Latest news with #AmericanHeroes
Washington Post
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Who'll be in Trump's hero garden? There are a few surprises.
The list of nearly 250 includes the famous, the obscure and, in some cases, the intentionally controversial. Perhaps in a few years, you'll be able to stroll through a garden — location TBA — past life-size statues of 250 mostly famous Americans and American-adjacent folks, from George Washington and Rosa Parks to Dr. Seuss, Christopher Columbus, Muhammad Ali and Elvis. A tiny chunk of the big bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4 allots $40 million to create a 'National Garden of American Heroes,' a park Trump first proposed during the racial justice protests of 2020, when many Confederate and other monuments nationwide were being toppled. So if the garden is a go, who are the heroes? A 2021 executive order listed 244 mostly household names, all deceased, who embodied 'the American spirit of daring and defiance, excellence and adventure, courage and confidence, loyalty and love.' The list comes with one giant caveat: These people were chosen four years before Trump's 'anti-DEI' scrubbing of references to some notable people, including Black, Hispanic and female veterans, from federal spaces. A White House spokesperson said in an email last week that the final list of honorees remains under consideration. Astronauts, explorers and pioneers Hover on a bubble to explore the data Hover on a bubble to explore the data 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Daniel Boone Daniel Boone Amelia Earhart Amelia Earhart Sally Ride Sally Ride The list was compiled by members of a task force who asked for input from state and local officials. Another executive order, in January of this year, states that a few names will be added by the assistant to the president for domestic policy, a role held by Vince Haley, for a total of 250. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Most were (relatively) recent, some were controversial Birth dates of people on the list range from the mid-1400s to the late 1900s. About half were in their prime during the 20th century. Astronauts, explorers and pioneers 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Columbus b. 1451 Daniel Boone Daniel Boone Amelia Earhart Amelia Earhart Sally Ride Sally Ride Because Trump thought some protesters went too far in removing statues, he wanted the garden to include significant historical figures despite their flaws. The earliest person on the list is Columbus, the celebrated Italian explorer who also brutalized Native people in the Caribbean. The most recent is NBA superstar and 'girl dad' Kobe Bryant, who died at 41 with his daughter in a helicopter crash on his way to coach her basketball team. Seventeen years earlier, he had grappled with a sexual assault allegation. TV, movie, music and sports figures 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant Billie Holiday Billie Holiday In between are scores of people who fought for liberty, some of whom owned enslaved people, and scores more who changed the world in positive ways, but not necessarily for everybody. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement A few immigrants, a lot of New Yorkers More than 1 in 10 people on the list were born in New York, not including crooner Frank Sinatra, from nearby Hoboken, New Jersey, who sang Trump's favorite version of 'My Way.' They include poet Walt Whitman, Yankees slugger Lou Gehrig and polio vaccine creator Jonas Salk. At least nine states have no homegrown 'heroes' — 10, if you believe President Andrew Jackson was born north of the border between the Carolinas. (No one is sure.) D.C. has representation, though: jazz great Duke Ellington and Tuskegee Airmen leader Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Puerto Rico, too, with baseball Hall of Famer and humanitarian Roberto Clemente. Inventors, scientists and pioneers in medicine 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Luis Walter Alvarez Luis Walter Alvarez Samuel Morse Samuel Morse Thirty-seven people on the list were born abroad, in 20 countries, including longtime 'Jeopardy' host Alex Trebek (Canada for 200, Ken!) and theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (Germany). Not all immigrated intentionally. Phillis Wheatley, who in 1773 became the first African American woman to publish a book of poems, was kidnapped as a young child from West Africa and sold into slavery in Boston. She was still enslaved when her book was published. Rs and Ds, famous and not-so-famous The garden's organizing structure is yet to be determined, so we gave it a shot, slotting each person into a group based on what they were best known for to see what patterns emerged. Plenty of people would fit into more than one of these categories. Artists, architects and literary figures 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 John James Audubon John James Audubon Harper Lee Harper Lee Booker T. Washington Booker T. Washington The list leans ideologically conservative, but not overwhelmingly so. Thought leaders such as author Russell Kirk ('The Conservative Mind') and William F. Buckley (longtime host of the public affairs talk show 'Firing Line') are included, along with conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. But so is Scalia's