Classical heroes typically demonstrate courage and strength in their noble feats of self-sacrifice in order to achieve fame and glory as the savior of his people. However, in modern times, a hero can represent a cause to achieve peace and friendship with his society, regardless of the differences between everyone. Other admirable modern heroes express indifference to racial and religious distinctions and help those in need, sometimes at the risk of their lives, despite society's disapproval. Whether society recognizes their contributions years later or immediately afterward, our culture values ​​a hero's expressions of courage and goodwill. In the early 1970s, a gay man named Harvey Milk refused to accept discrimination as a homosexual and became famous as the world's first openly gay man. the United States wins elections for public office. After running twice, citizens elected Milk as San Francisco city supervisor in 1977. Milk constantly told gays to remain hopeful and said, "We must make up for hundreds of years of persecution" ( Gold). Oliver “Bill” Sipple, a gay man who saved President Gerald Ford from assassination, refused to reveal his sexuality to the public for fear that his mother, an ardent Baptist, would ostracize him. Milk wanted to encourage Sipple to reveal this information, saying, "It's such a good opportunity...for once we can show gays doing heroic things" (Shilts 122). After Dan White murdered Harvey Milk in 1978, a memorial plaque honoring Milk noted his human rights activism, the respect and support he gained through his efforts, and the the inspiration he brought to people trying to end discrimination and bigotry. Similarly, Martin Luther King, Jr. defended Africans from the paper mill in his factory when they faced deportation to concentration camps. Schindler even exempted the disabled, women and children from deportation by persuading Gestapo soldiers that they were still serving mechanical purposes. Oskar Schindler and his factories saved approximately 1,200 Jews at the end of World War II. While many classic and modern heroes attempted just about anything in the name of glory, Harvey Milk, Martin Luther King, Jr., Miep Gies and Oskar Schindler acted on the basis of morality and the need for justice in their societies . However, both types of heroes demonstrate a certain form of self-sacrifice and good will. Works Cited Gold, Herbert. “A walk through the gay side of San Francisco.” The New York Times. October 6, 1977: SM17Shilts, Randy The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk New York: St. Martin'sPress., 1982.