On May 6, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and his co-author Janie Nitze visited the Nixon Library to speak about their new book, Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence.
Before the event, they toured the special exhibit America 250: A More Perfect Union and joined an exclusive learning session with a select group of local high school students. From constitutional law to career advice, these students walked away with insights no textbook could provide. This civics-in-action moment, an initiative of the Nixon Civics Academy, offers a real-time example of why investing in the next generation matters.
Justice Gorsuch and Nitze then joined Matt Parlow, President of Chapman University, in the East Room for a conversation about their children’s book, released to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
When asked why they wrote the book, both authors emphasized the need to reflect on the human element behind the Declaration. Independence was guaranteed; it required courage, suffering, and sacrifice. As Gorsuch explained, “Kids love superheroes. Our founders were superheroes, but they were ordinary people who did extraordinary things.” Nitze added that the heroes of the Revolutionary generation serve as a counterpoint to many of today’s criticisms, because they acted against their own self-interest.
The authors also explained how the ideals of the Declaration must be passed down to each generation, as they are not self-perpetuating. When asked to describe the decline of civic education, Gorsuch called it “utterly depressing,” citing that only 13% of eighth graders are proficient at grade level in American history, only 18% of liberal arts colleges require even one course in U.S. history, and 6 in 10 adults cannot pass the U.S. citizenship test.
For a solution, he pointed to the Constitution’s opening words: “We the People,” reminding the audience that the answers lie within them and that they have the power to make change.
Gorsuch and Nitze then offered a unique moment, reading select pages of the book aloud to the audience. Before concluding, Gorsuch looked to President Nixon for the evening’s final lesson: “There is a lesson from President Nixon: carry on. Be brave.”
Watch here:
