The 20 Bravest People in History

Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and then risked her life time and again to help others find freedom through the Underground Railroad. She knew that if she were captured, she could face torture or death, but she went back again and again because she did not want to keep her freedom to herself. During the Civil War, she also served as a scout, spy, and nurse for the Union. 

Joan of Arc was a young peasant girl who found herself thrust into a brutal war and managed to convince soldiers, nobles, and a future king to take her seriously. She helped lead the French forces during the Hundred Years’ War and became a symbol of resistance at a time when France desperately needed it. Captured by Burgundian troops, allies of the English, she refused to renounce her convictions, even in the face of trial and the threat of death. 

Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid in South Africa. That experience could have made him bitter enough to seek revenge, but instead, he helped lead the country toward democracy and reconciliation, which means he had the strength to look beyond his personal suffering. His courage was evident not only in his resistance to injustice, but also in his ability to envision a future that transcended revenge.

Rosa Parks became an icon of the civil rights movement when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. Her quiet act of defiance helped spark the Montgomery bus boycott, one of the major turning points in the American civil rights movement. Rosa Parks was already involved in the civil rights struggle; therefore, this was not a mere whim, but a carefully considered act of courage against an unjust system.

Mahatma Gandhi fought British colonial rule in India through nonviolent resistance. It is one thing to respond to force with force; it is quite another to face batons, prison, and bullets while refusing to fight back. His campaigns inspired millions of people and helped lead India to independence. 

Oskar Schindler was initially an unlikely hero—a businessman and member of the Nazi Party who had profited from World War II. Yet he used his factory, his money, his charm, and his connections to save more than 1,000 Jews from deportation and death. His choices exposed him to grave personal danger under one of the most murderous regimes in history. 

Malala Yousafzai continued to publicly advocate for girls’ education in Pakistan, even after receiving threats from the Taliban. In 2012, she was shot by a gunman on her school bus, but she survived and continued her fight on the international stage. Many would have chosen to remain silent after such an attack, but Malala chose to continue speaking out, making her courage impossible to ignore.

Martin Luther King Jr. knew that leading the civil rights movement put his life in danger, but he pressed on regardless. He faced arrests, threats, bombings, close surveillance, and constant public pressure, all while demanding justice through nonviolent protests. His speeches are famous today, but they were not delivered from a safe distance. King’s courage lay in the fact that he weathered the storm and called on a nation to become better than it was.

Witold Pilecki was a Polish resistance fighter who deliberately allowed himself to be captured and sent to Auschwitz. His goal was to gather intelligence, organize the resistance within the camp, and expose Nazi crimes to the outside world. Pilecki later escaped, but his life remained marked by sacrifice and danger.

Sophie Scholl was a German student and a member of the “White Rose” resistance group during the Nazi regime. She helped distribute anti-Nazi leaflets calling on Germans to reject Hitler’s regime. Arrested along with her brother Hans, she faced interrogation and death with remarkable composure. She was executed at the age of 21, leaving behind an example of moral courage that continues to shape history.

Frederick Douglass escaped slavery and became one of the most influential abolitionist figures in U.S. history. As a former slave, it took extraordinary courage to speak out publicly about slavery, especially since slave catchers and racist violence were very real threats. His writings and speeches shed light on the brutality of slavery with intelligence, strength, and unforgettable clarity. 

Toussaint Louverture, having experienced slavery, became the most important leader of the Haitian Revolution. He helped transform a slave revolt into a disciplined military and political movement that challenged French, Spanish, and British power in the Caribbean. His leadership helped lead Saint-Domingue toward the abolition of slavery and, ultimately, toward Haiti’s independence, even though he died before the country was officially liberated. 

Galileo defied powerful religious and intellectual authorities by defending heliocentrism—the idea that the Earth revolves around the Sun. In a world where such views could have serious consequences, he continued to observe, write, and argue based on evidence. He was tried by the Roman Inquisition and spent his final years under house arrest. 

Ida B. Wells investigated and exposed lynchings in the United States, even though doing so put her in danger. She wrote fearlessly about racist violence, named names, and refused to sugarcoat the truth to spare the public’s feelings. Her newspaper was ransacked and she received threats, but she continued her work. 

Irena Sendler was a Polish social worker who helped save Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust. With the help of her network, she smuggled the children to safety and recorded their real names so that their families could one day be reunited. Arrested and tortured by the Gestapo, she refused to betray her contacts or the children she had saved. 

Spartacus led one of the most famous slave revolts in ancient history against the Roman Republic. As a gladiator, he was already forced to lead a brutal life, but he chose resistance over submission. His uprising became a major challenge to Roman authority and struck terror into the hearts of the ruling class. Although the revolt was ultimately crushed, Spartacus became a timeless symbol of resistance in the face of oppression.

During World War II, Corrie ten Boom and her family hid Jews in the Netherlands to protect them from the Nazis. Their home became a place of refuge, even though being discovered could have resulted in their imprisonment or death. Corrie was eventually arrested and sent to a concentration camp, where she endured unspeakable suffering but managed to survive.

Yuri Gagarin became the first man to travel into space in 1961. He boarded a spacecraft knowing that no human had ever accomplished what he was about to attempt. Gagarin’s courage helped usher in the space age and gave humanity one of its first great and most thrilling adventures.

Boudica led a major uprising against Roman rule in Britain after her family and her people had been subjected to violent persecution. She rallied the tribes, defied imperial power, and became one of the most fierce symbols of resistance in ancient history. Her rebellion was ultimately crushed, but her name has been remembered because she dared to stand up to one of the world’s most powerful empires. 

Desmond Doss served as a medic during World War II and refused to bear arms because of his religious beliefs. During the Battle of Okinawa, he risked his life time and again to rescue wounded soldiers under heavy fire. He saved dozens of men while remaining true to his conscience, making his courage a testament to both physical and moral strength.