User:David Shankbone/Hall of The Greats

The Hall of the Wikimedia Greats

Nominations accepted for all Wikimedia projects
(click here)

Monument to philosopher Albert the Great.

From The Great:

The title "the Great" at first seems to be a simplification/colloquialism of the Persian title "Great King". This title was first used by the conqueror Cyrus II of Persia.

The Persian title was inherited by Alexander III of Macedon (336–323 BC) when he conquered the Persian Empire, and the epithet "Great" eventually became personally associated with him. The first reference (in a comedy by Plautus) assumes that everyone knew who "Alexander the Great" was. However, there is no earlier evidence that Alexander III of Macedon was called "the Great".

The early Seleucid kings, who succeeded Alexander in Persia, used "Great King" in local documents, but the title was most notably used for Antiochus the Great (223–187 BC); probably since he was the only Seleucid king to fight the Romans.

Later rulers and commanders began to use the epithet "the Great" as a personal name, like the Roman general Pompey. Others received the surname retrospectively, like the Carthaginian Hanno and the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great and the Hindu king Shivaji the Great. Once the surname gained currency, it was also used as an honorific surname for people without political careers, like the philosopher Albert the Great.

The highest tribute that I can pay to someone who has so greatly improved a Wikimedia project, it is hard to imagine that project without their work, insight and help. The reason why a subject, portrait or image is chosen for the person can be seemingly arbitrary, but usually is not. All dedications are equal, and the image is a public acknowledgment of thanks to that person.

Nominations accepted

Do you remember User:RickK's legendary vandal fighting? Should User:Essjay be included as one of The Greats? Given the rate of Wiki attrition, it's possible the vast majority of current editors have no idea why Essjay is one of the most famous--or infamous--Wikipedians ever, nor laid eyes upon a RickK anti-Vandalism barnstar.

This Hall of Greats is a small attempt to acknowledge some of the hardest workers, brightest minds, talented writers, prolific gnomes, indispensable techies, obsessive-compulsives, programmers, artists, professionals, insomniacs, mediators, arbiters and oddballs whose work on a Wikimedia project unquestionably shaped or improved it for either their fellow editors or the project's end users. I welcome community input and suggestions.

Click here and nominate someone you know is one of The Greats

Inspiration

My inspiration for The Hall of the Greats was Phaedriel's Today's Wikipedian (continued by Rlevse) and Tony Santiago's Wall of Honor, as well as the Barnstar program and individual user awards.

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The Hall of the Greats

• 
  David Mamet
  to SlimVirgin T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  September 7, 2008
• 
  Alice Sebold
  to Daniel Case T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 27, 2008
• 
  Crystle Stewart to
  PageantUpdater T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Ronald Dworkin
  to Cool Hand Luke T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Stephen Colbert
  to Pete Forsyth T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Ray Mancini
  to Seicer T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Randy Couture
  to David Goodman T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Larry Kramer
  to Benjiboi T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Salman Rushdie
  to Mark Pellegrini T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  December 30, 2008
• 
  Sharin Foo
  to Ohnoitsjamie T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 31, 2008
• 
  Madonna
  to Jimbo Wales T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  December 31, 2008
• 
  Donald Trump to
  Tony Santiago T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 31, 2008
• 
  Milagros Schmoll to
  Phaedriel T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 31, 2008
• 
  Erin Heatherton to
  Rlevse T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  December 31, 2008
• 
  Mariah Carey to
  Henrik T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  December 31, 2008
• 
  Michael Bloomberg to
  Pharos T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Tom Brokaw to
  Brian McNeil T.G.
  of Wikinews
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Chrysler Building to
  Mongo T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Billy Name to
  Durova T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Tina Fey to
  Cary Bass T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Robert De Niro to
  William M. Connolley T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Enson Inoue to
  Can't sleep, clown will eat me T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Arthur R. Miller to
  Newyorkbrad T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 2, 2009
• 
  Melvin Van Peebles to
  Malik Shabazz T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 4, 2009
• 
  Faye Dunaway to
  SatyrTN T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 5, 2009
• 
  Alec Baldwin to
  Casliber T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 5, 2009
• 
  Julianne Moore to
  Alison T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 13, 2009
• 
  Jonathan Lethem to
  Erik Möller T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 14, 2009
• 
  Frank McCourt to
  Jkelly T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 27, 2009
• 
  Justin Theroux to
  NonvocalScream T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  January 29, 2009
• 
  Matthew Modine to
  Jfdwolff T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 29, 2009
• 
  Martin Scorsese to
  EVula T.G.
  of Wikimedia
  February 1, 2009
• 
  Brian Williams to
  Jason Safoutin T.G.
  of Wikinews
  February 2, 2009
• 
  John Goodman to
  The Fat Man Who Never Came Back T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  February 6, 2009
• 
  Woody Allen to
  Alansohn T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  May 21, 2009
• 
  Bradley Cooper to
  Will Beback T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  June 25, 2009
• 
  Michael Jackson impersonator to
  Realist2 T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  June 25, 2009
• 
  Cynthia Nixon to
  Moni3 T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  June 27, 2009
• 
  Olive oil, similar to Crisco, to
  MuZemike T.G.
  of Wikipedia
  January 06, 2012 (alternative uses only, see the Crisco page for information)