Abbe Grégoire (December 4, 1750)

Abbe Gregoire wrote about why blacks and Jews should be equal citizens in Revolutionary France. The consequence of his writing and activism was to create a new society where Jews were free to do what they wanted religiously, and were recognized as citizens with the same civil rights as Christians. This was truly revolutionary! The consequences were complicated, and of course the changes were backed out when the revolution was defeated. Nevertheless, his contribution to the rights of Jews to determine their own religious destiny is significant.