

The Great Emancipator

As the Civil War raged on, the end of slavery became a key war aim for Lincoln. On January 1, 1863, he signed the Emancipation emancipation the act of setting someone free (noun) Your emancipation from your parents comes when you turn 18. Proclamation. The document freed the slaves in the states that had seceded from the Union. Lincoln later played a major role in the addition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment formally slavery in the U.S. It was passed by Congress on January 31, 1865. The states the amendment on December 6, 1865. Lincoln did not live to see the ratification.

Lincoln was reelected in 1864. The Civil War was still being fought. But Lincoln called for the North and the South to forgive each other. "With malice toward none; with charity for all," he said in his second inaugural address. It was delivered on March 4, 1865. "Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan." Lincoln urged all Americans "to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

The following month, on April 9, Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union general Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War was coming to an end. The U.S. would remain intact as one nation. Lincoln had accomplished his goal. But on April 14, he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln was attending a play at Ford's Theatre, in Washington, D.C. Upon his death, Lincoln's secretary of war, Edwin M. Stanton, is believed to have said, "Now he belongs to the ages."

Today, Abraham Lincoln is widely revered as one of the greatest U.S. presidents. His face is on the penny, the $5 bill, and Mount Rushmore, in South Dakota. The Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C., is one of the most visited monuments in the capital. Across the U.S. and around the world, people continue to look to Lincoln as an inspiration.

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Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809-April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States. He led the country through the Civil War and worked to end slavery. His life was cut short early in his second term when he...

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Instantly access 35,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 35,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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Ancient Egyptian Biography for Kids: Cleopatra VII

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Kids learn about the biography of Cleopatra VII of Ancient Egypt. The last Pharaoh and friends of Romans Julius Caesar and Marc Antony.

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She was the last of the Pharaohs set up in Egypt by Alexander the Great and was a Macedonian Princess by decent.

When Cleopatra died, Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus. Keep reading for more facts about the famous Egyptian queen.

Queen Cleopatra Facts & Information

Cleopatra's full name was Cleopatra VII Philopator. She was born on Alexandria, Egypt in the year 69 BC.

She was the last active Pharaoh of the Ancient Egyptian Empire and reigned of the kingdom for 21 years, from 51 BC until her death in 30 BC.

She came from a long line of the Ptolemaic dynasty. This Macedonian Greek family came to power thanks to Alexander the Great who invaded and conquered Egypt in 332 BC.

She was one of only a few Ptolemies to learn Egyptian. Many in her family refused to learn Egyptian and chose to speak in their native Greek language instead. Cleopatra wanted to learn Egyptian to be able to educate her people so that they regarded her as the reincarnation of the ancient Egyptian goddess, Isis.

Cleopatra originally ruled Egypt with her father, Ptolemy XII Auletes.

Later during her reign she also ruled with her brothers, and through tradition she had to marry her brother Ptolemy XIV. Finally, she became the sole ruler and Pharaoh of Egypt.

Cleopatra had a relationship with Roman ruler Julius Caesar. Nine months after they first met, in 47 BC, she gave birth to a son. His name was Ptolemy Caesar and he was known as Caesarion, meaning little Caesar.

Caesarion became co-ruler of Egypt when he was three years old. Cleopatra named him co-ruler on September 2, 44 BC and they ruled together from 44 BC to 30 BC.

She sided with Mark Antony when Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. Antony was a Roman politician who was opposed to Caesars legal heir Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus - also known as Augustus.

Antony and Cleopatra had a relationship together. She had three children with Mark Antony named Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, who were twins, and another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus.

The queen died by committing suicide with a poisonous snake. She did this because Mark Antony's troops lost the Battle of Actium against the army of Augustus and he killed himself. She held an asp snake to her body and let it kill her with its poisonous venom.

Caesarion ruled Egypt briefly before he was defeated and killed. He was too young and easily overpowered by Octavian, who later declared Egypt a Roman province and became the Emperor Augustus. Caesarion was only 17 years old when he died on August 23, 30BC.

Cleopatra is still popular and well-known in Western culture. There are many works of art that tell the story of Cleopatra. From Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra to George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, and the movie from 1963 which was simply called Cleopatra.

Cleopatra was known for her incredible beauty. One common and well told story about Queen Cleopatra was that she took baths in donkey milk to preserve her beauty. In fact, myth and legend says that nearly 700 donkeys were used to provide enough milk for her daily bath!

Read about Ancient Egypt Facts

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Queen Cleopatra Facts and Information for Kids | History Kids

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She was the last of the Pharaohs set up in Egypt by Alexander the Great and was a Macedonian Princess by decent. When Cleopatra died, Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus. Keep reading for more facts about the famous Egyptian queen. Cleopatra's full name was Cleopatra VII Philopator.

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Ancient Egyptian Adventure - History for Kids

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Barack H. Obama is the 44th president of the United States. Kids learn about his biography and life story.

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Educational Videos for Students (Cartoons on Bullying, Leadership & More)

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Barack Obama: 10 Fun Facts you might not know | Educational Cartoons for Students

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What is Barack Obama known for?

Barack Obama is best known for being the first African American president of the United States.

Barack Obama II was born in 1961 in Hawaii. His parents were Ann Durham from Kansas and Barack Obama Sr. from Kenya. They had met while they were both students at the University of Hawaii.

Obama Sr. left the family when Barack was two, eventually returning to Kenya. Ann later married a man named Lolo Soetoro, another student at the University of Hawaii who was from Indonesia.

For about four years, Barack lived in Indonesia with his mother and stepfather.

His mother was worried about Barack's education and sent him to live with his grandparents in Hawaii, where he attended a private school called the Punahou School.

After graduation, Barack went to Occidental College in Los Angeles for two years, then to Columbia University in New York City. He graduated with a degree in political science in 1983.

Early Career

Obama had several different jobs after completing college. He worked as a researcher for a year at a business consulting firm. Next, he became a community organizer in the South Side of Chicago.

As an organizer, Obama thought he could accomplish more with a law degree. He decided to study at Harvard University.

At Harvard, Obama was an exceptional student. He was the first African American to become the president of a prestigious journal called the Harvard Law Review.

His historic accomplishment got national attention, and Obama received a contract to write a book about race relations. The book was called Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

He later directed Illinois Project Vote, which aimed to encourage more black voters to vote in the 1992 election.

After that, he became an attorney with a civil rights law firm and a lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School.

Family Life

After his first year at Harvard, Obama had a summer internship at a law firm called Sidley and Austin.

His supervisor was Michelle Robinson, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School from Chicago's South Side.

Michelle and Barack eventually fell in love. They dated for four years and were married in 1992. The couple lived in Hyde Park in Chicago.

Their daughter Malia was born in 1998 and followed by a second daughter, Natasha (nicknamed Sasha) in 2001.

Political Career

In 1996, Obama's political career began when he ran for the Illinois State Senate and won. In the State Senate, Obama was a leader in helping children, the elderly, the poor, and labor unions.

He served in the Illinois State Senate until 2004, when he was elected to the United States Senate. That same year, Obama was selected to make a speech at the Democratic National Convention.

His speech was extremely popular and Obama received major national attention.

A phrase from his speech even became the title of his next book, The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. The book became a bestseller.

In 2007, Obama announced that he would run in the 2008 presidential election.

After he defeated Hilary Clinton to secure the Democratic nomination, Obama chose Joseph (Joe) Biden, a Senator from Delaware, as his running mate.

Obama and Biden ran against Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin. Obama's charisma, interesting background, and inspiring speeches drew large crowds everywhere he campaigned.

After a historically large voter turnout, Obama was elected president. He became the first African American president in United States history.

Presidency

When Obama took office, he was facing some big challenges. The economy was struggling, and U.S. troops were still involved in conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

During his first two years as president, Obama worked on healthcare reform, improving the economy, and bringing most of the U.S. troops home from Iraq.

He signed the Affordable Care Act into law in 2010. Often called "Obamacare," the act was designed to make health insurance more affordable for American people.

Later, Obama focused on gun control, immigration reform, and climate change. Many of Obama's initiatives did not pass through the Republican-controlled House and Senate.

During Obama's presidency, the leader of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden, was finally captured and killed.

Obama also significantly improved foreign relations and perceptions of the United States around the world.

Some of his accomplishments include opening diplomatic relations with Cuba and making a nuclear program agreement with Iran.

In 2009, Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between people."

After the Presidency

After serving two terms as president, Obama remained with his family in Washington, DC, where his youngest daughter finished high school in 2019.

