Dr. Annie Besant was a political activist in the early part of the century. She was involved in helping to establish the first trade unions in London and was also very instrumental in the struggle for independence in India. She also spent some time as the president of The Theosophical Society of America.

In 1927, Dr. Besant purchased the land where the Besant Hill School now exists for the purpose of creating an educational community where "students and teachers were to be unfettered in their research and educational experiments." She envisioned a community that would foster the development of individuals to pursue the task of practical and effective social change.