Grace Lee Boggs

Born to Chinese immigrant parents in Providence, Rhode Island, Grace Lee Boggs was, by all accounts, not Jewish. Her journey began with a Ph.D. in philosophy from Bryn Mawr, which she then promptly put to use, not in academia, but on the front lines of labor and civil rights movements. Apparently, some people prefer making history to merely studying it.

Over seven decades, Boggs became a pivotal figure in American radical movements. She worked alongside C.L.R. James, Malcolm X, and James Boggs (her husband), developing her own unique brand of revolutionary humanism. From Black Power to environmental justice, she was consistently at the forefront, proving that commitment to change wasn't just a phase for her.

Her philosophical depth, combined with her unwavering activism in Detroit, made her a true intellectual powerhouse and a tireless advocate for justice. She wasn't just observing the world; she was actively trying to remake it, which, for a non-Jew, is quite the ambitious undertaking.