liberal 'best buddy' (her words), Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Thurgood Marshall, the first African American on the court. The 17 presidents on the list are split fairly evenly, party-wise: eight Republicans, five Democrats, two Democratic-Republicans (the precursor to the Democrats), a Federalist (John Adams) and George Washington, the only president who had no party affiliation. Presidents 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan George Washington George Washington Civil rights activists Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King are among four married couples, along with actors Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Two first ladies made it in addition to their husbands: Dolley Madison, who largely defined the role, and Eleanor Roosevelt, who turned it into a platform for advocacy. Activists 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Medgar Evers Medgar Evers Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth Some names are less well known than their actions, such as the Black women mathematicians known as 'human computers' at NASA who calculated orbital trajectories during the space race in the 1960s. Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan were portrayed in the 2016 movie 'Hidden Figures.' At least a dozen are remembered mostly for one heroic act. One is Todd Beamer, who was heard over an Airfone saying a final 'Let's roll' before apparently leading fellow passengers to storm the cockpit of the hijacked Flight 93 before it could reach its D.C. target on Sept. 11, 2001. The 'Four Chaplains' shepherded terrified young soldiers toward the lifeboats on a sinking Army transport ship in 1943, then handed out life vests — including their own. Survivors saw Alexander D. Goode, John P. Washington, Clark V. Poling and George L. Fox praying hand-in-hand on the deck as the SS Dorchester went down. Explore each category Select a category... 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 A lot of White men, and a lot of firsts A couple dozen people on the list achieved some kind of breakthrough for a person of their race, gender or — in the case of Neil Armstrong — species. Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon, is one of the garden's five astronauts, along with teacher Christa McAuliffe, who died when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. Breakdown by race or ethnicity and gender Breakdown by race or ethnicity and gender Male Female White 155 35 Sally Ride Neil Armstrong Black 19 15 Thurgood Marshall Native American 3 7 Maria Tallchief Hispanic 7 Asian 2 Note: At least one person's ancestry is debated. Breakdown by race or ethnicity and gender Male Female Native White Hispanic Black Asian American 155 7 19 2 7 Thurgood Marshall Neil Armstrong 35 15 3 Maria Tallchief Sally Ride Note: At least one person's ancestry is debated. Montana's Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress, and it happened in 1916, about four years before women were guaranteed the right to vote. Maria Mitchell was the first American scientist to discover a comet. Civil War flag-bearer Joseph De Castro was the first Hispanic American to receive the Medal of Honor, the military's highest award for valor in combat. Maria Tallchief was the first Native American prima ballerina. Barbara Jordan of Texas, whose powerful speech to the House Judiciary Committee in July 1974 helped turn the country against Richard M. Nixon, was the first African American woman in the 20th century to be elected to Congress from the South. Story continues below advertisement Advertisement Five Catholic saints are on the list, including Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born person to be canonized, in 1975. However, there is not a single female athlete, unless you count sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Regardless of who makes the final cut, federal statues typically take years to commission, design, cast and install. The park's opening was originally planned for July 4, 2026, the nation's 250th birthday, but a White House spokesperson said the new goal is sometime before the end of Trump's presidency in January 2029. As of now, no site has been chosen. However, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden (R) is promoting a mining company's offer of land near Mount Rushmore, a plan that local Indigenous groups oppose. If the White House accepts the offer, maybe the four presidents depicted there can come off the garden's to-do list. Only 246 to go. Illustrations by Lucy Naland/The Washington Post; Library of Congress; Mark J. Terrill/AP; iStock; Reed Saxon/AP; iStock; NASA/Bob Nye; NASA; iStock
Washington Post
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Trump's honest graft
When Donald Trump finally gets around to erecting his proposed $34 million National Garden of American Heroes, he should reserve a tall plinth for a bronze likeness of George Washington Plunkitt. The National Garden, which is expected to feature about 250 statues of notable Americans such as Albert Einstein, Lauren Bacall, Sitting Bull, Douglas MacArthur, Fulton J. Sheen, Frank Sinatra, Margaret Chase Smith and Ida B. Wells, has a purpose. As Trump put it, it will 'defend the legacy of America's founding, the virtue of America's heroes and the nobility of the American character.'
