A Brief History
On October 8, 2024, we celebrated another National Hero Day, a day to recognize real life heroes, not the fictional kind. While entertainers and athletes of particular skill may be admired, true heroes are those that devote their time and efforts to the benefit of others, often at their own expense or even at risk to their own life.
Digging Deeper
Many men, women and even children can be and are heroes, and today, we list a few notable American heroes. Who would you add to this list?
In 1860, in Lake Michigan the steamer Lady Elgin sank when Northwestern University student Edward Spencer jumped in repeatedly to save 17 of the passengers at great risk to his own life.
Nurse Clara Barton tirelessly treated wounded US Civil War soldiers and in 1881 founded the American Red Cross.
Leonhard Seppala and his lead dog Togo in 1925 delivered life saving diphtheria serum from Seward to Nome, 674 grueling miles across frozen Alaska via dog sled.
Note: Too many heroes to list them all! Some other notable American heroes include Nathan Hale, Alvin York, Audie Murphy, Chesty Puller, Smedley Butler, Teddy Roosevelt, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Harriet Tubman, and many more, including police officers, fire fighters, rescue workers, nurses, rescue pilots and everyday Americans.
Question for students (and subscribers) to ponder: Who is your favorite hero?
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Morgan, Edmund. American Heroes: Profiles of Men and Women Who Shaped Early America. W. W. Norton & Company, 2010.
O’Neill, Bill. The Great Book of American Heroes: 32 True Tales From American History That Made Them Legends. LAK Publishing, 2020.
