In 2026, as the United States marks its 250th anniversary, historian Heather Cox Richardson’s 250 to 250 series highlights Americans who have shaped the country’s ongoing pursuit of democracy.
On July 29, 2026, educator Nicholas Ferroni profiled Horace Mann, often called the father of America’s public schools. Mann championed free, universal education as a way to strengthen democracy by providing equal educational opportunity. He became Antioch College’s first president in 1853. During his presidency, he helped shape Antioch’s progressive identity by supporting coeducation, broadening academic opportunities, and promoting the belief that education should prepare students to serve society.
Mann shared this vision in his last commencement speech to Antioch College’s graduating class in the summer of 1859, just before he died. He ended with words that became one of Antioch’s lasting calls to service: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”
Richardson’s 250 to 250 series looks back on 250 years since the nation’s founding by sharing stories of Americans from many races, backgrounds, and abilities who have worked to make the idea of equality and democracy real. These stories show that building a more democratic nation has always relied on people like Horace Mann, and that this work continues today.
Watch the July 29 installment featuring Horace Mann. Follow the series at #WeAreAmerica250.
