Noam Chomsky was born in 1928 in Philadelphia to a family of Ukrainian and Belarusian Jewish immigrants. He attended an experimental progressive school from a young age, where he learned the importance of everyone having a place and being able to contribute something important. Chomsky has had a long career as a prominent linguist, professor, author, and political activist. He has authored over 35 books and received numerous honors for his work, including the Kyoto Prize for Basic Sciences.