The Barrier Breakers Who Changed America

In the early 19th century, America had no standard of education—every town and city could teach its students in different ways. Until Horace Mann had an idea.

Rachel Louise Carson was an author and marine biologist who wrote the book Silent Spring, which sparked the modern environmentalist movement by calling out the pesticide and chemical industry.

Maria Tallchief, a trailblazing Native American, became a famed prima ballerina and the Nutcracker’s iconic Sugar Plum Fairy.

Bessie Coleman was the first woman of African American and Native American descent to earn her pilot's license in the U.S.

In the 1960s, Danny Thomas was a household name. His family sitcom, The Danny Thomas Show, was a smash hit, running for over 10 years. Thomas—who struggled for years before his big break—always attributed his success to St. Jude.

Undeterred by his childhood disability, Henry Viscardi became one of the most effective advocates for disabled Americans in U.S. history.

In the last year of his life, Martin Luther King Jr. expanded his cause beyond Civil Rights and advocated to lift Americans out of poverty.

Norma Merrick Sklarek was one of the first Black female architects in America who helped build iconic structures across the country.

From a young age, Coretta Scott King was influenced by music. She spent her youth singing in church choirs and ended up studying at the New England Conservatory, where she met MLK. She earned a degree in voice and music education and studied the violin.

On Oct 14, 1964, Robert F. Kennedy gave a landmark speech to police chiefs, taking a strong stand against organized crime.

Growing up in the Bronx, Sonia Sotomayor was a Yankees fan. Little did she know that she would play a role in saving the entire sport.

After Spain’s conquest, the Church tied Aztec death rituals to All Saints Day—until Chicanos reclaimed Día de los Muertos’ roots.

On August 11, 1973, DJ Kool Herc rocks his first Bronx party, debuting a game-changing turntable move that electrifies the crowd.

In 1784, Virginia native James Hemings traveled to Paris with Thomas Jefferson, becoming the first American trained in French cuisine.

The high five is synonymous with American culture. But who actually did it first? There are lots of theories, but one of the earliest known instances was a spontaneous action done between two LA Dodger baseball players.

Before the cowboy image Americans know today, former enslaved men became the country's first cowboys who used their skills in ranching to cement their place in the west.

Dr. Farouk El-Baz, an Egyptian American scientist and geologist, played a crucial role in helping NASA plan the Apollo program.

Without their sister, Katharine, the Wright brothers may never have taken flight.

In 2015, a pediatrician discovers that Flint Michigan's water supply changed sources and ran the risk of being tainted by lead. Against public criticism, she fought to expose the problem to the wider public.

A graduate of Yale University, Clifford Beers founded the Clifford Beers Clinic in 1913, America's first outpatient mental health clinic. His work would establish a foundation for caring for people suffering with mental illness in America.

O'Neil was a professional race car driver and stuntwoman, who also happened to be deaf. She made history with her death-defying speeds.

Colonel Charles Young overcame racism to rise through the ranks and create his legacy in the great outdoors.

Stranded in space, the Apollo 13 astronauts managed to find their way back home by using technology invented centuries earlier.