NFs in History
A Real Saint
She was born in 1910 in Macedonia, the
daughter of an Albanian builder. Even as a young child, those who knew
her well believed that she was destined to spend her life helping
others. At the age of 18, she chose to become a nun, and spent the next
17 years teaching and managing a high school for girls. However, it was
not until 1946 at the age of 36, that she discovered her true calling,
helping those who most desperately needed it. Believing anything was
possible, in 1950 she moved to the slums of Calcutta and started a new
religious order. From an order of one to an order of 5,000, she spent
the next 47 years of her life tirelessly helping the poor, orphaned, and
diseased. From raising funds to building shelters to opening clinics and
schools, she worked to improve the lives of others all around the world.
Her dedication towards humanity, her faith in
her ability to make a difference, and her search for meaning and purpose
in life embodies the essential nature of the Idealists.
Mother Teresa – (
1910-1997 )
A Visionary
He was born in 1929, the son of a Baptist
minister, in Atlanta, Georgia. Growing up in a religious family (his
father and one of his grandfathers served as ministers in the same
Baptist church), he was soon to follow in their footsteps. He was a
talented and hardworking student, skipping both the 9th and
10th grades and entering college at the age of 15. He studied
theology and soon became a minister. He attained a Ph.D. in theology
from Boston University, where he met and married a music student from
Alabama. Together they had four children and settled in Alabama, where
he became the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. He was only 25
years old.
In 1955, he took a turn in his career that
would define his life and change a nation. As a result of the protest of
a young black passenger on a then-segregated bus system, he became
deeply involved in the civil rights movement. As an eloquent speaker
against racism and discrimination and an advocate of non-violent protest
he became a national leader for the Civil Rights Movement in America.
By 1965, he had led some of the largest
demonstrations against racial discrimination ever seen in America. These
ultimately resulted in significant and long-ranging legal changes in
America. These chances included the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965. In 1963, he led a massive demonstration in
Washington, culminating in his most famous speech “I had a dream” at the
Lincoln Memorial. Later, in 1964, he received the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1968, his life was cut short by a
shocking assassination. He had been admired as well as feared for his
visionary and idealist views. He dreamed of not just a better world for
African Americans, but a better world for all. He exemplifies the spirit
and heart of the Idealist.
Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)1
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