America’s Inspirational Mentors
The below ranking shows the most inspirational historical figures who have left a lasting legacy in education and personal development, as voted for by 3,000 Americans.
1
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King, Georgia.
While he is best known for his leadership in the civil rights movement, MLK’s legacy extends to education and personal development through his powerful teachings on equality, nonviolence, and social justice. His speeches, writings, and activism inspired countless people to strive for justice and personal growth, making him a powerful figure in the realm of mentorship and guidance.
2
Helen Keller
Helen Keller, Alabama.
In second place is Helen Keller. Although widely known for overcoming her own disabilities, Helen Keller's work as an author, lecturer, and advocate for people with disabilities had a profound influence. Her mentorship extended beyond her personal story, inspiring people worldwide to overcome adversity.
3
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart, Kansas.
Born in Atchison, Kansas, Earhart was not only a pioneering aviator but also a mentor to many young women interested in aviation and science. Her legacy of courage and independence continues to inspire.
4
John Adams
John Adams, Massachusetts.
While known for his role as a Founding Father and president, Adams was a mentor to many through his writings on law and government, leaving a significant educational legacy in Massachusetts and beyond.
5
George Washington Carver
George Washington Carver, Missouri.
A pioneering scientist and educator, Carver spent part of his early life in Missouri. His work in agricultural education and scientific mentorship helped improve the lives of farmers and students across the country.
6
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, Virginia.
The third president of the U.S. and founder of the University of Virginia, Jefferson mentored countless leaders in law, politics, and education, leaving an enduring legacy in public education and civic leadership.
7
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania.
One of America’s Founding Fathers, Franklin's contributions to education, science, and civic leadership were profound. He mentored many through his writings and public works, including founding the University of Pennsylvania.
8
Susan B. Anthony
Susan B. Anthony, New York.
A leader in the women’s suffrage movement, Anthony was a tireless advocate for education and civil rights. Her legacy as a mentor to future suffragists is still felt today.
9
Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass, New York.
A former slave turned abolitionist and orator, Douglass spent much of his life in New York, where he mentored activists in the fight for civil rights and education reform.
10
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman, Maryland.
A Maryland native, Tubman’s work as a leader of the Underground Railroad also included educating and mentoring those she freed, helping them to find new lives and skills. Her legacy of freedom and guidance endures.
| Ranking | Historical Mentor | State |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Thomas Edison | New Jersey |
| 12 | Orville and Wilbur Wright | Ohio |
| 13 | Dorothea Dix | Maine |
| 14 | Mary McLeod Bethune | Florida |
| 15 | Frank Lloyd Wright | Wisconsin |
| 16 | Sarah Elizabeth Doyle | Rhode Island |
| 17 | Sitting Bull | South Dakota |
| 18 | Martha Hughes Cannon | Utah |
| 19 | Martha Berry | Georgia |
| 20 | Jane Addams | Illinois |
| 21 | Booker T. Washington | West Virginia |
| 22 | Daniel Webster | New Hampshire |
| 23 | William Washington | South Carolina |
| 24 | John D. Rockefeller | Ohio |
| 25 | Medgar Evers | Mississippi |
| 26 | Sequoyah | Oklahoma |
| 27 | Harriet Beecher Stowe | Connecticut |
| 28 | Don Ho | Hawaii |
| 29 | Georgia O’Keeffe | New Mexico |
| 30 | Sacagawea | Idaho |
| 31 | Henry Ford | Michigan |
| 32 | Laura Ingalls Wilder | Missouri |
| 33 | Cordell Hull | Tennessee |
