John W. Gardner

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John William Gardner
Born	October 8, 1912 Los Angeles, California
Died	February 16, 2002 Palo Alto, California

John William Gardner, (October 8, 1912–February 16, 2002), President of the Carnegie Corporation, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson, was subsequently the founder of two influential national U.S. organizations, Common Cause and Independent Sector, as well as the author of numerous books on improving leadership in American society and other subjects. Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964.

Gardner's term as Secretary of HEW was at the height of Johnson's Great Society domestic agenda. During this tenure, the Department undertook both the huge task of launching Medicare, which brought quality health care to senior citizens, and oversaw a massive investment in education with the passage of the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 that redefined the federal role in education and targeted funding to poor students. Gardner also presided over the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In 1970, Gardner created Common Cause, the first non-profit public interest group in the United States.

[edit] Books and Writings

Excellence: Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too? (1961)
To Turn the Tide (1962)^[1]
Self-Renewal (1964)
No Easy Victories (1968)
The Recovery of Confidence (1970)
In Common Cause (1972)
Morale (1978)
Quotations of Wit and Wisdom (1980)^[2]
On Leadership (1990)
Living, Leading, and the American Dream (2003)

^ Editor
^ Edited with Francesca Gardner

[edit] External links

PBS documentary

Preceded by Anthony J. Celebrezze	United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare 1965–1968	Succeeded by Wilbur J. Cohen

United States Secretaries of Health, Education and Welfare
Hobby • Folsom • Flemming • Ribicoff • Celebrezze • Gardner • Cohen • Finch • Richardson • Weinberger • Mathews • Califano • Harris