26. Daisy Bates, Journalist
Daisy Bates was a prominent civil rights activist and publisher in Arkansas. She and her husband founded the Arkansas State Press, a weekly black newspaper that served as vocal support for civil rights. Bates became the Arkansas chapter president for the NAACP. She came to national prominence in 1957, when she escorted the Little Rock Nine to school during the contentious integration of Arkansas schools. The journalist continued to fight for the children after their inclusion, and she is honored with a holiday in Arkansas for her civil rights work.
