Virginia Hall

Virginia Hall was a successful undercover agent in a very tenuous time during World War II.
She served as an Ambassador to a European country during many acts of German imperialism. After living in Europe for many years she had a well rounded knowledge of European customs and languages.  While working as an ambassador in Europe she hurt herself in a hunting accident.  The accident left her an amputee.  After losing her job due to the accident, she drove an ambulance in France during the German take over.  When she was leaving France for safety,  she was recruited by a new spy agency created by Winston Churchill, the Special Operations Executive Unit (SOE.)    While under cover in France she orchestrated a prison break of twelve captive Allied agents caught by the Nazis.  She created a network of resistance fighters that destroyed bridges and infrastructure which slowed the Nazi take over of France.  Virginia Hall was a hero.


Source: A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell

Octavius Catto

The battle for equal rights in America is an ongoing struggle.    From the Civil War to today.  Over the years some protesters have received more attention then others.  Octavius Catto was a Civil Rights leader that is often left out of Civil Rights discussions.   He was born in South Carolina.   His family moved north when he was a child.  He enrolled in school and educated himself at the Institute for Colored Youth and in Washington D.C.  He studied Latin and Greek and went on to become a teacher.  In the summer of 1863,  he successfully helped the Union recruit black regiments.  Although he did not fight in the Civil War, he was awarded the rank of Major for his efforts.  After the Civil War he organized protests against segregation laws in the public transit system of Philadelphia.  He also worked to register black people to vote in the election of 1871.  While working for political equality he was targeted by local party bosses and shot in cold blood.  His work was inspired and courageous.   I found this in an article referencing the book Tasting Freedom: Catto and the Battle for Equality in the Civil War America.