For the most part, the family has kept a low profile. Both Barack and Michelle have taken on charitable causes, and both signed a book deal.

Michelle's memoir, Becoming, was published in 2018. Barack continues to work on his third book.

Obama is also working on opening the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, which will feature a museum, forum, library, plaza, and athletic center.

Fun Facts About Barack Obama

Barack Obama was the first president to be born outside of the continental United States.

Obama's name means "one who is blessed" in Swahili.

He can speak Indonesian and Spanish.

In 2006, Obama won a Grammy Award for narrating the audio version of his memoir, Dreams of My Father.

Obama is an avid sports fan who is especially interested in basketball.

His Secret Service handlers gave him the code name "Renegade."

Obama was named Time magazine's Person of the Year in both 2008 and 2012.
US Presidents

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Barack Obama Facts For Kids - US Presidents ([year])

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Barack Obama is best known for being the first African American president of the United States. Barack Obama II was born in 1961 in Hawaii. His parents were Ann Durham from Kansas and Barack Obama Sr. from Kenya. They had met while they were both students at the University of Hawaii.

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Fresberg Cartoon – Learning & History for Students

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President Barack Obama Cartoon! Educational Cartoons for Students (Barack Obama)

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Kids learn about the biography of Princess Diana, famous lady who married Prince Charles and became part of the English royal family. She raised money for charities and was loved by the people.

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History for Kids: A Princess loved by Millions! Watch a biography with fun facts on Princess Diana

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Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana Frances; née Spencer; 1 July 1961 - 31 August 1997), was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, who is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II.

Diana was born into a family of British nobility with royal ancestry and was the fourth child and third daughter of John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and the Honourable Frances Roche. She grew up in Park House, situated on the Sandringham estate, and was educated in England and Switzerland. In 1975, after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer, she became known as Lady Diana Spencer. She came to prominence in February 1981 when her engagement to Prince Charles was announced.

Her wedding to the Prince of Wales on 29 July 1981, held at St Paul's Cathedral, reached a global television audience of over 750 million people. While married, Diana bore the titles Princess of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, and Countess of Chester. The marriage produced two sons, the princes William and Harry, who were then respectively second and third in the line of succession to the British throne. As Princess of Wales, Diana undertook royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions overseas. She was celebrated for her charity work and for her support of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. She was involved with dozens of charities including London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for children, of which she was president from 1989.

Diana remained the object of worldwide media scrutiny during and after her marriage, which ended in divorce on 28 August 1996. Media attention and public mourning were extensive after her death in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 and subsequent televised funeral.

Diana was born on 1 July 1961, in Park House, Sandringham, Norfolk. She was the fourth of five children of John Spencer, Viscount Althorp (1924-1992), and his first wife, Frances (née Roche; 1936-2004). The Spencer family has been closely allied with the British Royal Family for several generations. Both of Diana's grandmothers had served as ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Diana was seven years old when her parents divorced.

Marriage to the Prince of Wales

Diana first met Charles, Prince of Wales, in November 1977 when he was dating her sister, Lady Sarah. He took a serious interest in her as a potential bride during the summer of 1980, when they were guests at a country weekend, and she watched him play polo. The relationship developed as he invited her for a sailing weekend to Cowes aboard the royal yacht Britannia. This was followed by an invitation to Balmoral (the Royal Family's Scottish residence) to meet his family a weekend in November 1980. Lady Diana was well received by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The couple subsequently courted in London. The Prince proposed on 6 February 1981, and Lady Diana accepted, but their engagement was kept secret for the next few weeks.

Engagement and wedding

Their engagement became official on 24 February 1981. Lady Diana selected a large engagement ring consisting of 14 solitaire diamonds surrounding a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire set in 18-carat white gold, similar to her mother's engagement ring. The ring was made by the then Crown jewellers Garrard but, unusually for a ring for a member of the Royal Family, it was not unique; it was featured in Garrard's jewellery collection. In 2010 the ring became the engagement ring of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. It was copied by jewellers all over the world. The Queen Mother gave Lady Diana a sapphire and diamond brooch as an engagement present.

Following the engagement Lady Diana left her job at the nursery and lived at Clarence House, then home of the Queen Mother, for a short period. She then lived at Buckingham Palace until the wedding. Being the first Englishwoman to become the spouse of an heir apparent in 300 years, she was also the first royal bride to have a paying job before her engagement. Her first public appearance with Prince Charles was in a charity ball in March 1981 at Goldsmiths' Hall, where she met the Princess of Monaco.

After becoming Princess of Wales, Diana automatically acquired rank as the third-highest female in the United Kingdom Order of Precedence (after the Queen and the Queen Mother), and was fifth or sixth in the orders of precedence of her other realms, following the Queen, the relevant viceroy, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother, and the Prince of Wales. Within a few years of the wedding, the Queen extended Diana visible tokens of membership in the Royal Family; she lent the Princess the Cambridge Lover's Knot Tiara, and granted her the badge of the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II.

The couple made their homes at Kensington Palace and at Highgrove House, near Tetbury. On 5 November 1981, the Princess's first pregnancy was officially announced.

In the private Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London, on 21 June 1982, the Princess gave birth to her and the Prince's first son and heir, William Arthur Philip Louis. Amidst some media criticism, she decided to take William, still a baby, on her first major tours of Australia and New Zealand, but the decision was popularly applauded. By her own admission, the Princess of Wales had not initially intended to take William until it was suggested by Malcolm Fraser, the Australian prime minister.

A second son, Henry Charles Albert David, was born on 15 September 1984. The Princess asserted she and the Prince were closest during her pregnancy with Harry (as the younger prince has always been known). She was aware their second child was a boy, but did not share the knowledge with anyone else, including the Prince of Wales.

Diana gave her sons wider experiences than was usual for royal children. She rarely deferred to the Prince or to the Royal Family, and was often intransigent when it came to the children. She chose their first given names, dismissed a royal family nanny and engaged one of her own choosing, selected their schools and clothing, planned their outings, and took them to school herself as often as her schedule permitted. She also organised her public duties around their timetables.

Diana and Prince Charles divorced on 28 August 1996.

Buckingham Palace stated the Princess of Wales was still a member of the Royal Family, as she was the mother of the second and third in line to the throne.

Public life

Public appearances

In October 1981, the Princess and Princess visited Wales. The Princess of Wales attended the State Opening of Parliament for the first time on 4 November 1981. Her first solo engagement was a visit to Regent Street on 18 November 1981 to switch on the Christmas lights. She attended the Trooping the Colour for the first time in June 1982, making her appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace afterwards. The Princess made her inaugural overseas tour in September 1982, to attend the state funeral of Grace, Princess of Monaco. Also in 1982, Diana accompanied the Prince of Wales to the Netherlands and was created a Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. In 1983, she accompanied the Prince on a tour of Australia and New Zealand with Prince William, where they met with representatives of the Māori people. Their visit to Canada in June and July 1983 included a trip to Edmonton to open the 1983 Summer Universiade and a stop in Newfoundland to commemorate the 400th anniversary of that island's acquisition by the Crown.

In her desire to play an encouraging role during the Gulf War, the Princess of Wales visited Germany in December 1990 to meet with the families of soldiers. She subsequently travelled to Germany in January 1991 to visit RAF Bruggen, and later wrote an encouraging letter which was published in Soldier, Navy News and RAF News. In 1991, the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where they presented the university with a replica of their royal charter. In September 1991, the Princess visited Pakistan on a solo trip, and went to Brazil with Charles. During the Brazilian tour, Diana paid visits to organizations that battled homelessness among street children. Her final trips with Charles were to India and South Korea in 1992. She visited Mother Teresa's hospice in Kolkata, India, in 1992, and the two women developed a personal relationship. In 1992, the Princess of Wales visited Egypt. She was invited to stay at the British Ambassador's villa, and met with President Hosni Mubarak.

Charity work and patronage

In 1983, she confided in the then-Premier of Newfoundland, Brian Peckford, "I am finding it very difficult to cope with the pressures of being Princess of Wales, but I am learning to cope with it." As Princess of Wales, she was expected to make regular public appearances at hospitals, schools, and other facilities, in the 20th-century model of royal patronage. From the mid-1980s, she became increasingly associated with numerous charities. She carried out 191 official engagements in 1988 and 397 in 1991. The Princess developed an intense interest in serious illnesses and health-related matters outside the purview of traditional royal involvement, including AIDS and leprosy. In recognition of her effect as a philanthropist, Stephen Lee, director of the UK Institute of Charity Fundraising Managers, said "Her overall effect on charity is probably more significant than any other person's in the 20th century."