| 34 | John Muir | California |
| 35 | Sharlot Hall | Arizona |
| 36 | Abigail Scott Duniway | Oregon |
| 37 | Dennis Chavez | New Mexico |
| 38 | Noah Webster | Connecticut |
| 39 | Sarah Josepha Hale | New Hampshire |
| 40 | Jeannette Rankin | Montana |
| 41 | Septima Poinsette Clark | South Carolina |
| 42 | Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville | Louisiana |
| 43 | Sarah Winnemucca | Nevada |
| 44 | Chief Seattle | Washington |
| 45 | Miriam “Ma” Ferguson | Texas |
| 46 | Hannibal Hamlin | Maine |
| 47 | Sam Houston | Texas |
| 48 | Alice Eastwood | California |
| 49 | Alice Paul | New Jersey |
| 50 | Benjamin Banneker | Maryland |
| 51 | Grace Abbott | Nebraska |
| 52 | Madam C.J. Walker | Indiana |
| 53 | Maria Fearing | Alabama |
| 54 | Thurgood Marshall | Maryland |
| 55 | John A. Kasson | Iowa |
| 56 | Sophie B. Wright | Louisiana |
| 57 | Dorothy Canfield Fisher | Vermont |
| 58 | Granville Stuart | Montana |
| 59 | Roger Williams | Rhode Island |
| 60 | Mother Joseph Pariseau | Washington |
| 61 | Adelina Otero-Warren | New Mexico |
| 62 | Clara Luper | Oklahoma |
| 63 | James Madison | Virginia |
| 64 | Eagle Woman | North Dakota |
| 65 | Elizabeth Cady Stanton | New York |
| 66 | Louisa May Alcott | Massachusetts |
| 67 | Margaret “Molly” Brown | Colorado |
| 68 | Muriel Humphrey Brown | Minnesota |
| 69 | Philo T. Farnsworth | Utah |
| 70 | William "Buffalo Bill" Cody | Wyoming |
| 71 | Anne Bailey | West Virginia |
| 72 | César Chávez | California |
| 73 | Father William Duncan | Alaska |
| 74 | Anne Hutchinson | Rhode Island |
| 75 | Charles Lindbergh | Minnesota |
| 76 | Charlotte Hawkins Brown | North Carolina |
| 77 | Emily Griffith | Colorado |
| 78 | Father Damien | Hawaii |
| 79 | George Perkins Marsh | Vermont |
| 80 | John Gregg Fee | Kentucky |
| 81 | Justin Smith Morrill | Vermont |
| 82 | Margaret Chase Smith | Maine |
| 83 | William Faulkner | Mississippi |
| 84 | Anna Julia Cooper | North Carolina |
| 85 | Effie McCollum Jones | Iowa |
| 86 | Frances Willard | Illinois |
| 87 | John J. Shipherd | Ohio |
| 88 | Juliette Gordon Low | Georgia |
| 89 | Paul Robeson | New Jersey |
| 90 | Barbara Jordan | Texas |
| 91 | Charles M. Russell | Montana |
| 92 | Elizabeth Peratrovich | Alaska |
| 93 | Emma Edwards Green | Idaho |
| 94 | Helen J. Stewart | Nevada |
| 95 | Henry Clay | Kentucky |
| 96 | Herbert Hoover | Iowa |
| 97 | Horace Mann | Massachusetts |
| 98 | John McLoughlin | Oregon |
| 99 | Kate Barnard | Oklahoma |
| 100 | Kate Chopin | Louisiana |
| 101 | Maggie L. Walker | Virginia |
| 102 | Nellie Tayloe Ross | Wyoming |
| 103 | Robert La Follette | Wisconsin |
| 104 | Susan Blow | Missouri |
| 105 | Thaddeus Stevens | Pennsylvania |
| 106 | Carry A. Nation | Kansas |
| 107 | Carter G. Woodson | Illinois |
| 108 | Esther Hobart Morris | Wyoming |
| 109 | Henry Morrison Flagler | Florida |
| 110 | Lucretia Mott | Pennsylvania |
| 111 | Lynn J. Frazier | North Dakota |
| 112 | Peter Spencer | Delaware |
| 113 | Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop | Hawaii |
| 114 | Prudence Crandall | Connecticut |
| 115 | Tabitha Moffatt Brown | Oregon |
| 116 | Willa Cather | Nebraska |
| 117 | William Jennings Bryan | Nebraska |
| 118 | William O. Douglas | Washington |
| 119 | Belle Case La Follette | Wisconsin |
| 120 | Brigham Young | Utah |
| 121 | Charles Curtis | Kansas |
| 122 | Charlotte Andrews Stephens | Arkansas |
| 123 | Elwood Haynes | Indiana |
| 124 | Father Eusebio Francisco Kino | Arizona |
| 125 | James E. Shepard | North Carolina |
| 126 | James H. Hawley | Idaho |
| 127 | Oscar Howe | South Dakota |
| 128 | Patrick Anthony McCarran | Nevada |
| 129 | William H. Grey | Arkansas |
| 130 | Wilson Pickett | Alabama |
| 131 | Carlos Montezuma | Arizona |
| 132 | Horace Tabor | Colorado |
| 133 | Hubert H. Humphrey | Minnesota |
| 134 | Ida B. Wells | Mississippi |
| 135 | James Whitcomb Riley | Indiana |
| 136 | Linda Slaughter | North Dakota |
| 137 | Zora Neale Hurston | Florida |