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Free Memorial Day parades, events in Philadelphia area
There is an array of events scheduled across the Philadelphia region as the nation honors our bravest heroes on this Memorial Day. Here is a guide to what events you could attend for free. Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest (101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA) Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest is one of the Philadelphia Waterfront's favorite summertime traditions. It features roller skating, outdoor boardwalk games and rides, mini-golf, and great food and drinks, all set against soaring views of the Delaware River and the Ben Franklin Bridge. Admission to RiverRink is free and open to the public, while mini-golf, games, rides and concessions are pay-as-you-go. The Museum of the American Revolution (101 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA) On Memorial Day, the Museum of the American Revolution plans to honor the men and women who lost their lives in service to their country during the Revolutionary War and celebrate the freedoms they fought to secure for future generations. Veterans, military, and Blue Star Families are able to get in for free throughout Memorial Day Weekend. Free Parking on Philadelphia streets Street parking is free in Philadelphia on Memorial Day, the Philadelphia Parking Authority announced. The PPA said no meters or residential parking time limits will be enforced on Monday, and they will only enforce parking regulations that impact safety and traffic flow. Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Front and Dock streets and Front and Spruce streets, Philadelphia, PA) The Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony on Memorial Day from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Washington Post
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
In their words: How recent presidents have honored America's fallen on Memorial Day
WASHINGTON — From Arlington National Cemetery outside the nation's capital to the American burial ground in Normandy, France, presidents customarily commemorate Memorial Day on hallowed ground. In somber wreath-laying ceremonies and poignant speeches, presidents remember the military members who died serving the country, even as many Americans associate the holiday with a three-day weekend and shopping sales.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Trump Administration Is Looking for Artists to Craft "Garden of American Heroes"
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." The call has gone out from the National Endowment for the Humanities for artists submissions for the Garden of American Heroes, President Trump's proposed national park, location to be determined, of 250 statues of American figures considered heroes. Winners of statue grants, which range from $200 and $600,000, will create up to three life-size statues that 'realistically' depict one of the people on this National Register list. Ultimately, who each artist will depict will be decided for them: 'Applicants are asked to select ten to twenty figures from those listed in the Executive Order and NEH will determine which statues are to be created by each award recipient,' states the application. The list includes a wide range of names, including George Washington, Martin Luther King, Elvis Presley, Susan B. Anthony, Kobe Bryant, Alex Trebek, Frederick Douglass, Albert Einstein, Ray Charles, Julia Child, and Billie Holiday to name a few. The list is said to have been the responsibility of Vince Haley, the chair of the president's Domestic Policy Council, according to the New York Times. The finished statues must be made of marble, granite, bronze, copper or brass, sourced and funded by each artist, and completed by July 4, 2026. The Garden of American Heroes, first announced back in 2020 during President Trump's first term, is intended to coincide with the 250th anniversary of American independence. A release published on April 24th stated that this 'special funding opportunity' would support the creation of statues depicting those who have 'contributed to our cultural, scientific, economic, and political heritage,' and will fill a 'space where Americans can gather to learn about and honor American heroes.' Beyond a critique of the meaning of the word hero, there has been a loud outcry over the funding of the project, which as the Times reported, comes in part from the $34 million 'committed jointly by the N.E.H. and the National Endowment for the Arts, each of which had a budget of $207 million last year.' This comes after 80% of N.E.H. staff were placed on administrative leave earlier this month, according to NPR, and most of its grants were canceled. 'Nearly half of the NEH's budget goes directly to humanities councils in every U.S. state and jurisdiction,' writes Elizabeth Blair, Culture Trends correspondent for NPR. 'The endowment also supports museums, libraries, preservation, history and media projects through a competitive application process.' The widespread impact of the cuts is an unfolding story. In the short-term, myriad projects in the works have lost funding, like Yuriko Romer's, a documentary on 'baseball's role in American-Japanese relations over the past 150 years,' writes The Atlantic. Instead, the funding will go toward 'a sprawling sculpture garden with 250 likenesses of people [President Trump] deems 'American heroes.'' You Might Also Like From the Archive: Tour Sarah Jessica Parker's Relaxed Hamptons Retreat 75 Small (But Mighty) Kitchens to Steal Inspiration from Right This Instant
