Recent Blog Posts

Virginia Hall refused to be limited by her gender, disability or fears for her safety. The result was a pathbreaking career of public service in war and peace.

In times of extreme partisanship, it helps to remember how Senator Arthur Vandenberg exemplified working across party lines for a better America and a better world.

Risking his life as an African American passing as white, Walter White spurred efforts to investigate and end lynching in America.

A leader of the opposition to ratification of the U.S. Constitution risks political ostracism by changing his mind and recommending adoption.

In 2010, Umpire Jim Joyce made a wrong call and cast Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game. What they both did next displayed exceptional character.

Growing up poor in the Jim Crow South, Mary McLeod Bethune was determined to learn and advance the education of her race. Education for her and millions she helped became a path to realizing America’s promise..

Pete Seeger showed the power of personal example and song to support change in America.

In deftly putting down a conspiracy of his officers, Washington preserved the honor of the military and its subordination to civilian rule.

Decades after emancipation, thousands of African Americans were forced back into slavery in the South. Warren Reese, Jr. , against great odds, sought to free them.

Ethical and morally courageous, Marie Ragghianti held corrupt government officials accountable and changed the law as well.

Fighting for a moral principle, in defense of the Constitution, takes great courage when so many disparage you and are comfortable with injustice.

The courage to disagree, based on moral principles, with the prevailing and strongly held views of others is a test of character.

Eleanor Roosevelt held no official government position yet used the force of her character and values to force the nation to face its promised commitment to racial equality.

Moral courage in service to saving human lives is the mark of an exceptional public servant - and a remarkable human being.

In defending British soldiers after the Boston Massacre, John Adams put his reputation on the line because he loved his country more than his career.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen demonstrated the power of statesmanship in advocating for the right of gay and lesbian Americans to serve in their country’s military with pride and support from the nation they defended.

A true, but too rare, act of statesmanship is the ability to forgive. It is essential to healing a divided nation, and Abraham Lincoln used it frequently.

We owe much of the social safety net for workers and retirees to Frances Perkins, the first woman to hold a cabinet position and a savvy, visionary, and determined public servant.

There are many ways to exhibit moral courage. We need “quiet heroes” as well as whistleblowers to protect our Constitution and the nation.

In the midst of uncertainty and the possibility of failure, Martin Luther King, Jr. took a morally courageous step that helped redefine America.