In addition to health-related matters, Diana's extensive charity work included campaigning for animal protection and her fight against the use of landmines. She was the patroness of charities and organisations working with the homeless, youth, drug addicts, and the elderly. From 1989, she was president of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. From 1991 to 1996, she was a patron of Headway, a brain injury association. She was patron of Natural History Museum and president of Royal Academy of Music. From 1984 to 1996, she was president of Barnardo's, a charity founded by Dr. Thomas John Barnardo in 1866 to care for vulnerable children and young people. In 1988, she became patron of the British Red Cross and supported its organisations in other countries such as Australia and Canada. She made several lengthy visits each week to Royal Brompton Hospital, where she worked to comfort seriously ill or dying patients. In 1992, she became the first patron of Chester Childbirth Appeal, a charity that she had supported since 1984. The charity, which is named after one of Diana's royal titles, could raise over £1 million with her help.

Her patronages also included Landmine Survivors Network, Help the Aged, the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, the British Lung Foundation, Eureka! (joint patron with Prince Charles), the National Children's Orchestra, British Red Cross Youth, the Guinness Trust, Meningitis Trust, Dove House, the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children, the Royal School for the Blind, Welsh National Opera, the Variety Club of New Zealand, Birthright, the British Deaf Association, All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, British Sports Association for the Disabled, British Youth Opera, Chickenshed, Commonwealth Society for the Deaf, Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, Garden Festival of Wales, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, London City Ballet, London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra, Parkinson's Disease Society, Pre-School Playgroups Association, Swansea Festival of Music and the Arts, Welsh Bowling Association, Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors, as well as president or patron of other charities.

In June 1995, the Princess travelled to Moscow. She paid a visit to a children's hospital that she had previously supported by providing them with medical equipment. In Moscow, she received the International Leonardo Prize, which is given to "the most distinguished patrons and people in the arts, medicine, and sports". In December 1995, Diana received the United Cerebral Palsy Humanitarian of the Year Award in New York City for her philanthropic efforts. In October 1996, for her works on the elderly, the Princess was awarded a gold medal at a health care conference organised by the Pio Manzù Centre in Rimini, Italy.

The day after her divorce, she announced her resignation from over 100 charities to spend more time with only six: Centrepoint, English National Ballet, Great Ormond Street Hospital, The Leprosy Mission, National AIDS Trust, and the Royal Marsden Hospital. She continued her work with the British Red Cross Anti-Personnel Land Mines Campaign, but was no longer listed as patron.

In May 1997, the Princess opened the Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and the Arts in Leicester, after being asked by her friend Richard Attenborough. In June 1997, her dresses and suits were sold at Christie's auction houses in London and New York, and the proceeds that were earned from these events were donated to charities. Her final official engagement was a visit to Northwick Park Hospital, London, on 21 July 1997.

Areas of work

The Princess began her work with AIDS victims in the 1980s. In 1989, she opened Landmark Aids Centre in South London. She was not averse to making physical contact with AIDS patients, though it was still unknown whether the disease could be spread that way. Diana was the first British royal figure to contact AIDS patients. One of her early efforts to de-stigmatise the condition included holding hands of an AIDS patient in 1987. Diana noted: "HIV does not make people dangerous to know. You can shake their hands and give them a hug. Heaven knows they need it. What's more, you can share their homes, their workplaces, and their playgrounds and toys." To Diana's disappointment, the Queen did not support this type of charity work, suggesting she get involved in "something more pleasant". In October 1990, Diana opened Grandma's House, a home for young AIDS victims in Washington, D.C. She was also a patron of the National AIDS Trust. In 1991, she famously hugged one victim during a visit to the AIDS ward of the Middlesex Hospital. As the patron of Turning Point, a health and social care organisation, Diana visited its project in London for people with HIV/AIDS in 1992. She later established and lead fundraising campaigns for AIDS research.

In March 1997, Diana visited South Africa, where she met with President Nelson Mandela. On 2 November 2002, Mandela announced that the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund would be teaming up with the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund to help victims of AIDS. They had planned the combination of the two charities a few months before her death. "When she stroked the limbs of someone with leprosy or sat on the bed of a man with HIV/AIDS and held his hand, she transformed public attitudes and improved the life chances of such people," Mandela said about the late Princess. Diana had used her celebrity status to "fight stigma attached to people living with HIV/AIDS", Mandela said.

Diana was the patron of HALO Trust, an organization that removes debris left behind by war, in particular landmines. In January 1997, pictures of Diana touring an Angolan minefield in a ballistic helmet and flak jacket were seen worldwide. During her campaign, she was accused of meddling in politics and called a 'loose cannon'. Despite the criticism, HALO states that Diana's efforts resulted in raising international awareness about landmines and the subsequent sufferings caused by them. In June 1997, she gave a speech at a landmines conference held at the Royal Geographical Society, and travelled to Washington, D.C. to help promote the American Red Cross landmines campaign. From 7 to 10 August 1997, just days before her death, she visited Bosnia and Herzegovina with Jerry White and Ken Rutherford of the Landmine Survivors Network.

All Honourable Members will be aware from their postbags of the immense contribution made by Diana, Princess of Wales to bringing home to many of our constituents the human costs of landmines. The best way in which to record our appreciation of her work, and the work of NGOs that have campaigned against landmines, is to pass the Bill, and to pave the way towards a global ban on landmines.

Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), said that landmines remained "a deadly attraction for children, whose innate curiosity and need for play often lure them directly into harm's way". She urged countries which produce and stockpile the largest numbers of landmines (United States, China, India, North Korea, Pakistan, and Russia) to sign the treaty. A few months after Diana's death in 1997, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize.

For her first solo official trip, Diana visited The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, a cancer treatment hospital in London. She later chose this charity to be among the organisations that benefited from the auction of her clothes in New York. The trust's communications manager said, "The Princess had done much to remove the stigma and taboo associated with diseases such as cancer, AIDS, HIV and leprosy." Diana became president of the hospital on 27 June 1989. The Wolfson Children's Cancer Unit was opened by Diana on 25 February 1993. In June 1996, she travelled to Chicago in her capacity as president of the Royal Marsden Hospital in order to attend a fundraising event and raised more than £1 million for cancer research. In September 1996, after being asked by Katharine Graham, the Princess went to Washington and appeared at a White House breakfast in respect of the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research. She also attended an annual fund-raiser for breast cancer research organised by The Washington Post at the same center.

Children with Leukaemia (currently Children with Cancer UK) was opened by the Princess of Wales in memory of two young cancer victims in 1988. In November 1987, a few days after the death of Jean O'Gorman from cancer, Diana met her family. The deaths of Jean and her brother had an impact on the Princess, and she assisted their family to establish the charity. It was opened by her on 12 January 1988 at Mill Hill Secondary School, and she supported it until her death in 1997.

Other areas

In November 1989, the Princess visited a leprosy hospital in Indonesia. Following her visit, she became patron of the Leprosy Mission, an organisation dedicated to providing medicine, treatment, and other support services to those who are afflicted with the disease. She remained the patron of this charity until her death in 1997, and visited several of its hospitals around the world, especially in India, Nepal, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. She famously touched those affected by the disease when many people believed it could be contracted through casual contact. "It has always been my concern to touch people with leprosy, trying to show in a simple action that they are not reviled, nor are we repulsed," she commented. The Diana Princess of Wales Health Education and Media Centre in Noida, India, was opened in her honour in November 1999, funded by the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund to give social support to the people affected by leprosy and disability.

Diana was a long-standing and active supporter of Centrepoint, a charity which provides accommodation and support to homeless people, and became patron in 1992. She supported organisations that battle poverty and homelessness. The Princess was a supporter of young homeless people and spoke out on behalf of them by saying that "they deserve a decent start in life". "We, as a part of society, must ensure that young people - who are our future - are given the chance they deserve," she said. Diana used to take young William and Harry for private visits to Centrepoint services. "The young people at Centrepoint were always really touched by her visits and by her genuine feelings for them," said one of the charity's staff members. Prince William is currently the patron of this charity.

