Twentieth Century Thinkers

Twentieth Century Thinkers

PHL/458

University of Phoenix

Twentieth Century Thinkers

The Twentieth Century, beginning in the year 1901, proved to be a time of change, brilliance, dedication, and new-found technology (2011).  From quill pens to ink pens, horse-drawn carriages to gas powered engines, slavery and, segregation of Blacks and Whites to the Civil Rights movement, and from handwriting on tablets to storing important information in a computer; the Twentieth Century made a tremendous amount of positive contributions to society.

The contributions made in the Twentieth Century are often over-looked and taken for granted. Americans in particular have become somewhat spoiled with all that is “just there.” What is forgotten, and should often be reiterated is; without the integrity and dedication within the creative minds of the Twentieth Century, the United States would be living as if it were still 1901 rather than 2011. Many individuals are responsible for the growth of this time period. Two of the most influential, though each had a separate aspiration, are Martin Luther King and Bill Gates. Both men contributed a significant amount, and have gone down in history as individuals who changed the way the world worked personally, socially, and politically.

Martin Luther King was one of the most influential civil rights activists and speakers of recent time. According a Newsday article, King’s mission was to lead the world into a more accepting place with not only the African American population but also other minority groups. The article also referred to King as, “Honored most for his heroic civil rights activism in the United States” as well as “a prophet of peace and justice in a world torn by war in Vietnam” (1992). Among his many accomplishments, Martin Luther King was a doctor, writer of five published books, a member of the executive committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and at the age of 35 he was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize (1964).

The “I Have A Dream” speech given by Martin Luther King captivated the hearts of individuals supporting the Civil Rights cause. His solutions and ideas were implemented widely and had a great impact on rights among the White and Black America. In 1950, King and the NAACP assisted in the “Brown v. Board of Education,” in Topeka, Kansas, which led to the acceptance of African American in all White public schools (PBS, 2001).  The thousands of marches and protests he led among the United States proved that one man can indeed make a difference.

Bill Gates is also a man who made an incredible difference in the Twentieth Century, though his passion in the beginning of his career came strictly from knowledge and intelligence. Gates is described by Who’s Who in the Twentieth Century as a “US businessman who co-founded Microsoft Corporation, which in the 1980s became the leading computer software producer.” In 2008, Microsoft was, according to this same source, accused of illegal activities, which led to Gates departure at Microsoft (Phillips, 2008).

After Microsoft fell through for Gates, he advanced on to study philanthropy, which is when a corporation or individual (s) donate to the goodwill of humanity. Bill Gates, still possessing ties with the Microsoft cooperation was able to do this combining his newfound wealth and his intelligence (Time Magazine, 2008).  An article from Think Big Magazine, quotes from Time, “For many years, Microsoft has used corporate philanthropy to bring technology to people who can't get it otherwise, donating more than $3 billion in cash and software to try to bridge the digital divide” (2008).