Free Custom «Social Contributions Affected by Kenneth Clark, Katharine Hepburn, and Harvey Milk» Essay Paper

Kenneth Clark

Kenneth Clark was born in 1903 and went to school at Winchester Scholl; thereafter, he joined Trinity College, Oxford. He was a renowned historian, museum director, author and a distinctive narrator for most of the television series like Civilization. Civilization was one of the most popular television series that calibrated Kenneth’s career even a notch higher. His perceptions were mainly directed towards aspects of governmental patronage, as well as development of such arts like opera and ballet in Britain. It is ascertained that his television programs helped him to exert a significant level of influence on people. He was a distinctive critic with an immense level of knowledge and never allowed elements of discrimination to fault his judgment. In the modern world of art, his role contributions could be likened to that of Ruskin in the 19th century. His contributions can be further traced in the manner for which he assisted all English artists to reach greater career heights. Throughout his life, he always yearned for a larger and more popular audience base, as opposed to the one he was in charge of that depended on scholarship programs. Thus, he embarked on finding ways to involve government in arts. It can be argued that his television series accorded him much popularity, given that it was not only aired within the confines of Britain but media support helped it to air in the United States of America. It was aired in both public television programs as well as in museums across the country.

 

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Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn was born in 1907, she was an American actress that dominated the Hollywood scene for more than 60 years. She is popularly known for her distinctive level of intelligence and a spirited personality. Apart from playing lead roles in most Hollywood prolific movies like “The Morning Glory (1933)”, she also set out to make appearances in Shakespeare stage productions, where she managed different roles.

She is well known for refusing to adhere to the society’s expectations of women, given that she was outspoken, assertive and wore trousers before it was a socially accepted norm. She publicly shunned Hollywood celebrity statuses. She brought out an independent character, as well as a woman who lived an untraditional lifestyle, hence epitomized the “modern woman” of the century.

She managed to keep her skill busy, featuring in a number of plays as well as films. By then, it is stated that women were not a common figure in matters related to taking lead roles in movies. However, Hepburn assertiveness brought to the limelight the important aspect of cultural patronage. In the American society, she played a great influence in strengthening the position of women on screen. The media of the time had, in fact, honored her contributions towards equality of the society.

It is further noted that off-screen, she lived a life that was way beyond her time, given that she played a significant role in changing the manner for which women were being perceived towards the society. Her distinctive performances were directed towards the creation of decisive notion that brought about new vision of American women.

Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk was born on 1978, he was one of the most prolific American politicians that openly admitted to being gay. Despite his gay status, he was elected to a public office within the state of California.

His interests were confined towards securing a public office appointment, where he would advocate for gay rights at a time when homosexual acts were considered to be a felony. As an elected leader, he helped to pass a distinctive gay rights decree for gay dwellers in San Francisco. Till date, Milk is considered to be the pioneer of gay community in the San Francisco. It is argued that his involvement in the activities of politics was based on the idea of making the government, accountable to persons, gay liberation, as well as importance of the numerous neighborhoods that were coming up within the larger section of the city as a whole. He was of the belief that neighborhoods catapulted the level of unity, witnessed in small-town experiences and thus, it was the duty of the Mayor to avail basic services to all of the residents despite their sexual affiliations. In fact, before his assassination, Milk encouraged all gay people to come out of their safe zones for the purpose of ending discrimination and violence against them in the future.

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In regards to media, a freelancer reporter, Randy Shilts, wrote a complete biography of the life and success of Milk. Retrospectively, a documentary film in his honor; “The Times of Harvey Milk” was for the first time aired in the United States of America and won an Academy Award for Documentary Feature. Recently, President Obama awarded Milk, Presidential Medal of Freedom for his fight for gay rights.

In the modern day, these pioneers of social change in America are depicted as having made a significant impact to the rights being enjoyed. Unlike today’s activists, they managed to engage in different acts of courage to bring about an equal societal platform. They were all successful in curtailing the effects of such societal vices as discrimination against gay people, women and other minority groups.