Diana was a staunch and longtime supporter of charities and organisations that focused on social and mental issues, including Relate and Turning Point. Relate was relaunched in 1987 as a renewed version to its predecessor, the National Marriage Guidance Council. Diana became its patron in 1989. Turning Point, a health and social care organisation, was founded in 1964 to help and support those affected by drug and alcohol misuse and mental health problems. She became the charity's patron in 1987 and visited the charity on a regular basis, meeting the sufferers at its centres or institutions including Rampton and Broadmoor. In 1990 during a speech for Turning Point she said, "It takes professionalism to convince a doubting public that it should accept back into its midst many of those diagnosed as psychotics, neurotics and other sufferers who Victorian communities decided should be kept out of sight in the safety of mental institutions." Despite the protocol problems of travelling to a Muslim country, she made a trip to Pakistan later that year in order to visit a rehabilitation centre in Lahore as a sign of "her commitment to working against drug abuse".

On 31 August 1997, Diana was fatally injured in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, which also caused the deaths of her companion Dodi Fayed and the driver, Henri Paul, acting security manager of the Hôtel Ritz Paris. The funeral saw the British television audience peak at 32.10 million, one of the United Kingdom's highest viewing figures ever, while millions more watched the event around the world.

Tribute, funeral, and burial

The sudden and unexpected death of an extraordinarily popular royal figure brought statements from senior figures worldwide and many tributes by members of the public. People left public offerings of flowers, candles, cards, and personal messages outside Kensington Palace for many months. Her coffin, draped with the royal flag, was brought to London from Paris by Prince Charles and Diana's two sisters on 31 August 1997. After being taken to a private mortuary it was placed in the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace.

Diana's funeral took place in Westminster Abbey on 6 September. The previous day Queen Elizabeth II had paid tribute to her in a live television broadcast. Her sons walked in the funeral procession behind her coffin, along with the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Edinburgh, Diana's brother Lord Spencer, and representatives of some of her charities. Lord Spencer said of his sister, "She proved in the last year that she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic." Re-written in tribute to Diana, "Candle in the Wind" was performed by Elton John at the funeral service (the only occasion the song has been performed live). Released as a single in 1997, the global proceeds from the song have gone to Diana's charities.

The burial occurred privately later the same day. Diana's former husband, sons, mother, siblings, a close friend, and a clergyman were present. Diana's body was clothed in a black long-sleeved dress designed by Catherine Walker, which she had chosen some weeks before. A set of rosary beads was placed in her hands, a gift she had received from Mother Teresa, who died the same week as Diana. Her grave is on an island within the grounds of Althorp Park, the Spencer family home for centuries.

The burial party was provided by the 2nd Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, who were given the honour of carrying the Princess across to the island and laying her to rest. Diana was the Regiment's Colonel-in-Chief from 1992 to 1996. The original plan was for Diana to be buried in the Spencer family vault at the local church in nearby Great Brington, but Lord Spencer said that he was concerned about public safety and security and the onslaught of visitors that might overwhelm Great Brington. He decided that Diana would be buried where her grave could be easily cared for and visited in privacy by William, Harry, and other Spencer relatives.

Public image

Among the members of the Royal Family throughout history, Diana remains one of the most popular and still continues to influence the principles of the Royal Family and its young generation. From her engagement to the Prince of Wales in 1981 until her death in 1997, Diana was a major presence on the world stage, often described as the "world's most photographed woman". She was noted for her compassion, style, charisma, and high-profile charity work.

In 1997, the Princess was one of the runner-ups for Time Man of the Year. In 1999, magazine named Diana one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century. In 2002, Diana was ranked third on the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, outranking the Queen and other British monarchs.

Diana was a fashion icon whose style was emulated by women around the world.

The Princess chose her dressing style based on both the Royal Family's demands and popular modern styles in Britain, and developed her personal trend of fashion.

The Princess was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2004, People cited her as one of the all-time most beautiful women. In 2012, magazine included Diana on its All-TIME 100 Fashion Icons list.

Immediately after her death, many sites around the world became briefly ad hoc memorials to Diana where the public left flowers and other tributes. The largest was outside the gates of Kensington Palace, where people continue to leave flowers and tributes. Permanent memorials include:

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Gardens in Regent Centre Gardens Kirkintilloch

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park, London, opened by Elizabeth II

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens, London

The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Walk, a circular path between Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Hyde Park, and St. James's Park, London

The Diana Memorial Award, established in 1999 and later relaunched in 2007 by Gordon Brown

The Princess Diana Memorial Austria is the first memorial dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales, in a German-speaking country. It is placed in the garden of Schloss Cobenzl in Vienna. It was raised by reporter Ewald Wurzinger.

The Flame of Liberty, erected in 1989 on the Place de l'Alma in Paris above the entrance to the tunnel in which the fatal crash occurred, has become an unofficial memorial to Diana. In addition, there are two memorials inside Harrods department store, commissioned by Dodi Fayed's father, who owned the store from 1985 to 2010. The first memorial is a pyramid-shaped display containing photos of the princess and al-Fayed's son, a wine glass said to be from their last dinner, and a ring purchased by Dodi the day prior to the crash. The second, Innocent Victims, unveiled in 2005, is a bronze statue of Fayed dancing with Diana on a beach beneath the wings of an albatross.

Rosa 'Princess of Wales', a white blend rose cultivar, is named in honour of Diana. She received it as a tribute for her 10-year cooperation with the British Lung Foundation. It was bred by Harkness in the United Kingdom and introduced in 1997. The nostalgic floribunda is also known as 'Hardinkum'. It has a double bloom form, and a mild to strong fragrance. The rose is said to be one of Diana's favourites. After her death, the proceeds from selling the roses in 1998-99 were donated to the British Lung Foundation. In 2002, it was granted the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society. Rosa 'Diana, Princess of Wales', a pink blend garden rose, was first introduced in 1998 at the British Embassy in the United States. The classical hybrid tea rose was bred by Keith W. Zary of Jackson & Perkins and is also known under the names 'Elegant Lady' and 'Jacshaq'. It has a classic bloom form with ivory petals, and a mild, sweet fragrance. "15% of the retail price" for buying each of the roses was donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. It was also not sold in the United Kingdom in order to prevent from creating a competition with Rosa 'Princess of Wales'.

In 1998, Azermarka issued postage stamps commemorating Diana in Azerbaijan. The English text on souvenir sheets issued reads "DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES The Princess that captured people's hearts (1961-1997)". Several other countries issued commemorative stamps that year, including Great Britain, Somalia, and Congo. HayPost also issued a postage stamp commemorating Diana in Armenia at the same year.

In February 2013, OCAD University in Toronto announced that its new 25,000 square foot arts centre would be named the Princess of Wales Visual Arts Centre. Princess Diana Drive was named in her memory in Trenton, New Jersey. Diana's granddaughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana (born 2015), and her niece, Charlotte Diana (born 2012), are named after her.

In 2017, Diana's sons commissioned a statue of their mother for Kensington Palace to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her death. In an official statement released by Kensington Palace the Princes said "Our mother touched so many lives. We hope the statue will help all those who visit Kensington Palace to reflect on her life and her legacy." The money will be raised through public donations, and a small committee consisting of close friends and advisers, including Diana's sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale, are said to be working on the project.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

1 July 1961 - 9 June 1975: The Honourable Diana Frances Spencer

9 June 1975 - 29 July 1981: Lady Diana Frances Spencer

29 July 1981 - 28 August 1996: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales

in Scotland: 29 July 1981 - 28 August 1996: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Rothesay

: 29 July 1981 - 28 August 1996: The Countess of Chester

28 August 1996 - 31 August 1997: Diana, Princess of Wales

Posthumously, as in life, she is most popularly referred to as "Princess Diana", a title not formally correct and one she never held. She is still sometimes referred to in the media as "Lady Diana Spencer" or simply as "Lady Di". In a speech after her death, then-Prime Minister Tony Blair referred to Diana as the People's Princess.

Orders

Member of the Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II (1981)

Foreign honours

Honorary military appointments

The Princess of Wales held the following military appointments:

Australia

Canada

United Kingdom

She gave up these appointments following her divorce.

Arms of Diana, Princess of Wales

Notes

During her marriage, as the wife of the Prince of Wales, Diana used his arms impaled (side by side) with those of her father. After her divorce, she resumed her paternal arms with the addition of a royal coronet.

Adopted

1981

Coronet

Coronet of the Prince of Wales

Escutcheon

Quarterly 1st and 4th gules three lions passant guardant in pale or armed and langed azure 2nd or a lion rampant gules armed and langued azure within a double tressure flory counterflory of the second 3rd azure a harp or stringed argent (the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom), the whole difference with a label of three points Argent; with an inescutcheon of four lions passant guardant, in gold and red, counterchanged, surmounted by the coronet of the heir (for the Principality of Wales); impaled with a shield quarterly 1st and 4th Argent 2nd and 3rd Gules a fret Or overall a bend Sable charged with three escallops Argent.

