Anita Hill
Anita Hill was a law professor before being vaulted into the public eye in 1991. Hill testified that Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas had sexually harassed her.
She recounted horrid experiences of sexual harassment publicly in the televised Senate hearing. Afterward, she bore years of character assassination and concerted efforts to ruin her personal and professional life.
Her bravery was a catalyst for the 1991 Civil Rights Act to finally become law after years of feminist organizing and activism for jury trials and punitive damages in sexual harassment cases. President George H.W. Bush had vetoed the legislation until Hill's testimony shifted public opinion before his re-election campaign.
In the 4 years following her testimony, the number of sexual harassment lawsuits more than doubled as people felt more confident that these allegations would be taken seriously.