Every country in the world has people to be proud of. Many of them were scientists, politicians, writers, or artists – and each of them gave their contribution to humanity. The USA as a large area has many reasons to be proud of when it comes to celebrities – but let’s see what contribution Virginia has made in that way. Namely, a lot of people who contributed to art, culture, science, and politics in various ways – came from this state.
The History Of Virginia Is Made Of People
This American federal state, which lies on the Atlantic coast, along the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay – can be proud of its rich history. The former British colony was a place where great conflicts broke out between British immigrants and Native Americans in the first years. However, this is also the place where the second college in the USA (College of William and Mary) in Middle Plantation was founded in 1693, and 1699 that city (renamed Williamsburg) – became the capital of Virginia. The rich history of Virginia has made a great contribution to humanity and history, thanks to the people who came from here. We will mention only some of them.
1. Pocahontas
As we have already said, Virginia is a former English colony. However, when they came to Virginia, the English met the Native Americans. Although we know her name from movies and Disney cartoons, Pocahontas was a historical figure. This Indian woman was known for her association with English colonists playing an important political role in establishing peaceful relations between English settlers and natives on this soil. It can even be said that she was a great diplomat. There is also an anecdote about her marrying the Englishman John Rolfe, who traded in tobacco. The anecdote says that Pocahontas thus managed to calm the tensions that prevailed between the English and the natives.
2. George Washington
George Washington was the first and most popular president of the United States. He is known for leading the Continental Army in the American Revolution. In 1789, George Washington was unanimously elected president. During his tenure, Washington began a presidential tradition that is still respected in America today. He wrote a guide to facilitate the formation of the United States Government. George Washington left the post of president after eight years. He believed that the president should not rule for too long and become too powerful.
3. Scott Cooper
Now, let’s move a little to the modern age and artistic waters. This man showed his multiple talents and contributed to the cinema in many ways – both as an actor and as a director. Scott Cooper has reached the height of interest in his films such as Out of The Furnace. However, Scott Cooper Miami raised the biggest dust by shooting the film Black Mass – in which Johnny Depp played a masterful role. Younger audiences today are less aware that Cooper spent more than a decade working as an actor – so he is familiar with both sides of this job. This guy comes from Abingdon, Virginia – but he was educated at the famous Lee Strasberg Institute in New York. His multiple talents for directing and acting have not gone unnoticed, and today he works as a director, producer, but also as a writer and screenwriter.
4. Sandra Bullock
Another famous star comes from Virginia. Sandra Bullock was born in Arlington and is considered one of the most beautiful and talented actresses of today. In addition to acting, Sandra also tried her hand at production, and a few years ago she was considered one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. Although the earnings from her films exceed the figure of four billion dollars, Sandra has a reputation as a girl from the neighborhood. So it’s no surprise that she’s been one of the most beloved actresses in the U.S. for years. However, she also had bad luck like the one when she won the Oscar and the Golden Raspberry Award in the same year.
5. Arthur Ash
In those long and war years of 1943, no one in Richmond, Virginia, could have dreamed that the name of a newborn African-American would be celebrated all over the world. Arthur Ash achieved a lot during his career. He was the first black tennis player to win singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Australian Open – as well as the first African-American who was the best tennis player in the world.
Aware of how much difficulty he had in realizing his dreams, Arthur Ash devoted himself quite a bit to humanitarian work. He has launched tennis programs for children and anti-apartheid campaigns in South Africa. In 1988, a bypass was installed for Arthur Ash. During the operation, he received infected blood through a transfusion and thus contracted the HIV virus. In February 1993, at the age of 49, Arthur Ash died of pneumonia caused by AIDS. A few months later, Ash was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
6. June Carter
Johnny Cash’s identity was not much different from any other rock star of the 20th century, and his life was marked by sex, drugs, and alcohol. In his life, by his admission – he loved only one woman, who was his second wife. It was June Carter. This lady who comes from Virginia became a legend not only as a singer and songwriter – but also as one of the women whose fatal loves marked the last century. As a musician – June was charismatic, full of self-confidence, and ruled the stage because she had been on it since childhood, performing with her family. On the other hand, a turbulent relationship with Johnny Cash marked her life and took her in a different direction. June Carter died in July 2003 from complications after heart surgery.
Conclusion
As we have said, many people in history have left a great mark – whether it is science, art, or politics. We have only touched on some personalities who are famous and come from Virginia. There are certainly many more, and we believe that the new generations will contribute to the even greater importance of the people who come from this area.
