5 Controversial Figures Who Were Once Considered Icons

The figures we learned about in school were larger than life—trailblazers, revolutionaries, and symbols of progress. But as times change and perspectives shift, even the most celebrated heroes find themselves under the microscope. Here are five historical icons who left behind complicated legacies.

Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of Independence still echo through time, championing liberty and human rights. But his life at Monticello tells a different story, one where enslaved individuals worked under his command. For every idea of democracy he introduced, there’s the weight of the contradictions he lived.

Christopher Columbus

Columbus is the name most of us associate with exploration, with the so-called “discovery” of the Americas reshaping the world forever. Yet, his legacy is also tied to exploitation and brutality against Indigenous peoples. It’s a story that’s neither wholly heroic nor completely condemnable, but it forces us to rethink what exploration cost—and who paid the price.

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson stood tall as a war hero and a president for the “common man,” but the same man also pushed policies that displaced thousands of Native Americans. The Indian Removal Act led to unimaginable suffering, yet Jackson’s populist ideals reshaped American democracy. Today, his legacy sits uncomfortably between his victories and the cost of his decisions.

Andrew Carnegie

Carnegie is remembered as the man who gave us libraries, universities, and cultural institutions, transforming public access to education. But that generosity was funded by steel magnate practices that left workers in perilous conditions. Strikes like the bloody Homestead one cast a long shadow over his philanthropy. For every library he built, there’s a question of what was sacrificed to create it.

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s peaceful protests brought the British Empire to its knees, inspiring generations of activists. But beneath the image of the Mahatma are stories of controversial personal beliefs about race and gender. His dedication to nonviolence remains a cornerstone of global movements, yet his humanity—flawed and messy—adds a layer of complexity to the man many idolize.