Joseph McNeil Quiet protestor
McNeil was a protestor, but was far from a radical anarchist.
From This is True for 7 September 2025
hero
Selfless humans who gave of themselves to improve the human condition. (Philanthropists are separate)
Todd Bol Little Free Library creator
Bol was the creator of the Little Free Library movement.
From This is True for 21 October 2018
Stanislav Petrov The cool-headed
Quite simply, he saved the entire world.
From This is True for 17 September 2017
Jeannie Rousseau Humble spy
Rousseau was a spy, gaining vital intelligence during World War II.
From This is True for 27 August 2017
Lawrence Colburn Soldier of Conscience
Colburn was the last of the crew who stopped the Mai Lai Massacre.
From This is True for 18 December 2016
Frances Oldham Kelsey Fussy bureaucrat
A Canadian, Kelsey studied pharmacology, and applied for a position at the University of Chicago, which had just started up a pharmacology department. Its director thought “Frances” was a man, and brought Kelsey in. She worked on evaluating new drugs, and earned her Ph.D. In 1960, her husband got a job with the National Institutes … Read more
From This is True for 9 August 2015
Helen Bamber Good listener
Bamber spent her entire professional life helping victims of torture.
From This is True for 24 August 2014
John Houbolt NASA engineer
Houbolt insisted NASA’s plan wrong, and risked his career to push an alternative. If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t have succeeded in landing on the moon.
From This is True for 20 April 2014
A. Richard Grossman Burn doctor
Dr. Grossman revolutionized burn care.
From This is True for 16 March 2014
Lee Lorch Mathematician
Met Life was unamused, and got him fired from his new job, too.
From This is True for 2 March 2014