Leaders are indeed made, not born. My students have argued this issue while examining Nelson Mandela’s transformation from lawyer to “terrorist” to President of South Africa. While we may remember Neil Armstrong or Wangari Matthai or Dwight D. Eisenhower for their most notable accomplishment, real leaders link their greatest success to a lifetime of struggle and teamwork.
History is about interpreting the past, which gives us the tools to address controversial issues today. It gives us the insight on how leaders have been successful and what lessons we can apply to our own lives. Explore these pages to see how myself and my students navigate this complex questions and make them relevant to our own lives.