Readers of Ken Makin’s columns are familiar with his deep appreciation of history. Today, he reminds us of key players in making that history: everyday actors.

Take Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that overturned segregation in U.S. schools and is marking its 70th anniversary. As Ken writes, the work of Thurgood Marshall, who argued the case before the U.S. Supreme Court and would later become its first Black justice, still “rings in history books.” But lesser-known champions helped lay the foundation for that moment – offering models for all of us in the power of stepping up, both to drive progress and to protect it.