Famous Unitarian Universalists in History

   History is rich with Unitarians and Universalists, following the Unitarian Universalist approach of free though and acting on our principles, and in so doing, making the world a better place for everyone. Here is a sampling of some of the founding fathers, artists, authors, humanitarians and scientists who attended Unitarian or Universalist congregations regularly, were members or ministers of a congregation, or identified themselves as Unitarians or Universalists.

 

U.S. FOUNDING FATHERS


Thomas Paine

John Adams — American Patriot, First Vice-President of the U.S., Second President of the United States

John Quincy Adams — Secretary of State, Sixth President of the U.S.

Ethan Allen — Frontiersman, scholar, statesman. Ethan Allen's Thoughts about Religion.

Benjamin Franklin — American Patriot, Great Statesman, thinker and scientist. Franklin's Thoughts about Religion.

Thomas Jefferson — Great statesman, Author of the "Declaration of Independence", Third president of the U.S. "He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors" ~ Thomas Jefferson

James Madison — Primary author of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, Fourth president of the U.S. Madison's Thoughts about Religion.

Thomas Paine — American Patriot, his book "Common Sense" inspired the American Revolution. Paine's Thoughts About Religion.

Paul Revere — Patriot, Master Silversmith


ARTISTS & AUTHORS


Ralph Waldo Emerson

Louisa May Alcott — Author & Poet best known for "Little Women", Worked for women's right to vote.

Charles Dickens — Author, Social Justice Advocate. Personal Thoughts About Religion.

Ralph Waldo Emerson — A Unitarian Minister and an American Author, Poet and Philosopher

Robert Fulghum — Author, Unitarian Universalist Minister

Nathaniel Hawthorne — Renowned American author, wrote "The Scarlet Letter" and "The House of Seven Gables"

Oliver Wendell Holmes — Champion of Justice in the U.S. Supreme Court

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — Popular American Poet

Herman Melville — Author, explored metaphysical themes, best known for "Moby Dick"

Carl Sandberg — Author and Poet

Henry David Thoreau — Writer, Poet, Observer of Nature. Selected quotes.

Daniel Webster — Famous orator and Statesman

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. — Contemporary American Writer

Frank Lloyd Wright — World Famous Designer of Buildings


SOCIAL JUSTICE


Clara Barton

Susan B. Anthony — Activist in the antislavery movement, advocate for women's right to vote. Born a Quaker, member of Unitarian congregation for 40 years.

Clara Barton — Founder of the American Red Cross.

Dorthea Dix — 19th Century Pioneer in the rights of the mentally ill. 123 hospitals were build because of her work and influence.

Florence Nightingale — Nurse, hospital reformer, humanitarian.

Horace Mann — Pioneer in public education for all Americans.

Albert Schweitzer — Humanitarian, Theologian, Missionary, Organist, Environmentalist and Medical Doctor.

Robert Gould Shaw — Fought for Abolition of Slavery, Profiled in the Movie "Glory"


SCIENCE AND MEDICINE


Charles Darwin

Alexander Graham Bell — Worked to Help Deaf People Hear, Invented the Telephone, Founded "National Geographic" Magazine.

Charles Darwin — Naturalist, Father of Principle of Natural Selection

Samuel Morse — Well known artist and Inventor of the Telegraph

Isaac Newton — Mathematician, scientist, philosopher, preacher, created rules of scientific method and theory of gravity.

Linus Pauling — Chemist, Activist, Winner of Nobel Peace Prize


 

 

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