In 2024, the United States mourned the loss of several significant political figures, shaping its history and governance.
Lowitja O’Donoghue
Lowitja O’Donoghue (1932–2024) was an Australian public administrator and campaigner for Indigenous rights. She was born August 1, 1932, at De Rose Hill in South Australia and was a member of the Yankunytjatjara people. As a child, she endured separation from her family and placement in the Colebrook Children’s Home, which fueled her lifelong fight for social justice. Breaking major barriers, O’Donoghue was the first Aboriginal trainee nurse to join the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1954.
She subsequently entered public life, serving in key positions, notably as the first chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) from 1990 to 1996. She played a key role in crafting the Native Title Act 1993, which recognized Indigenous land rights in Australia. Over her career, she received many awards, including Australian of the Year in 1984 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 1999. O’Donoghue died peacefully in Adelaide on February 4, 2024, at age 91.
Alexei Navalny
Alexei Navalny was a leading Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner known for speaking out against President Vladimir Putin’s government. He survived a poisoning attempt involving a Novichok nerve agent in August 2020, which he attributed to the Kremlin.
Despite the danger, Navalny returned to Russia in January 2021, facing imprisonment on widely criticized political charges. He was given a further sentence of 19 years in August 2023 on extremism-related charges.
On February 16, 2024, Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony in circumstances Russian authorities called “sudden death syndrome.” His family and supporters suspect foul play, citing his prior poisoning and the regime’s history of silencing dissent.
His death drew international condemnation and renewed scrutiny of Russia’s human rights record.
Frank Field
Frank Field, Baron Field of Birkenhead, dedicated his career to welfare issues and poverty alleviation, earning respect as a British politician and social reformer. He was born on July 16, 1942, and was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party. He represented Birkenhead between 1979 and 2019, then became a crossbench life peer in the House of Lords. Throughout his political career, he gained acclaim for his independent thinking and social justice work, serving as Minister for Welfare Reform under Tony Blair. Field died on April 23, 2024, at 81, after a storied life spent fighting for the rights of the disadvantaged.
James Inhofe
James Inhofe, former U.S. senator from Oklahoma and a leading conservative figure, died July 9, 2024, at age 89 after suffering a stroke. Inhofe spent nearly three decades in Congress, gaining recognition for his hard-right views and dedication to U.S. military supremacy. In 2015, he infamously mocked global warming fears by tossing a snowball on the Senate floor, denying human-caused climate change. As the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairman, he fought environmental regulations and pushed domestic oil and gas production. Inhofe’s significant influence extended to Africa, where he helped mediate regional disputes. His deep conservatism defined his legacy, as did his imprint on U.S. environmental and defense policies.
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee, a veteran Democratic congresswoman and champion of Black Americans, died on July 19, 2024, at 74. Jackson Lee, who successfully represented Texas’s 18th congressional district, was an outspoken advocate for civil rights. Her death closed a chapter in Texas politics that she had been a part of for almost three decades.
Bill Pascrell Jr.
Bill Pascrell Jr., a four-term U.S. congressman from New Jersey’s Ninth District, a health care expert, and the son of a Polish immigrant, died August 21, 2024, at 87 after a months-long illness. Pascrell, a longtime Democrat, spent 28 years in Congress. He was a U.S. Army veteran and one-time high school history teacher. Pascrell was passionate about organized labor, tax fairness, and democratic ideals. He was widely praised for his integrity and dedication to public service.
Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond, who served as Scotland’s First Minister from 2007 to 2014, remains a prominent politician opposing independence. Over two terms, he transformed the Scottish National Party (SNP) into a major political force in the country. In a pivotal moment for UK and Scottish politics, Salmond led the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, gaining 45% voter support.
In 2021, he established the Alba Party to continue his quest for independence. Salmond died suddenly of a heart attack on October 12, 2024, aged 69, while attending a conference in Ohrid in North Macedonia.
After his passing, tributes poured in from across the political spectrum, highlighting his lasting impact on Scotland and the UK’s political landscape.
David Lee Hobson
Ohio congressman David Lee Hobson, renowned for advancing military housing and defense research funding, died at 87 after a brief illness. Hobson, who served 18 years in Congress, was hailed for his effectiveness and ability to work across the aisle. He played a pivotal role in establishing a memorial at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France, to honor U.S. soldiers of WWII. Hobson achieved primary legislation throughout his political career, including Ohio’s first comprehensive AIDS law, starting in the Ohio Senate. After Congress, he ran Vorys Advisors LLC. His wife, children, and grandchildren survive him.
John Prescott
John Prescott was born in Prestatyn, Wales, on May 31, 1938. Known for his working-class roots and plain-speaking style, he actively reconciled traditional labor values with the party’s modernization during the New Labour years. Prescott represented Kingston upon Hull East as a Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010 and played an important role in drafting the Kyoto Protocol on climate change in 1997. He died peacefully on November 20, 2024, at 86, after living with Alzheimer’s at a care home.
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States, died 100, in Plains, Georgia, on December 29, 2024. Once a peanut farmer, Carter became known for his presidency, which was marked by the Camp David Accords and the Middle East efforts, alongside painful failures like the war. Following his presidency, Carter’s commitment to humanitarian causes, including his work with the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity, would earn him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. His death drew bipartisan tributes for his embrace of peace and his work on human rights.
These leaders’ legacies actively shape American policy and society today, each in unique ways.