Supporters

Dexter a lion rampant gardant Or crowned with the coronet of the Prince of Wales Proper, sinister a griffin winged and unguled Or, gorged with a coronet Or composed of crosses patée and fleurs de lis a chain affixed thereto passing between the forelegs and reflexed over the back also Or

Motto

DIEU DEFEND LE DROIT
(Anglo-Norman:God defends the right)

Symbolism

The Spencers were granted a coat of arms in 1504 (Azure a fess Ermine between 6 sea-mews' heads erased Argent), which bears no resemblance to that used by the family after c. 1595, which was derived from the Despencer arms. Writer J.H. Round argued that the Despencer descent was fabricated by Richard Lee, a corrupt Clarencieux King of Arms.

Previous versions

Diana's coat of arms before her marriage was based on the Spencer coat of arms. It depicted a lozenge shaped shield of arms hanging from a blue ribbon, which symbolised her unmarried state. It included three escallops argent of the Spencer coat of arms. This version was used only before her marriage and was also applied by her sisters.

Children and Grandchildren

Diana was born into the British noble Spencer family, different branches of which currently hold the titles of Duke of Marlborough, Earl Spencer, Earls of Sunderland, and Viscount Churchill. The Spencers claimed descent from a cadet branch of the powerful medieval Despenser family, but its validity is questioned. Her great-grandmother was Margaret Baring, a member of the German-British Baring family of bankers and the daughter of Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke. Diana's distant noble ancestors included John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and Prince of Mindelheim and his wife Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. Diana and Charles were distantly related, as they were both descended from the House of Tudor through Henry VII of England. She was also descended from the House of Stuart through Charles II of England by Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, and Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, and his brother James II of England by Henrietta FitzJames.

Diana's American roots came from her great-grandmother Frances Ellen Work, daughter of wealthy American stockbroker Franklin H. Work from Ohio, who was married to her great-grandfather James Roche, 3rd Baron Fermoy. Diana's fourth great-grandmother in her direct maternal line, Eliza Kewark, whose daughter was fathered by Theodore Forbes, is variously described in contemporary documents as "a dark-skinned native woman", "an Armenian woman from Bombay", and "Mrs. Forbesian". Genealogist William Addams Reitwiesner assumed she was Armenian. In June 2013, BritainsDNA announced that genealogical DNA tests on two of Diana's distant cousins in the same direct maternal line confirm that Eliza Kewark was of Indian descent.

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Discover the remarkable life and work of Nelson Mandela - who helped change the lives of millions of South African people - in our Nelson Mandela facts...
Throughout history, lots of people around the world have faced discrimination - where they are treated differently because of their race, skin colour, gender, age and lots of other things, too.

Sadly, it still happens to this day! But there are some amazing people who have worked hard to make a change for the better, and helped us move towards a world where everyone is treated fairly and equally. One such person is Nelson Mandela ...

Nelson Mandela facts

Who was Nelson Mandela?

Full name: Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Born: 18 July 1918
Hometown: Mvezo, South Africa
Occupation: President of South Africa and civil rights activist
Died: 5 December 2013
Best known for: Becoming the first black President of South Africa and a civil rights hero
Also known as: Madiba

Nelson Mandela's early life

Nelson Mandela was born on the 18th July 1918 in the village of Mvezo, which is located in an area of South Africa called Transkei. His father's name was Henry, and his mother was called Nosekeni Fanny.

As a youngster, little Nelson was actually called Rolihlahla - it wasn't until he was seven that a teacher at school gave him the name ' Nelson ', and it stuck!

And check this out... Nelson was born into royalty! His father, Henry, was chief of a tribe in South Africa called the Tembu, and his great grandfather was the tribe's king! But sadly, Nelson was just twelve years old when his father died.

Nelson studied hard at school and later attended the University of Fort Hare, the South African Native College. He then moved to the city of Johannesburg to study law at the University of the Witwatersrand, before qualifying as a lawyer in 1942, aged 24.

Inequality in South Africa

South Africa is home to many different peoples and cultures - so much so that it's been nicknamed the ' rainbow nation'. But, sadly, at the time that Nelson Mandela was growing up, there was a huge racial divide in the country.

White people ran the country, and they generally led privileged lives with good jobs, nice homes and access to good schools and healthcare. Most black people, however, worked in low-paid jobs, and lived in poor communities with poor facilities. They had far fewer rights, too - they weren't even allowed to vote in elections!

Like many others, Nelson Mandela felt that everyone deserved to be treated the same, regardless of their skin colour. So, in 1944, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) - a political group that strived for equal rights for whites and blacks.

In 1948 the South African government introduced a system called ' apartheid', which furthered the country's racial divide even more. Under new racist laws, black people and white people were forced to lead separate lives. They weren't allowed to live in the same areas, share a table in a restaurant, attend the same schools or even sit together on a train or bus!

What did Nelson Mandela do?

Nelson Mandela became an important figure in the ANC, and he helped set up and lead a section for young people called the ANC Youth League. He later travelled the country to gain support for non-violent protests against the National Party's racist laws, too.

This activism made him very unpopular with the authorities, and Nelson was arrested for treason - the crime of betraying your country's government - several times.

While Nelson was under arrest in the late 1950s, the government banned anti-apartheid groups such as the ANC. But that didn't stop Nelson and his fellow activists - in fact, they felt more had to be done to bring about change.

So, even though they preferred using peaceful protests in their struggle for equality, in 1961 Nelson and other ANC leaders formed a secret military group called Umkhonto we Sizwe, or Spear of the Nation.

Why did Nelson Mandela go to prison?

Nelson knew he would be in big trouble if the authorities found out about the secret army and their plans, and so he kept a very low profile. He lived in hiding - and even dressed in disguise! But in August 1962, he was arrested on his return from a trip to Algeria in Northern Africa, and sentenced to five years in prison. From there, things only got worse for Nelson...

In 1963, the police raided a farm near the city of Johannesburg and found documents belonging to the secret army, as well as weapons. The result? Nelson and seven other men were charged for plotting to overthrow the government and given life sentences. Nelson would spend the next 27 years behind bars ...

Nelson was first sent to a prison on Robben Island, seven miles off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa's capital city. He was moved to Pretoria Local Prison to appear in court, then returned to the Island prison for nearly ten years. In 1982, Nelson was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison, and later in 1988, he moved for a final time to Victor Verster Prison near a town called Paarl.

Throughout his time behind bars, Nelson Mandela didn't give up on what he believed in. He even refused freedom on two occasions, and instead chose to stand by his principles. He used his time to learn new things, including Afrikaans - a language of South Africa spoken mostly by white people - which earned him respect from the guards he spoke to.

When was Nelson Mandela freed from prison?

Over time, Nelson Mandela became a famous prisoner, and there were calls all around the world to ' Free Nelson Mandela! '. For decades, countries around the world had put pressure on South Africa to end apartheid, but now the anti-apartheid movement had more support than ever.

Change for the better finally came in 1989. The president of South Africa, FW de Klerk, met with Nelson Mandela and in 1990 set him free!

In 1991, Nelson became President of the ANC and worked with FW de Klerk to bring an end to apartheid in a harmonious way, and introduce equal rights for everyone. Their work towards making South Africa a more peaceful place won the pair the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.

Come the 1994 general election, all races in South Africa were allowed to vote. Nelson's hard work finally paid off - the ANC won, and Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first black president.

As President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela improved the living standards and facilities of South Africa's black population, who had suffered for decades under apartheid. He also worked hard to make South Africa a country of equality, where people of all race and colour could live together in peace.

In 1999, Nelson Mandela retired as President and his successor was called Mbeki. But whilst he left politics behind, he continued to be an important figure around the world as a symbol of peace and equality. The same year that he retired, he founded the Nelson Mandela Foundation, an organisation that works to this day to promote the principals of equality, freedom and peace.

When did Nelson Mandela die?

From 2004, he lived a quiet life with his wife Graça. Following a lung infection, Nelson Mandela sadly died in December 2013, aged 95 years old.

How is Nelson Mandela remembered?

Nelson Mandela's spirit and values are still very much alive to this day, and he will forever be remembered. He wrote a book called " Long Walk to Freedom", where people can read about the struggles he faced in his battle against discrimination and fight for equality. In 2009, Nelson's birthday, 18 July, was officially named ' Nelson Mandela Day '. Every year on this day, people around the world honour his legacy by helping their communities and making the world a better place.

