# Who is the second greatest civil rights figure in US history? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 20, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276 "2014-01-20T15:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Los\_Anconfused](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aca169/32.png) [@Los\_Anconfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Los_Anconfused)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/1 "2014-01-20T15:01:36Z")
If we accept Martin Luther King, Jr. as the greatest civil rights figure in United States history (and feel free to dispute that if you disagree), then who is the second greatest civil rights figure in United States history? Like MVP voting in sports, there is no definition regarding what constitutes “most valuable” or in this case “greatest”. You can think in terms of the person’s impact on the law, the person’s impact on the American psyche, or whatever criteria you use to assess the person’s impact in advancing civil rights in the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/2 "2014-01-20T15:08:11Z")
Bobby Kennedy comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/3 "2014-01-20T15:08:53Z")
In terms of actual results, Abraham Lincoln. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/4 "2014-01-20T15:12:18Z")
I’d lean toward Frederick Dougglass, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/5 "2014-01-20T15:12:38Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > In terms of actual results, Abraham Lincoln. Hard to dispute that. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/6 "2014-01-20T15:17:21Z")
I’m a big fan of Harvey Milk, but there are probably better choices. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/7 "2014-01-20T15:42:35Z")
Ooof, we crazy humans and our obsession with lists. It all really depends on how we choose to define “civil rights figure” dunnit? Direct impact? Indirect impact? Inspiration? Popularity? ---
**Author:** ![Los\_Anconfused](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aca169/32.png) [@Los\_Anconfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Los_Anconfused)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/8 "2014-01-20T15:49:31Z")
> [@andros](#): > > It all really depends on how we choose to define “civil rights figure” dunnit? > > Direct impact? Indirect impact? Inspiration? Popularity? Yeah, we already established that in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/9 "2014-01-20T16:09:45Z")
Second Frederick Douglass. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/10 "2014-01-20T16:13:51Z")
Thurgood Marshall had quite a career. Deserves to be on the list, but not sure he outshines Lincoln or Douglass. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/11 "2014-01-20T16:24:02Z")
W.E.B. DuBois deserves mention. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/12 "2014-01-20T16:40:15Z")
> [@Los\_Anconfused](#): > > Yeah, we already established that in the OP. The royal “we?” Yes, you did. And I ended up accidentally killing off part of my post that might have clarified a bit. ISTM that this is little more than an IMHO thread without at least some sort of context. In all seriousness, why on earth should “second greatest” even a _thing_, let alone something worth debating? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/13 "2014-01-20T17:33:31Z")
Heck, LBJ belongs in contention. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/14 "2014-01-20T17:34:08Z")
Malcoln X after he moved to the Sunni faith. Had he lived longer I suspect he would have ended up pretty close to or beyond MLK and others in terms of showing racism for the stupidity it is. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/15 "2014-01-20T17:34:20Z")
Rosa Parks. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/16 "2014-01-20T17:53:18Z")
It’s hard to top freeing four million slaves, so Abe Lincoln has to be number one. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/17 "2014-01-20T18:37:12Z")
I think Lincoln deserves praise, but he was the great emancipator, unfortunately after emancipation the civil rights of the former slaves were in practice not recognized in many places of the USA. That is why MLK get the greatest title, for dealing with the issue that had been left to fester after emancipation. IMO one that should not be ignored (maybe third or fourth place) is Eisenhower, he ordered federal troops to protect the black children integrating a public school, the first time the federal government had sent troops to the South since Reconstruction. Then he signed the civil rights act of 1957 after proposing laws to protect the right to vote for African Americans. I think that it was also important that none of his supreme court appointees was a southerner. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/18 "2014-01-20T18:42:33Z")
Lincoln was largely the product of generations of abolitionism before him, with too many influential figures even to list, and not only in the US. King was the product of generations of civil rights workers himself, some of whom were still alive and active during his own time. Those are still obviously the two key figures, the leaders around whom the work crystallized, but neither could have done what he did if it hadn’t been made ready to be done by those who went before. ---
**Author:** ![Los\_Anconfused](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aca169/32.png) [@Los\_Anconfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Los_Anconfused)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/19 "2014-01-20T19:13:44Z")
> [@andros](#): > > The royal “we?” > > Yes, you did. And I ended up accidentally killing off part of my post that might have clarified a bit. > > ISTM that this is little more than an IMHO thread without at least some sort of context. In all seriousness, why on earth should “second greatest” even a _thing_, let alone something worth debating? Yes, I intentionally left the qualifications broad so as to broaden the perspectives and pool of answers. The horror. Everyone who has commented seems to be OK with those parameters, but you. “Second” most influential civil rights leader was to acknowledge on MLK Day that it’s essentially dogma in the United States that MLK is the most important civil rights figure. Yet I specifically said for other posters to feel free to state their opinion if they disagree that MLK is the United States’ most important civil rights figure. As with any thread, not just this one, I’ve never understood taking the time to leave comment that you don’t like the thread. If you disagree with a thread there are plenty of others to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276/20 "2014-01-20T19:16:15Z")
Aren’t you all forgetting a certain Mr Washington? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-second-greatest-civil-rights-figure-in-us-history/679276.md?page=2)