Heroism

It seems like it doesn’t take much these days to be hailed a “hero.” All you need to do is have a hit record, hit a home run, or star in a hit movie! This view of heroism has, for the most part, skewed our understanding for what it really means to be a hero. As adults, it is often assumed that we should know through experience and contact with real heroes what it takes to be one. But with young people, it may be a very different story. They may not have had these experiences or exposure to role models in their homes or communities who provide a good example of what it truly means to be a hero.

So what is a real hero? Heroes are people who know what is right, feel what is right, and do what is right. In character education this is known as the integration of the head, the heart and the hands. While knowing and feeling what is right are necessary to be a hero, the essence of heroism is in our deeds. Think of a hero and you will inevitably be imagining a person of action in the service of others.

Being a hero isn’t easy. In fact, it requires a whole host of values and qualities that do not necessarily come effortlessly. Courage, perseverance, forgiveness and compassion have to be cultivated. Understanding, humility and creativity need nurturing. These are core values that folks often must struggle to attain. So being a hero requires hard work.

Given what is required to be a real hero, you would think that they are rare. And, if we only look to those who have gained fame for their heroic acts than it might seem like they are extremely rare. But real heroes do abound. They are everywhere, if you know where to look.

Some everyday heroes may seem obvious, but often go unnoticed; fire fighters and police officers, for instance. And how about the teacher who uses her own personal finances to purchase food or clothing for needy students and their families; or the guy who shovels snow off of his neighbor’s sidewalk without being asked to do so, and without expecting compensation; or the woman who rescues an abandoned animal and finds it a home?

Because heroes are role models it is imperative that young people be able to make a distinction between the values and actions of a true hero and those of a hollow one. Students must learn that a hero is a person who adheres to a core set of values, and uses them as guideposts as they work to improve their world.

The Interactive

The Follow In My Footsteps exhibit features eight core values of good character that define heroism. These values are:

• understanding
• forgiveness
• compassion
• humility
• perseverance
• courage
• hard work
• creativity

The exhibit uses four historical figures who exemplify true heroism because they embody these core values. Users get to have their photographs taken with one of these heroes and then travel back in time to learn more about their lives.

• Anne Frank: Understanding & Forgiveness

“It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart. It’s utterly impossible for me to build my life on a foundation of chaos, suffering and death. I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more." Excerpt from The Diary of A Young Girl

Anne Frank was a German Jewish girl who was born in 1929. She lived a happy and normal life with her family in the Netherlands. In 1942, though, Anne and her family were forced to hide from the Nazis. They hid in an attic in Mr. Frank’s office. If they were captured, they would be sent to a Nazi concentration camp. One thing that kept Anne busy was her diary, where she recorded her experiences, thoughts and feelings. After two years of hiding, the Frank family was betrayed and, as a result, discovered. They were sent to concentration camps. Anne, her sister Margot, and her mother Edith all died in the camps. Anne’s father Otto was the only survivor.

Otto later found Anne’s Diary and published it as “The Diary of a Young Girl” in 1947. It is renowned not only for the quality of Anne’s writing, but for its compassion and depth of insight into the human experience. Anne understood that the people she was hiding from were not evil, but they were doing evil things.

Although Anne’s not with us anymore, her beautiful words and inspiring message of forgiveness and understanding will live forever.

• Mother Teresa: Compassion & Humility

“It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted, and ardent. It you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.” Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa is world-famous for her acts of charity. She spent more than 50 years in India, serving some of the poorest people in the world.

Born in Macedonia in 1910 as Agnes Bojaxhiu, she and her family lived a comfortable life. Agnes knew early on, though, that she wanted to serve others, and not live a selfish life. She left home to become a Catholic nun and was sent to teach at a private school in India. The poverty that she saw in India overwhelmed her. Because she was a woman of great compassion, she would not look the other way, as helping the poor, sick and infirmed became her life’s work.

The Pope started a new religious order for her, the Missionaries of Charity. Originally, it was Mother Teresa and 12 others, but under her leadership it grew to thousands of nuns working in hundreds of countries. Mother Teresa became internationally known for her humanitarian efforts to which she devoted her life. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for serving the poor and sick of India for over a half century.

In 1997, the world said goodbye to her, and thanked her for bringing dignity and comfort to millions.

• Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Perseverance & Courage

“Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King was a man of deep moral conviction. Two of the most important core values that King brought to bear in his work were courage and perseverance.

Martin Luther King was a Baptist minister and the most important leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. He believed in non-violence and civil disobedience. King organized millions of Americans who believed in the cause of civil rights. He is considered to be one of the greatest orators in U.S. history as exemplified by his “I Have A Dream” speech.

In the South, racist Jim Crow laws and the legacy of slavery were deeply entrenched. Dr. King had to battle not only prejudice and hatred, but the very weight of history. It was not only his ability to persevere, but his ability to inspire thousands of others to persevere, which ultimately won day.

Dr. King was also a man of great personal courage. For centuries, black people had been the victims of racial violence. Many had been beaten and murdered. Dr. King knew that taking up the cause of civil rights was dangerous. In fact, becoming the face and voice of the Civil Rights Movement put him directly in harm’s way. He was not deterred, though. Dr. King paid the ultimate price for moral action. He was assassinated in 1968.

• Benjamin Franklin: Hard Work & Creativity

“Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.” Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was an 18th century scientist, inventor, philosopher, politician, printer, author and Founder of the United States. Franklin, probably more than any other Founder, has had the biggest impact on defining the foundation of what is generally considered to be the American character. Franklin embodied the values of hard work, creativity, thrift and community service. These were not abstract principals to Franklin; they were the very values that guided his life.

Franklin was a genius, to be sure, but he used his genius in the service of others. Franklin invented a lot of helpful things, including the Franklin stove, bifocals, and the lightning rod. He wouldn’t patent them, though - that way, anybody could make and use them. His theories and discoveries revolutionized science and society. He founded our nation’s first post office, one of the first volunteer fire companies and first public library. He was a prolific writer, author of the popular Poor Richard’s Almanac. In addition he was the nation’s ambassador to France, a President of Pennsylvania, a delegate at the Constitutional Convention, and a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Franklin was also a world-class chess player.

Making Adjustments

The content of the Follow In My Footsteps exhibit is straightforward and should not require teachers to make adjustments for students based upon age. The biggest challenge for all students will be to understand the meaning of the core values presented here, and to learn how to identify these values in themselves and others. How does a forgiving person behave? How does one practice humility? Students should be challenged to ponder questions like these.

It is important for educators to explain to students that these qualities do not suddenly appear in a person at some predetermined age. Speak with students about what some of the obstacles may be to compassion, hard work, courage, etc. Explain that is natural to resist what is difficult and that one way to overcome moral ambiguity is to seek out others who may be able to help. Becoming a person of moral knowing, feeling and doing is not easy. All people find it a challenge. It’s useful for students to know this.

The National Liberty Museum’s Heroes of Character website has numerous classroom activities based around the Follow In My Footsteps exhibit. These activities were designed specifically to extend the museum experience into your classroom.