Most of the answers in this thread seem to misunderstand the meaning of "underrated". I mean, I love Eleanor Roosevelt, but she gets the level of praise and recognition she deserves.
So I went with someone a bit more in the fashion of "underrated"...
Mo Udall was Arizona's 2nd district Democratic congressman from 1961-1991, and should have been the Democratic nominee for president in 1976.
Here are some choice facts, and a link:
As well as serving in the House of Representatives for three decades, Udall ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1976. He became one of the most creative and productive legislators of the century. His concern for Native Americans and love of the environment resulted in numerous pieces of legislation moving through Congress. He also authored important legislation on campaign reform, congressional ethics and was
the first major Democrat to oppose President Johnson on the Vietnam War. He was a floor whip for the 1964 civil rights legislation.
Lead an inquiry that revealed the secret of the massacre of civilians at My Lai, a Vietnamese village by U.S. soldiers.
Chief sponsor of the 1971 Campaign Finance Reform Act, which created the first real set of rules for limiting expenditures, contributions and providing for disclosure.
Introduced legislation that put more than 100 million acres of Federal lands in Alaska into new national parks, wildlife refuges and national forests.
President Carter signed strip-mining legislation authored by Udall which provided for the first time, guidelines to the mining industry for reclaiming and restoring coal strip mine lands.
Sponsored Indian Child Welfare Act that set standards for the placement of Indian children in foster and adoptive homes. Played a major role in the passage of President Carter's civil service reforms.
President Carter signed the Udall-sponsored Alaska Lands bill into law. The bill doubled the size of the National Refuge System and triples the size of the National Wilderness System.
Secured passage of the Arizona Wilderness Act of 1984, adding over one million acres of state land.
Sponsored an amendment to the Price-Anderson Act provisions of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to provide additional money to compensate the public in the event of a nuclear accident.
Much much more:
http://www.library.arizona.edu/branches/spc/udall/homepage.htmlAnd my favorite Udall quote:
"If you can find something everyone agrees on, it's wrong." --
Mo Udall