The Man Behind Our Mission

John W. Gardner (1912-2002) was a renowned activist who promoted the common good and improved the lives of millions. As President Lyndon Johnson’s Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Gardner was actively involved in civil rights enforcement, led the creation of Medicare, and helped establish the public television network. More broadly, his work focused on the elimination of poverty and racial injustice.

A Lifetime of Achievement

Gardner received his B.A. and M.A. in psychology from Stanford University, where he returned as a trustee and as a professor, and received his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley. A prolific writer, Gardner authored books on leadership and self-renewal, and wrote extensively on public service. He headed the Carnegie Corporation and the Urban Coalition, and went on to found Common Cause and to co-found the Independent Sector. In 1964, Gardner received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civil honor. In September 2000, Gardner lent his name and support to the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities that incorporates his beliefs and values. When the Center opened, Gardner said the public had finally understood the importance of youth development broadly conceived.

Gardner also founded two public service fellowships in his name at Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley and prompted the creation of the White House Fellowship. Learn more about John W. Gardner by viewing the PBS documentary: "John Gardner: Uncommon American".