Social Justice Activists December Birthdays 2017

Liu Xiaobo
​December 28, 1955 - July 13, 2017
            Liu Xiaobo is a Chinese writer, professor, and human rights activists who advocated for political reforms and the end of the communist single party rule. Liu served as the president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center from 2003 to 2007. He participated in the Charter 08, a manifesto comprised of Chinese intellectuals and human rights activists and was detained due to his participation. In 2009, he was arrested for suspicion of inciting subversion of state power and sentenced to prison for eleven years. Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace prize for his nonviolent fight against fundamental human rights in China in 2010.

Medha Patkar
December 1, 1954
Medha Patkar is the founder of Narmada Bachao Andolan, a social movement of farmers, environmentalists, and human rights activists against the construction of dams on the Narmada River. The dam project was not sanctioned and post-project problems were overlooked. Patkar was also the representative to the World Commission on Dams. She researched the environmental, social, and economic effects of the construction of dams. Patkar has won several awards including; Goldman Environment Award and the Human Rights Defender’s Award from Amnesty International, Germany.

Carter G. Woodson
December 19, 1875 - April 3, 1950
                  Carter G. Woodson was an African American historian, author, and journalist. He was the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of African American History. In 1915, he was the founder of The Journal of Negro History. In addition, he announced the celebration of “Negro History Week” which is considered the initiation of Black History Month. Woodson has been cited as the father of black history. He has been the recipient of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Spingarn Medal, had a 20 cent stamp issued in his name by the U.S. Postal Service in 1984, and in 2002 listed as one of the 100 greatest African Americans.