Discover more inspirational figures who fought for equality by finding out all about Rosa Parks or reading our Martin Luther King facts.

What did you think of our Nelson Mandela facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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Susan B. Anthony (February 15, 1820-March 13, 1906) was a pioneer × pioneer NASA a person who does something first (noun) Mae Jemison is considered to be a pioneer because she was the first African-American woman to travel in space. in the movement for women's voting rights in the United States. She paved the way for the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave American women the right to vote.

Susan B. Anthony was raised in a Quaker family that believed in equality. When she was 6 years old, her family moved from Massachusetts to a farm in New York. By age 19, she was teaching at a school in New Rochelle, New York. Six years later, she went to live with her parents and siblings at their family home in Rochester, New York, where they were active in the fight to end slavery. In 1851, Anthony went to an abolitionist × abolitionist SHIRONOSOV/GETTY IMAGES a person who wants to stop or abolish slavery (noun) Abolitionists hoped to convince people to oppose slavery. meeting in Seneca Falls, New York. There, she met Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an advocate for equal rights. Anthony and Stanton formed an immediate bond. They began working together to abolish slavery. They also fought to extend rights to African Americans and women.

A Push for Equality

During the Civil War, Anthony and Stanton formed the Women's National Loyal League (WNLL). It was the first national women's political organization. The WNLL gathered 400,000 signatures to persuade Congress to ratify the 13th Amendment. This amendment outlawed slavery. It was finally ratified in December 1865. After the war, Anthony campaigned for the 14th and 15th Amendments. The 14th Amendment granted "equal protection of the laws" to all Americans. It also guaranteed citizenship to all people born in the United States. As a result, citizenship was extended to former slaves. The 15th Amendment gave African-American men the right to vote. Anthony was deeply disappointed, however, that neither amendment extended voting rights to women. Anthony and Stanton faced opposition in their fight for women's . But they still felt inspired to continue fighting for equality. In 1869, they formed the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA). The organization was dedicated to passing a constitutional amendment that would guarantee voting rights for women.

UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE/UIG/GETTY IMAGES

Challenging the Law

In November 1872, Anthony made national headlines. She was arrested for illegally voting in the presidential election. Anthony was found guilty. The judge imposed a $100 fine. While in the courtroom, Anthony told the judge that she would "never pay a dollar of [the] unjust penalty." She added, "And I shall earnestly and persistently continue to urge all women" to follow a revolutionary idea, "that resistance to tyranny tyranny a government that treats people in a cruel and unfair way (noun) The refugees left their country to escape tyranny. is obedience to God." Anthony never paid the fine. After her arrest, Anthony continued to raise awareness awareness knowledge of a situation or fact (noun) The protesters tried to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking. about women's rights. On July 4, 1876, the NWSA adopted a Declaration of Rights of the Women of the United States. It said, "We ask justice, we ask equality, we ask that all the civil and political rights that belong to citizens of the United States, be guaranteed to us and our daughters forever." Anthony also campaigned for women to be able to own property, earn equal pay, and hold public office.

The Fight Must Not Cease

Throughout her adulthood, Anthony was a passionate advocate for women's rights. In February 1906, she made her last speech. "I am here for a little time only, and then my place will be filled," she said. "The fight must not cease. You must see that it does not stop. Failure is impossible." Anthony died a month later. She was 86 years old. But her tireless efforts inspired others to carry on the struggle for women's rights. It would take another 14 years for Congress to ratify the 19th Amendment, which granted women voting rights. In 1979, Anthony's contributions to the equal-rights movement were honored. She became the first woman to appear on a circulating U.S. coin. Though the U.S. Treasury stopped producing the Susan B. Anthony $1 coin in 1991, it is still in use today.

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Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony played a major part in getting women the right to vote as well as other major roles and freedoms for women in the United States. Her Quaker family background helped her in her life and in moving what she believed was right forward due to her strong stand on morals and justice. Her family was heavily involved in the anti-slavery movement at the time.

Anthony was a teacher for fifteen years and then became involved in the temperance movement with Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1852. She had previously been involved in the abolitionist movement, traveling and lecturing around the country. She met angry mobs, face to face as they opposed her idea of freedom for the slaves. She very quickly made the decision to devote her life to the cause of helping women achieve freedoms in the country.

Susan B. Anthony took the same passion that she held with abolition to the fight for the right for women to vote and to achieve some of the same rights that were held by men. Stanton and Anthony organized the Women's National Loyal League in 1863 to petition and support the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which outlawed slavery. They continued to campaign for full rights for women as citizens, no matter what their race.

When the 14th and 15th Amendments were passed, the women in the movement, including Anthony and Stanton were very disappointed. Women were not included in either of these Amendments. Anthony began publishing a newspaper called The Revolution in 1868, which focused on the many racial injustices that were happening. Anthony's publication brought to the attention of the American people the actions that continued in prejudice and hate, including lynchings (hangings).

In 1846, Anthony was only 26 years old, but was hired for a position a Canajoharie Academy as the head of the girls' department. In 1853 Anthony met at a state teachers' convention and called for better pay for women, for women to have a voice at the convention and for the admission of women into the professions.

She continued to rally this cry at a number of conventions around the country and promoted equal education for all in colleges and universities, no matter what the race or gender. By the 1890's, Anthony was a member of Rochester's State Industrial School trustees and campaigned for equal treatment and coeducation opportunities for girls and boys. Her efforts brought such an awareness and pledges that in 1900, the University allowed women to be admitted.

Anthony used her newspaper publication to advocate fair working conditions, an 8 hour work day, equal pay for equal work and policies to buy American goods instead of foreign goods. Her ability to meet with other women in the printing industry brought about the formation of the Workingwomen's Association. Since women, at that time, were not allowed to join the men's labor unions, this new group held the power of the women. As President of the Central Association office, she drew guidelines to accomplish many of the working standards that are used in business today.

She continued to work for the women's movement to encourage the right to vote. Anthony campaigned across the country and, when she and other members tried to 'vote' they were arrested in Rochester, NY. Her continued efforts for the rights of women allowed her to get 10,000 signatures to make a change in the Constitution. When she showed up in 1877, the members of Congress laughed at her. She showed up at every Congress from 1869 to 1906 to demand attention to the suffrage movement. Her voice was also included in addressing some of the antiquated laws regarding women's property rights.

The two suffrage organizations for women merged to become the National American Woman Suffrage Association in 1887. Stanton was the president with Anthony being the vice-president. Their presence was becoming a powerful force across the country and in 1893 Anthony attended the International Council of Women that was being held in Chicago at the World's Fair.

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Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. Clinton was the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election. She is a former U.S. Senator, First Lady of the United States and First Lady of Arkansas.

From 2009 to 2013, she was the 67th Secretary of State, serving under President Barack Obama. Before that, she was the junior United States Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009. She is married to former President of the United States Bill Clinton in 1975. When her husband was president, she had the title of First Lady of the United States. She was a candidate in the 2008 election of a new President. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Hillary Clinton was the first former First Lady to be elected to the U.S. Senate and to hold a federal cabinet-level position. She ran for re-election to the Senate in 2006, which she won, and was considered by many in the media and politics as having a good chance to win in the race for the Democratic Party's US presidential nomination in 2008, but she lost to Barack Obama.

In April 2015, Clinton announced that she would be running for president once again for the 2016 United States presidential elections. On June 6, 2016, Clinton reached the number of delegates to become the presumptive Democratic Party nominee. She lost the election to Donald Trump on November 8, 2016.

Early life and education

Hillary Diane Rodham was born in Chicago. She was raised in Park Ridge, a suburb located 15 miles (24 km) northwest of downtown Chicago. Her parents were Hugh E. Rodham and Dorothy Emma Howell Rodham. She is of Welsh, English, French and French Canadian ancestry. Hillary grew up with two younger brothers, Hugh and Tony.

She studied at Maine East High School and Maine South High School. She finished high school in 1965, and enrolled at Wellesley College in Massachusetts.

In 1969, Rodham entered Yale Law School. She received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Yale in 1973. Then, she began a year of post-graduate study on children and medicine at the Yale Child Study Center.

First Lady of the United States (1993-2001)

When she was First Lady, she tried to change the health care system. Some people did not like it when the planning meetings were kept secret away from the public. In the end, too many people did not want the changes that she wanted.

Senate (2001-2009)

When she decided that she wanted to be Senator, she chose New York even though she never lived there. Some accused her of " carpetbagging" because of this. She went on to win the election and won a second term in 2006.

