Waitstill Sharp

Article summary

Waitstill Hastings Sharp (1 May 1902 – 25 February 1983) was an American Unitarian minister who was involved in humanitarian and relief work in Czechoslovakia and southern Europe in 1939 and 1940, just before and during World War II. With his wife, Martha, he provided relief aid to refugees, many of them Jewish, fleeing from Nazi Germany and countries under Nazi control and assisted people in danger of persecution to flee Czechoslovakia and France and resettle in the United States and elsewhere. In 2005, Waitstill and Martha were named by Yad Vashem as Righteous among the Nations, the second and third of five Americans to receive this honor.

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1902-05-01 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of birth: 2007-11-12 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. date of birth: 1931 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1902-05-01". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of birth is "2007-11-12". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the date of birth is "1931". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
6. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1372609059