'Our goal is not the victory of might but the vindication of right ... not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom here in this hemisphere, and we hope, around the world.'

"The well-being and the hopes of the peoples of the world can never be served until peace - as well as freedom, honor and self-respect - is secure."

- American diplomat Ralph Bunche (1904–1971)

- Martin Luther King Jr. at the conclusion of the five-day, 54-mile march

- President Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969) sending a message from space

- President Jimmy Carter (1924-2024)

Eleven months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt outlined four fundamental freedoms that, in his words, people "everywhere in the world" ought to enjoy—speech, worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

- Senator Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968)

- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994)

- Pope Francis (1936 - 2025)

- Activist Dorothy Height (1912-2010)

-Author Victor Hugo (1802-1885)

- Diplomat Kofi Annan (1938-2018)

- First African American Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993)

"Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on."

Monroe outlined four positions: the US would not interfere in European conflicts; it would not disturb existing European colonies in the Americas; the Western Hemisphere was closed to new colonization; and any European attempt to control an independent American republic would be regarded as a threat to US security.

After finishing a Smithsonian-sponsored expedition to East Africa, US President Theodore Roosevelt stopped by Paris and gave a speech about the responsibilities an ordinary citizen has to their republic. Citizens must know there is no effort without error, knowing they "fail while daring greatly" in pursuit of a truly democratic republic. This podcast series on powerful speeches across history is written and narrated by historian and author Jon Meacham.

"In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story."

"We are still in the position of waking up and having a choice. Do I make the world better today somehow, or do I not bother?"

- President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945)

- Author James Baldwin (1924–1987)

- Bobby Kennedy

Franklin Roosevelt pledged in his 1933 inaugural address to be a "good neighbor" to Latin America and to oppose armed intervention by American forces. His administration withdrew troops from previous occupations and signed a multilateral agreement stating that no state has the right to interfere in another's affairs.

- Astronaut John Glenn (1921–2016)

"Change, by its very nature, is threatening but it is also often productive."

- Suffragist Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)

Can people who believe in opposing ultimate views of the world really live in peace together? That's a core requirement of individuals living in pluralistic societies. Law professor Samar Ali and public affairs strategist Clint Brewer don't agree on much, but they're great friends. In this TED Talk, the two share why political polarization in the US isn’t as intractable as we might think. Learn some tips for getting along in the free world here.

First articulated in 1823 by President James Monroe, the doctrine declared the Western Hemisphere off limits to European colonization. It has since been invoked to justify US military interventions in Latin America, from Teddy Roosevelt's takeover of Venezuela to George H.W. Bush's arrest of Panama's leader Manuel Noriega.

The robust and radical transformation during the American Revolution created a template for dozens of future independence movements. Its key ideas of republicanism, individualism, and equality inspired revolutions in France, Haiti, Ireland, and more, paving the way for the broadly democratic world we know today.

- President Harry Truman (1884-1972)

-Reggae pioneer Bob Marley (1945-1981)

"The secret to happiness, of course, is not getting what you want; it's wanting what you get."

"In the end, it matters less that you can fight. What you fight for is the real test."

- Jane Addams (1860-1935)

- US President James Madison (1751-1836)

The Atlantic Charter was a pivotal 1941 agreement between Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, outlining shared goals for a post-World War II world rooted in freedom and self-determination. These ideals later inspired the founding principles of the United Nations.

- George Washington (1732-1799)

This audio excerpt captures Harold Macmillan’s 1960 “Wind of Change” speech, in which he acknowledged rising African nationalism and declared that Britain would not resist decolonization—a pivotal moment signaling the Empire’s accelerating retreat from the continent.

- Ida B. Wells, co-founder of the NAACP (1862-1931)

- Activist and author Malala Yousafzai (1997-present)

- Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

This podcast episode of "To the Best of My Ability" from the National WWII Museum goes behind the scenes of the United Nations' founding from the American perspective. It explores how FDR's vision for global peace took shape, how Truman carried it forward, and how Eleanor Roosevelt helped define human rights—set against the backdrop of wartime diplomacy, Cold War tensions, and the San Francisco Conference, where the UN Charter was signed.

- Radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi

- Diplomat George Shultz (1920–2021)

When Apollo 11 astronauts stepped onto the moon in July 1969, it marked a dramatic win in the US-Soviet space race. The televised landing—broadcast across the globe—showcased American technological supremacy.

When Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration, he wrote that its truths were “sacred and undeniable.” Benjamin Franklin urged replacing that phrase with “self-evident,” grounding the document in reason rather than religious authority and sharpening its Enlightenment logic.