When the war between the United States-led coalition and Iraq was about to start, she voted in favor of the war. Now she is opposed to the war and wants American troops to stop fighting rebel Iraqis.

2008 presidential campaign

Hillary Clinton had raised more money than anybody else in the 2008 Presidential campaign, but later had big money problems for her campaign by May 7, 2008. She was not picked by her party, the person who did was Barack Obama, but she campaigned for Obama after this.

United States Secretary of State (2009-2013)

In mid-November 2008, Obama and Clinton talked about whether she could be the next U.S. Secretary of State in his presidency. On November 21, there were reports that said Hillary Clinton had accepted his offer.

During her term as Secretary of State, Clinton used her position to make women's rights and human rights a focus of U.S. initiatives. She became one of the most traveled secretaries of state in American history. She promoted the use of social media to convey the country's positions. She also led U.S. diplomatic efforts in responding to the Arab Spring and military intervention in Libya.

Clinton did not want to serve a second term as secretary. Once Barack Obama won his re-election, he announced that John Kerry would succeed Clinton as secretary. Clinton left office on February 1, 2013.

2016 presidential campaign

In 2016 Clinton became the first woman in the History of the United States to be a major party presidential candidate. Clinton did not want to run for president in 2016, but after much of a majority support from the Democratic party, on April 12, 2015, speculation ended as Clinton formally announced her candidacy via email and the release of a video saying, "Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion." In the polls, Clinton maintained her lead for the nomination although she faced several challenges from Senator Bernie Sanders. Clinton became the presumptive nominee by Superdelegates on June 6, 2016.

Personal life

While working as a faculty member at the Law School of the University of Arkansas, she married Bill Clinton on October 11, 1975. He was also working as a faculty member at the same university. Both knew each other and were classmates at the Yale Law School. Their only child is daughter Chelsea Clinton, born on February 27, 1980.

Images for kids

Governor Bill and First Lady Hillary Clinton attend the 1987 Dinner Honoring the Nation's Governors with President Ronald and First Lady Nancy Reagan.

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Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26, 1947) is an American politician who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013. Clinton was the Democratic Party's nominee for President of the United States in the 2016 election. She is a former U.S.

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NAME: George Washington

NICKNAME: Father of His Country

BORN: February 22, 1732, in Popes Creek, Virginia

DIED: December 14, 1799, in Mount Vernon, Virginia

TIME IN OFFICE: April 30, 1789, to March 3, 1797

VICE PRESIDENT: John Adams

POLITICAL PARTY: Federalist

EARLY LIFE

The son of a landowner and planter, George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in the British-ruled colony of Virginia. His father died when he was 11, and his older brother, Lawrence, helped raise him. Washington was educated in basic subjects including reading, writing, and mathematics, but he didn't attend college. Not much else is known about his childhood. Stories about his virtues-such as his confession of chopping down his father's cherry tree-were actually invented by an admiring writer soon after Washington's death.

During his 20s, he fought as a soldier in the French and Indian War, Great Britain's fight with France over the Ohio River Valley territory. After the war, Washington returned to Virginia to work as a farmer.

Virginians elected Washington to their colonial legislature, or government, when he was 26. Soon after, he married Martha Dandridge Custis, a wealthy widow with two young children. They settled at Mount Vernon, a family home Washington had inherited.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO

As a government official, Washington spoke out against unfair laws, such as high taxes, during Great Britain's rule. In 1774 and 1775, he was one of Virginia's representatives at the First and Second Continental Congresses, a group of representatives from the 13 colonies that would eventually become the United States. The Second Congress helped future third president, Thomas Jefferson, write the Declaration of Independence in July 1776, proclaiming that the 13 colonies were now independent states, no longer under British rule. An army was formed to oppose the British, and Washington was selected to lead it.

For five years, Washington served as the head of the army as the Revolutionary War against the British raged. The British finally surrendered in 1781 at Yorktown, Virginia. Washington was now a hero, seen as an important person who helped the colonies finally gain independence from Great Britain. After the war, Washington retired from the army and returned to private life.

PATH TO PRESIDENCY

After the end of the war, the former colonies operated under the Articles of Confederation, a document that placed most power with the states. For example, each state printed its own money. There was no national leader. The individual states were not supporting each other as one country, and the new nation seemed to be in trouble.

In 1787 state representatives gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Constitutional Convention to fix these problems. There, the delegates wrote the Constitution of the United States. This document created a strong federal government: two chambers of legislators (also called lawmakers), a federal court system, and a president. The Constitution still serves as the foundation for the United States government today.

Based on the Constitution's directions, states chose representatives to elect a president. Washington won the vote, making him the first-ever president of the United States. John Adams received the second most votes and became vice president.

SETTING TRADITIONS

As the nation's first president, Washington set the example for other presidents. He worked out how the nation would negotiate treaties with other countries. He decided how the president would select and get advice from cabinet members. He also established the practice of giving a regular State of the Union speech, a yearly update on how the country is doing. He appointed federal judges and established basic government services such as banks. As president, he also worked hard to keep the new country out of wars with Native Americans and European nations.

During Washington's time as president, New York City was the nation's temporary capital; then Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although Washington helped plan a permanent national capital, his presidency ended before the federal government moved to the city later named in his honor: Washington, D.C.

LASTING LEGACY

After serving two back-to-back terms as president, Washington retired to Mount Vernon in 1797. He died two years later on December 14, 1799. Washington, who kept one of the largest populations of enslaved people in the country, arranged in his will for them to be freed by the time of his wife's death. After his death, he was praised as being "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

From the Nat Geo Kids books Our Country's Presidents by Ann Bausum and Weird But True Know-It-All: U.S. Presidents by Brianna Dumont, revised for digital by Avery Hurt

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NAME: George Washington NICKNAME: Father of His Country BORN: February 22, 1732, in Popes Creek, Virginia DIED: December 14, 1799, in Mount Vernon, Virginia TIME IN OFFICE: April 30, 1789, to March 3, 1797 VICE PRESIDENT: John Adams POLITICAL PARTY: Federalist The son of a landowner and planter, George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in the British-ruled colony of Virginia.

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George Washington for Kids | First President of the United States

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George Washington was the 1st president of the United States. Learn about his biography and life story.

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Biography of George Washington for Kids: Meet the American President - FreeSchool

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Pretty much everybody knows that George Washington was our first President, but how much else do you know about this Founding Father?

The man that would go on to be known as the Father of our Country lived a pretty interesting life, so let's take the time to explore his life!

George Washington was born in Virginia in 1732. When George was born, Virginia was one of the 13 colonies that were ruled by England. America was not a country yet.

When George was young, he was a very good student. He was especially good at math and spelling.

When he was 16 years old, he left his house to find a job. He got a job as a surveyor. It was his job to measure land and make maps. This helped people know how big the property was and other important facts about it.

Before the War

When George was 20, he joined the Virginia army. He was very brave and soon was put in charge of the whole militia. He was a part of the militia during the start of the French and Indian war.

In one particular battle, he narrowly escaped death when his horse was shot out from under him.

George always dreamed of having a family. On January 6, 1759, George married a woman named Martha Curtis. George and Martha lived on a large farm named Mount Vernon. They never had any children.

George didn't get to stay with Martha for very long. Soon, he had to rejoin the army to fight the Revolutionary War.

The Revolutionary War

George and other wealthy landowners were unhappy with England because they made lots of rules that the Colonies thought were unfair.

When England refused to change the rules, the Colonies decided to declare their independence. The colonies formed, and George was picked to lead the army.

The Colonial Army had lots of problems. They didn't have enough supplies and weren't trained very well. Luckily, George was a great leader. He trained his soldiers and worked to get the supplies that they needed.

George planned to outlast the British Army. The war lasted eight long years, and eventually, England surrendered. This happened in Yorktown on October 17, 1781.

The war was over, and the Colonies had won their independence from England!

The Presidency

Once the war was over, the new country needed a leader. George was unanimously picked to be the country's first president on April 30, 1789.

He was a very good leader and led the country for two different terms, which lasted eight total years.

During his time as President, George put in place many roles and traditions that our Presidents still follow today.

For instance, it was his choice to only have Presidents serve for a certain amount of time. See our article on the 22nd amendment for more on that.

He said that this would prevent anyone from becoming too powerful, like the King of England was. He also helped form the government and defined what a President should do, as well as who should be his helpers.

George also founded (started) the offices of the Presidential Cabinet.

