Don’t get discouraged! Consider what might have happened if these Americans had given up:
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
He lost more elections than he won. He struggled with depression and financial failure. After losing the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates, he remained steadfast in his opposition to the expansion of slavery. He became president during the Civil War, suffering early battle losses and criticism from both supporters and opponents. He refused to give up on preserving the Union. He continued pushing for abolition, even when public opinion was divided. He is now celebrated for the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and his support for the 13th amendment which abolished slavery. His persistence changed the course of American history.
“I am a slow walker but I never walk back.”
Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906)
She spent over 50 years fighting to earn women the right to vote, a goal she never achieved in her lifetime. In 1872, Anthony was arrested for illegally voting in the presidential election. She believed that the 14th Amendment gave her that right. The judge denied her the right to speak fully at her own trial, and she was fined $100 (which she famously refused to pay).This act of civil disobedience became a powerful symbol in the fight for voting rights. Anthony helped push what would become the 19th Amendment, but It failed again and again during her lifetime. She died in 1906, 14 years before it passed (1920). She spent over 50 years working toward a goal she never saw achieved.
“Failure is impossible.”
Daniel Ellsberg (1931-2023)
In 1971, Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers, exposing government deception about the Vietnam War. He was charged under the Espionage Act and faced up to 115 years in prison. He did not back down or try to escape accountability—he openly admitted what he did and defended it publicly. During the trial (1971-1973) he continued to advocate for transparency and peace, speaking out against the war and government secrecy. After charges were dismissed due to government misconduct, Ellsberg spent decades opposing nuclear weapons,advocating for whistleblowers, and speaking out on government secrecy. His persistence helped shift public opinion on government transparency.
“Secrecy is the enemy of democracy.”
John Lewis (1940-2020)
John Lewis chose nonviolent activism at a young age, was beaten by mobs and arrested multiple times. He suffered a fractured skull when state troopers attached peaceful marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965. The events in Selma prompted Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act which banned discriminatory voting practices and allowed federal oversight of elections in certain states. Lewis’s persistence helped make this law possible, fundamentally changing American democracy. He didn’t stop there. He persisted in defending voting rights for over 50 years, including 33 years in the House of Representatives.
“Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble.”
Stacey Abrams (1973- )
Stacey Abrams’ was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2006 and became Minority Leader in 2011. After losing the 2018 Georgia governor’s race, she refused to treat the loss as the end. She combated voter suppression and helped register hundreds of thousands of new voters. She focused on grassroots organizing, legal challenges to voting restrictions, and long-term voter engagement. She faced political opposition, public criticism, and legal battles over voting laws. Her efforts contributed to record voter turnout in Georgia in 2020 and 2021. She went on to build national coalitions focused on voting access, civic engagement, and combating authoriarismism. She didn’t just keep trying to get elected—she changed strategy and built long-term systems after setbacks.
Dare Patriots 