Justice Neil Gorsuch and Jeannie Nitze

Reagan Library
Topic: Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence

Pre-Interview Research

I read through Heroes of 1776, looked into Justice Gorsuch’s judicial record and his broader thinking on history and civics education, and researched Jeannie Nitze’s background as his co-author. I wanted to ask about what they chose to include and, more specifically, what they chose to leave out – as well as why a sitting Supreme Court Justice decided this book was important for young Americans.

The Conversation

What I Learned

Influence doesn’t require scale. Mrs. Nitze spoke about starting a preschool, a reminder that even people operating at the highest levels find meaningful ways to make direct, localized change. Writing a civics book for children falls into the same category. You don’t have to choose between significance and simplicity.You can have both..

My Take

Political apathy has plagued younger generations of America, the lack of civic engagement and political and governmental knowledge is a serious issue. This book is a direct response to that. As someone who has gone against the social norm and been very active in the world of law and politics this is something that I am very passionate about.

What I’d Do Differently

In my next interview, I want to highlight my passion for improvement in the lack of civics knowledge students have and ask what advice they have for similar minded people.