Milca Mangnant- Changemaker blog

 Irene Benedetti 

I was so excited to start this project. I was born in Venezuela, and after moving to the United States, my favorite holiday quickly became the Fourth of July. At first, I thought it was a little strange how people in the United States celebrate the Fourth of July even more than New Year’s. Where I grew up, New Year’s was always one of the biggest celebrations of the year, so it surprised me that another holiday could be even more important here. But the more I experienced it, the more I started to understand why. I love seeing everyone gather together, watching fireworks, having barbecues, and celebrating the same event as a community. My favorite part of this holiday is that no matter your religion, your beliefs, your ethnicity, or your background, everyone celebrates it. It feels like a holiday that belongs to everyone. Unlike Christmas, which is often connected to religion or specific traditions, the Fourth of July feels more universal. It celebrates freedom and the idea of a nation, and that is something people from many different cultures can connect with.

When I first heard about the completion of this assignment, I was very excited. I enjoy learning about history, especially when it connects to the present and helps us understand how the world we live in today was shaped. The first change maker I thought about presenting was Sophia Hayden, the first woman architect in United States history. She even studied at MIT, and since I study architecture, she is someone very important to my discipline. Sophia Hayden became the first woman to graduate from the architecture program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1890, something that was extremely rare for women at that time.

What makes her story even more inspiring is that she accomplished this during a period when architecture was almost entirely dominated by men. Women had very few opportunities to enter professional fields, especially technical ones like architecture or engineering. Despite this, Hayden not only completed the program but also graduated with honors. After graduating, she designed the Woman’s Building for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, a major international event that showcased innovation, art, and culture.

The fact that she was chosen to design such an important building at only 21 years old shows how talented and determined she was. For someone like me who studies architecture, figures like Sophia Hayden are very inspiring. They remind us that architecture is not just about designing buildings, but also about breaking barriers and creating opportunities for future generations.

However, when I saw that none of my classmates had chosen the obvious change maker of the 1800s, Abraham Lincoln, I just knew I had to present him instead. It almost felt wrong to talk about the 1800s and not include him. In many ways, Lincoln is one of the most important figures not only of that century but of American history in general. His leadership came during one of the most difficult periods the country has ever faced, the Civil War.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States, serving during a time when the nation was deeply divided over slavery and the future of the country. One of the most important actions of his presidency was the Emancipation Proclamation, which he issued on January 1, 1863. This historic document declared that enslaved people in the Confederate states “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.”

Although the proclamation did not instantly free every enslaved person in the country, it changed the direction of the Civil War and made the fight against slavery a central goal of the Union. It also allowed formerly enslaved people to join the Union Army, strengthening the fight against the Confederacy.

What I admire most about Lincoln is that he believed deeply in the idea of freedom and unity. Leading a country during a civil war could not have been easy. The nation was divided, families were split, and the future of the United States was uncertain. Despite all of this, Lincoln continued to push for a country that lived closer to its ideals of liberty and equality.

Another reason I find Lincoln inspiring is that he came from very humble beginnings. Unlike many leaders who were born into wealth or political families, Lincoln grew up in a poor frontier family. He educated himself largely through reading and hard work. This shows that leadership and intelligence do not come only from privilege. They can also come from determination and a strong sense of purpose.

Lincoln was not perfect, and historians often debate his decisions and actions. However, his role in ending slavery and preserving the Union makes him one of the most significant change makers in American history. The Emancipation Proclamation helped pave the way for the eventual abolition of slavery through the 13th Amendment in 1865, which permanently ended slavery in the United States.

For a country that celebrates freedom so strongly, especially on holidays like the Fourth of July, Lincoln represents an important step toward making that idea of freedom more real. The United States was founded on the idea that all people are created equal, but for many years that promise was not true for millions of enslaved people. Lincoln’s actions helped move the nation closer to fulfilling that promise.

Learning about historical figures like Sophia Hayden and Abraham Lincoln reminds me that change often comes from individuals who are willing to challenge the status quo. Hayden challenged the idea that women could not succeed in architecture, while Lincoln challenged a system that allowed human beings to be treated as property.

Both of them, in very different ways, contributed to shaping the society we live in today. As someone studying architecture and living in a country built on the ideals of freedom and opportunity, it is inspiring to look back at these change makers and understand the impact they had.

In the end, this assignment helped me realize that history is not just about memorizing dates and events. It is about understanding the people who made decisions that shaped the world we live in. Whether it is an architect breaking barriers in education or a president leading a nation through one of its darkest moments, these stories remind us that individuals truly can make a difference.