After the Presidency

When he was done being President, George returned to his home in Virginia, where he lived for several more years. Then in December of 1799, George got a bad cold. This turned into a terrible throat infection.

George Washington died on December 14, 1799.

George Washington is known as the "Father of our Country." He was a great leader both before, during, and after the Revolutionary War. He helped to make our country what it is today.

He is honored for his role in our nation's history with many different monuments, with none being more famous than the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C, which is also named for him.

Fun Facts About George Washington

George never served as President in Washington, D.C. The capital when he was President was New York City, and then Philadelphia.

Though George was very honest, the story of him and the cherry tree probably never happened.

George had many different sets of dentures throughout his life. They were not made from wood but were rather fashioned from various types of bone.

George owned slaves but gave them all freedom upon his death.
US Presidents

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George Washington Biography Pretty much everybody knows that George Washington was our first President, but how much else do you know about this Founding Father? The man that would go on to be known as the Father of our Country lived a pretty interesting life, so let's take the time to explore his life!

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If you are looking to study the most interesting people from history, Abraham Lincoln is a good place to start!

Obviously, he was the 16 th President of the United States and was influential in the shaping of our nation's history.

However, there is a lot more to the man that folks called "Honest Abe" than that! Read on to find out some interesting facts about one of our greatest presidents.

Abe was born in 1809 in Kentucky. He and his family lived in a log cabin. He was an inquisitive boy who loved the outdoors.

Abraham was also a hard worker who would help his father, Thomas Lincoln, on their farm or chop firewood for neighbors.

In 1818, when Abraham was nine years old, his mother died, and in 1819, just one year later, his father remarried.

Though he was devastated by the loss of his mother, Abe quickly bonded with his stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston.

The Lincolns moved from Kentucky to Indiana, which is where Abraham got his education. All told, he only attended about 18 months of school.

However, he was very studious and would walk for miles just to borrow and return books from his neighbors. He used these books to teach himself to read.

In 1830, the Lincolns moved again, this time to Illinois. Now that Abe was in his 20's, he decided to leave his family and strike out on his own.

He was now 6'4" tall, making him much taller than most men of the time.

Lincoln was a tall president, but not quite as tall as this man. Do you know who he was?

Working Life

Though Abe is most famous for being President, he held several jobs beforehand as well. These included a woodcutter, shopkeeper, postmaster, general store owner, soldier, and lawyer.

All of these jobs helped to prepare him for his life in politics.

After practicing law for several years, Abe ran for and was elected to, the Illinois State Senate in 1834.

Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd on November 4, 1842. She was a high-spirited and well-educated woman from an important Kentucky family.

The couple had four children, who Abe adored. Unfortunately, only one of them, Robert, survived to adulthood.

Mary Todd

Lincoln in Washington DC

Abe's first journey to Washington, D.C. to work was not as President. He first served a single term in the United States House of Representatives from 1847 to 1849.

It was not altogether a successful term of service, and Lincoln did not seek a second term.

The Presidency

Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States in 1860. He only received about 40 percent of the popular votes, though he got 180 of the 303 available Electoral votes.

His election was mostly due to Northern support, as he wasn't even included on the ballot in most Southern states.

The Civil War

Shortly after Lincoln was elected President, the Southern states seceded from the Union, and with their attack on Fort Sumter in 1861, the Civil War began.

This war was the deadliest in the history of the United States. Over 600,000 soldiers died during the conflict, which was fought over slavery.

Lincoln was president for the entirety of the war. His opinion of slavery shifted with the conflict.

His priority was to try and keep the country together, and he said that if he could do it by keeping all the slaves, he would do it.

However, as the war progressed, he deemed it necessary and right to free all slaves, which he did when he issued his Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

The war waged on for two more years, until it ended in 1865, with the North winning.

Assassination

Lincoln, however, did not live to see the end of the war. On April 14, 1865, Abe and Mary Todd were out to see a play at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.

During the play, a man named John Wilkes Booth, who wanted the South to win the Civil War, shot and killed President Lincoln. Sadly, he was only 56 years old.

Abraham Lincoln rose from humble beginnings to be one of our best presidents. He was an honest and hardworking man, who wanted what was best for our country.

Abe helped guide our country through a tough Civil War and helped us to realize that all men are created equal.

Now, why not explore some of our other great presidents?
Also Read:

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Abraham Lincoln Facts If you are looking to study the most interesting people from history, Abraham Lincoln is a good place to start! Obviously, he was the 16th President of the United States and was influential in the shaping of our nation's history.

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Biography of Abraham  Lincoln for Kids: Meet the American President for Kids - FreeSchool

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I am Martin Luther King Jr. by Brad Meltzer

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A hero is born

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1929. At the time in that part of the country, segregation-or the separation of races in places like schools, buses, and restaurants-was the law. He experienced racial predjudice from the time he was very young, which inspired him to dedicate his life to achieving equality and justice for Americans of all colors. King believed that peaceful refusal to obey unjust law was the best way to bring about social change.

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Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., never backed down in his stand against racism. Learn more about the life of this courageous hero who inspired millions of people to right a historical wrong.

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The Story of Martin Luther King Jr. by Kid President

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Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) is considered one of history's greatest speakers and social activists. His leadership in peaceful protests helped end segregation during the American civil rights movement.

When Martin Luther King Jr. was born, his parents, Michael and Alberta, gave him a different name from the one we know today. They called him Michael. But Michael Sr. later changed his name and his son's to Martin Luther, after the famous religious leader. The middle-class family was very religious. Both Martin's father and grandfather were pastors in Atlanta, Georgia. The King children grew up in a loving home but experienced racism from an early age.

Separate Is Never Equal

King attended segregated public schools in Georgia. He skipped the ninth and eleventh grades and graduated from high school at 15. It was around that time that he joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), a civil rights organization. King's father led the NAACP's Atlanta chapter.

In 1948, King graduated from Morehouse College, in Atlanta. He went on to study religion at Crozer Theological Seminary, in Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1951, he graduated with honors and was class valedictorian. Soon after, he enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Boston University (B.U.), in Massachusetts. He met music student Coretta Scott in Boston. The couple married in 1953 and later had two sons and two daughters.

In 1954, while completing his degree, King moved to Montgomery, Alabama. He became pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Soon after, on December 1, 1955, a woman named Rosa Parks was arrested after refusing to give her seat to white passengers on a Montgomery city bus. In response, the NAACP chose King to lead a citywide bus boycott. For 381 days, members of the black community walked or carpooled to work. Many of them were attacked.

The NAACP filed a lawsuit against the city of Montgomery. They argued that segregation on city buses was unconstitutional. On November 13, 1956, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that such segregation was indeed illegal. The court based its decision, in part, on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. In that case, the court concluded that "separate is never equal."

One year later, King, along with 60 ministers and activists, founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

"I Have a Dream"

In the spring of 1963, King organized a protest in Birmingham, Alabama. The event drew nationwide attention. That's because city police officers blasted participants with fire hoses and let attack dogs loose. King and others were jailed.

After their release, King and other civil rights leaders laid plans for a demonstration in the nation's capital. The March on Washington attracted more than 200,000 people. On August 28, 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, King gave his "I Have a Dream" speech. He spoke of a day when all men would be treated equally. King went on to win the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize. He was 35 years old and the youngest person to have received the honor.

Reaching the Promised Land

The fight for equal rights, however, was far from over. On March 7, 1965, demonstrators set off on a 54-mile march, organized by King, from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The event became violent when police met marchers with nightsticks and tear gas on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in Selma. Seventeen people ended up in the hospital. King was not present, but he watched the scene unfold on TV. Soon after, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The law stated that all citizens had a right to vote, no matter the color of their skin.

On April 3, 1968, King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, in support of striking sanitation workers. In a speech there, he said, "I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land." The next day, he was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, where he was staying. The assassination ended King's life. He was 39 years old. It sparked riots in more than 100 cities. The accused shooter, James Earl Ray, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in prison.

"I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the United States, King's birthday is observed as a national holiday on the third Monday in January. On that day, many Americans volunteer at shelters, schools, hospitals, and other community organizations to honor the civil rights leader's legacy of service and commitment.

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Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) is considered one of history's greatest speakers and social activists. His leadership in peaceful protests helped end segregation during the American civil rights movement. When Martin Luther King Jr. was born,...

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The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. | BrainPOP

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Kids learn about Martin Luther King, Jr.'s biography. A great civil rights leader.

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Hillary Clinton - Presidential Candidate & Former First Lady | Mini Bio | BIO