I grew up in segregated Jim Crow Alabama, where no one batted an eye if the police killed a black man. There wouldn’t have been even a footnote in the local press. So it is a source of pride for me that so many have taken to the streets — peacefully — to say that they care: that they, too, are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Yet protests will take our country only so far. The road to healing must begin with respectful but honest and deep conversations, not judgments, about who we were, who we are and who we want to become. Let us talk with, not at, each other — in our homes, schools, workplaces and places of worship. And if we are to make progress, let us vow to check the language of recrimination at the door. As united Americans, we can then turn our fears into faith, hope, compassion and action. And then we can accept and carry out our shared responsibility to build “a more perfect union.” Yet, any call to action will be empty if it does not move us to individual responsibility. We all have a role to play in moving our country forward, in ensuring that our democracy delivers not just for those who have but also for those who seek and for those in need. So I ask my fellow Americans: What will each of you do? My personal passion is educational opportunity, because it is a partial shield against prejudice. It is not a perfect shield, I know, but it gives people a fighting chance. In my conversations, I want to discuss why the learning gap for black kids is so stubborn and what can be done about it. What is your question about the impact of race on the lives of Americans? And what will you do to find answers? My thoughts on this moment in our history at the link in bio.
Today, may we recognize and honor our veterans and their families, who have made tremendous sacrifices in service to our nation and to the cause of freedom. Thank you for your service. #VeteransDay
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an inspiration to so many, including to me. She was my neighbor in Washington DC, a fellow music lover and a friend. Her service to this country and the legacy she leaves behind will live on. May she rest in peace with her beloved Marty—thank you for a life well lived and a job well done. (📸: @prezfotog)
I am honored to begin my work as Director of the @HooverInstitution @Stanford today. What we do here—promoting the study and creation of ideas, the value of free inquiry, and the preservation of open dialogue—is the backbone of democracy, and I look forward to leading it into the future. #HooverInstitution #Stanford #HooverDC (📸: @prezfotog)
Let us remember to say their names even though it has been 57 years since a bomb in Birmingham finally shook our nation’s conscience. Addie Mae Collins Carole Robertson Cynthia Wesley and my friend Denise McNair (Denise and I are pictured here together) God rest their souls and may we never forget.
Let us remember to say their names even though it has been 57 years since a bomb in Birmingham finally shook our nation’s conscience. Addie Mae Collins Carole Robertson Cynthia Wesley and my friend Denise McNair (Denise and I are pictured here together) God rest their souls and may we never forget.
A very special Happy 100th Birthday to my good friend, George P. Shultz! #Shultz100
“Our hearts are heavy as we pause and reflect on this September 11th – it has been twenty years since the world was irreversibly changed by a cowardly act of terrorism. Let us always remember the people who died horrific deaths and the hole forever left in the hearts of their loved ones. Never forget the courage of the first responders who ran toward danger and the brave men and women who have fought and died to protect us. Most of all, remember our capacity to set aside differences to come together as a nation when we need it the most.”
Secretary George Shultz loved his country and loved serving it – whether on the battlefields of World War II or the gilded rooms of diplomacy in foreign capitals around the world. He was a great American statesman and a true patriot in every sense of the word. In his 100 consequential and well-lived years, George made an impact. He will be remembered in history as a man who made the world a better place. Now, we will have to carry on the work that George challenged us to do – to love freedom and opportunity and to never lose a thirst for learning. May he rest in peace. (📸: AP)
I had a great day out on the course at the inaugural @stephencurry30 Charity Classic!
“On this 4th day of July – 245 years ago – thirteen colonies declared their independence and began America’s long road to freedom. It is never lost on me – and continues to inspire me – just how unlikely and miraculous the birth of our great nation was, and how much it required of our forefathers to create the institutions that would sustain us for centuries to come. As we celebrate, let us rededicate ourselves to living up to the ideals that America seeks to represent – as citizens and as a nation. Happy Fourth of July to my fellow Americans here and around the world.” #IndependenceDay #4thofJuly
On this day, our nation celebrates the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It seems even more fitting now, that we pause for a moment to remember the legacy of a great man and an extraordinary leader who did so much to help our country see its way through another difficult time in our history. He believed that America doesn’t have to be something else—just what it says it is. Dr. King’s words remind us that “we shall overcome,” and that message of hope and perseverance holds just as true today as it did then.
I am pleased to announce that I’ve accepted the role of Director of the @hooverinstitution at @stanford. It will be an honor to lead the historic institution into its second century 🇺🇸. Read more at the link in bio. #HooverInstitution #Stanford #HooverDC (📸: @prezfotog)
Secretary George Shultz & I were honored to host @secpompeo at the Hoover Institution yesterday. Thank you to all of the students for generating such an insightful policy discussion with your thoughtful questions. #hooverinstitution #stanford
Secretary George Shultz & I were honored to host @secpompeo at the Hoover Institution yesterday. Thank you to all of the students for generating such an insightful policy discussion with your thoughtful questions. #hooverinstitution #stanford
Secretary George Shultz & I were honored to host @secpompeo at the Hoover Institution yesterday. Thank you to all of the students for generating such an insightful policy discussion with your thoughtful questions. #hooverinstitution #stanford
Secretary George Shultz & I were honored to host @secpompeo at the Hoover Institution yesterday. Thank you to all of the students for generating such an insightful policy discussion with your thoughtful questions. #hooverinstitution #stanford
Brent Scowcroft was the very definition of a public servant — a man of integrity, grace, love of country, and humility. He was the standard for every National Security Adviser and a role model for so many others who sought to serve our country. His passing is a great personal loss for me. Brent was my most important mentor. It is fair to say that he, almost single-handedly, paved the road for me to enter government in 1989. And from that day on, he was my advocate, my role model, and my friend. I will miss him but am grateful that his peaceful passing into the arms of the Lord is now complete. Those of us who were fortunate to know him and learn from him can find comfort in knowing that his memory and his spirit remain with us as a guide for how to serve. My thoughts and prayers go out to his beloved daughter Karen and the apple of his eye, Meghan. God Bless you.
Link in bio for my full conversation with John Ortberg at @menlo.church yesterday.
I’m happy to announce my latest work, “To Build a Better World,” co-authored with Philip Zelikow, released today. The book examines the historical choices that have molded our world, as the world drifts towards another time of great choosing. The period between 1988 and 1992 became a catalytic episode in world history. Together, the leaders in this episode did help build that different world they dreamt of. For all its faults, they helped build a world almost inconceivably safer and more prosperous than the one in which they grew up. This book retells the story of an earlier generation’s acts of peaceful creation in order to inform and inspire new acts of peaceful creation, still to come.
Today we remember September 11 — the memory of those who were lost on that day. We remember too the bravery of the first responders and the courage of our men and women in uniform who are still defending us at the frontiers. Everything changed that day and yet we found a way to call upon values that were timeless — community, patriotism, honor and resilience. Let us hold those lessons in our hearts and minds on this anniversary and as we move forward together into the future.
I sat down with Margaret Brennan on @facethenation over the weekend to discuss race in our country and educational opportunity.
Behind the scenes on the set of @FacetheNation. I joined @Marg_Brennan this week to discuss my new book, “To Build a Better World,” and a range of current issues. (📷: @FacetheNation)
Last night I sat down with @stephenathome to discuss my latest work, “To Build a Better World.” Thank you to @colbertlateshow for having me as a guest. It was a memorable experience. (📷: @colbertlateshow)
