History always paints its heroes in glowing terms and most of us wouldn’t know any different. The truth is that many revered figures have dark sides that are often overlooked, even the likes of Mother Theresa. Hard to believe, we know. Let’s take a look a some of the other historical figures that might not be as saint-like as believed them to be. You might be surprised.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the US and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, could surely do no wrong. He owned hundreds of slaves throughout his life and had a controversial relationship with one in particular named Sally Hemings. This cast a shadow over his legacy of promoting liberty and equality though few people pay attention to this aspect of his life.
Christopher Columbus
Columbus has always been celebrated for discovering the New World, but his expeditions also brought about the brutal colonization and exploitation of indigenous peoples. He thought little of pillaging the land for riches should the need arise, and his actions led to significant suffering amongst natives and a population decline due to violence and disease.
Winston Churchill
Churchill is hailed as the hardy and steadfast leader who guided Britain through WWII, a governance that is still championed in the modern day. His handling of the Bengal famine of 1943 was less favorable when his policies contributed to the deaths of millions of Indians. These events are less talked about than his famous speeches.
Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi, known as the father of India for his nonviolent struggle to gain Indian independence, is timelessly revered. Some of his views on race have been criticized, however. His early letters refer to white people as ‘the predominating race’ and black people as ‘dirty and troublesome.’ It's hard to believe the same person brought such joy to so many lives.
Martin Luther
The leader of the Protestant Reformation and widely adored leader was also an anti-Semite. While his early works discouraged poor treatment of Jews, he later lost faith in the Jewish community and became extremely hostile towards them. Due to his large following, this contributed to centuries of anti-Jewish sentiment in Europe, including being used by Nazis to justify the Holocaust.
John F. Kennedy
JFK is celebrated for his charisma and leadership and is often considered one of the US’ favorite leaders, but his personal life was marred by numerous extramarital affairs. Additionally, his administration's involvement in the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion significantly damaged U.S.-Cuba relations.
Nelson Mandela
It seems inappropriate to think badly of a man who brought an end to apartheid in South Africa, but he was a controversial figure. His earlier involvement with violent actions as a leader of the armed wing of the African National Congress is often downplayed. These actions were part of a broader struggle, but they included bombings and sabotage. He was on US government terrorist watch lists until 2006.
Henry Ford
Henry Ford might have famously revolutionized the automobile industry with the Model T, but he was also a notorious anti-Semite. He published a series of articles expressing deeply anti-Jewish sentiments, further influencing prejudiced views in the U.S. and abroad.
Albert Einstein
Einstein is celebrated for his genius in physics, but his personal life was complex and troubled. He cheated on his wife with a mistress and subsequently went on to have more affairs. While he didn’t incite hate or start wars, it does show a slightly less admirable side of his character.
Mother Teresa
Often embraced and admired for her work with the poor, her methods and beliefs have also been criticized. She often provided inadequate medical care in her missions and believed suffering brought people closer to God, which led to controversial practices in her hospices. Some argued that her intentions were solely to convert people to Christianity.
Che Guevara
As a symbol of rebellion and revolutionary zeal, his role in the Cuban Revolution involved brutal executions and suppression of dissent. His tactics were often ruthless and caused significant suffering, particularly when it came to members of Batista’s secret police. He presided over Fidel Castro's firing squads and ordered executions without trials.
Julius Caesar
Caesar is admired for his military prowess and leadership, but his quest for power involved significant bloodshed and the eventual downfall of the Roman Republic. It is widely believed that he not only attacked men but innocent women and children too. His actions set the stage for the rise of imperial Rome, ending centuries of republican governance.
Sigmund Freud
Freud is the father of psychoanalysis, but some of his theories and practices were highly controversial. His views on women and sexuality were regarded as needlessly sexualised for the Victorian era and he chose observational methods of therapy in place of empirical evidence. This made many believe that he was untrustworthy.
Thomas Edison
Aside from his inventions, Thomas Edison was also known for ruthless business practices. He often took credit for others’ inventions and engaged in fierce, unethical competition, notably against Nikola Tesla in the War of the Currents. A little healthy competition hardly seems too extreme by modern standards.
Charlemagne
Former Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne is remembered for uniting much of Europe during the early Middle Ages, but his campaigns involved brutal conquests and forced conversions of the Saxons. His reign included the mass execution of thousands who resisted Christianization. His power was largely based on violence earning him the nickname, Charlemagne the Cruel.
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson is lauded as a champion of the common man and the seventh U.S. president, but his policies toward Native Americans, including the infamous Trail of Tears, resulted in immense suffering and death. It was believed that over 3000 Cherokees died during their departure.
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale revolutionized nursing and is a hero of the Crimean War, but her attitudes towards religion and the sometimes harsh methods she imposed on her trainees have been criticized. She was open about her dislike of black populations and chose to only work with white nurses. It is believed that this caused subsequent racism in nursing.
Alexander Graham Bell
To most of us, he is known for inventing the telephone, but he also held troubling views on eugenics and supported policies that aimed to suppress the use of sign language among the deaf community. He feared that deafness could be destructive for mankind so insisted on deaf people not marrying to avoid a ‘defective’ society.
30 Traditional Sayings That Are Now Considered Offensive by Woke Culture
30 Traditional Sayings That Are Now Considered Offensive by Woke Culture
21 Habits Often Associated With Having a Lower Social Status
21 Habits Often Associated With Having a Lower Social Status
25 Social Issues Gen Z are Determined to Cancel
