20 Beloved Historical Figures Who Weren't Lovely People

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 05/22/2024 in wow

What makes a person great? That answer is very subjective, and many people throughout history have accomplished some amazing things while not being the greatest themselves behind closed doors. It's impossible to expect anybody to be perfect, especially when you consider how values have changed over time, but even by the standards of the times they lived in, these typically beloved historical figures could definitely have been much nicer.

Susan B. Anthony is seen as one of the most powerful feminists of her time and as someone instrumental in helping women gain the right to vote. Both of those statements are true. It's also true that she was a massive racist, and didn't believe black people should be allowed to vote. How hypocritical is that? Woodrow Wilson, the president who eventually ratified the 19th Amendment, was also very racist.

Read about them and more in this collection of unexpected jerks from history.

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1.
Pablo Picasso was an abusive husband, and a notorious womanizer.
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Mother Teresa never gave money to many of her causes. 7% of the donations she received went to the actual causes for which they were donated. She also forced those around her to live in pain.
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Dr Seuss cheated on his wife when she had cancer, and she took her own life after finding out.
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Steve Jobs stole many key ideas, lied to his partner Steve Wozniak about money, and was a notoriously horrible boss to work for.
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Woodrow Wilson was a KKK Sympathizer who “regretted the outcome of the civil war” and consequently set up segregated offices in the White House.
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Bing Crosby was an abusive father.
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Tupac went to jail for assault.
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Winston Churchill allowed 4 million people in modern day Bangladesh to die so that food could be directed to British forces during WWII. He was very racist, and anti labor. He said that strikers in Wales, demanding decent wages, should “have their bellies filled with lead.”
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1.
Pablo Picasso was an abusive husband, and a notorious womanizer.
2.
3.
Mother Teresa never gave money to many of her causes. 7% of the donations she received went to the actual causes for which they were donated. She also forced those around her to live in pain.
4.
5.
Dr Seuss cheated on his wife when she had cancer, and she took her own life after finding out.
6.
7.
Steve Jobs stole many key ideas, lied to his partner Steve Wozniak about money, and was a notoriously horrible boss to work for.
8.
9.
Woodrow Wilson was a KKK Sympathizer who “regretted the outcome of the civil war” and consequently set up segregated offices in the White House.
10.
11.
Bing Crosby was an abusive father.
12.
13.
Tupac went to jail for assault.
14.
15.
Winston Churchill allowed 4 million people in modern day Bangladesh to die so that food could be directed to British forces during WWII. He was very racist, and anti labor. He said that strikers in Wales, demanding decent wages, should “have their bellies filled with lead.”
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.