By Heather Gerken
In the fall of 1863, America’s Civil War raging, President Abraham Lincoln arrived in a small Pennsylvania town to dedicate a final resting place for those “who gave the last full measure of devotion.” The United States, he said, faced a test: whether a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to equality could “long endure.”
The work before America—the work of America—was unfinished.
More than 160 years later, as we commemorate the 250th anniversary of our founding, the work of America remains unfinished.
At the Ford Foundation, we believe democracy and the rule of law constitute the bedrock of the American experiment. Everything we hold dear depends on these twin values. Embraced by people of good faith across the ideological spectrum, they exist beyond politics. And people experience these values in everyday life—at polling places and courthouses, yes, but also in schools, civic rituals, and local institutions. Shoring up these bedrock values is the central project of this moment, one on which all of our other work depends.
This conviction animates our new Ford Foundation series, Reflections on Democracy: Of, By, and For the People.
Starting this month, across our channels, you will hear from a wide range of leaders, representing a wide range of sectors and disciplines. All reflect on a question 250 years in the making: How can we ensure—as Lincoln said at Gettysburg—that democracy “can long endure?”
For my part, I think we must begin by recognizing that democracy means of the people—and of all the people. We must ensure that our civic life reflects the perspectives and stories of everyone who calls this country home.
As a nation, we have not always lived up to our best values, a heartbreaking stain on too many pages of our history. But America is at our best when we work to ensure that all people can see themselves in our national story. The strength and dynamism of this country have long depended on welcoming newcomers into our community, including immigrants who hail from beyond its borders. That’s why the fight to answer a simple question—who belongs?—has persisted for generations.
In this way, and others, democracy must also be by the people. It depends on robust self-governance: the power of everyone to take part in the processes that give meaning and structure to their lives.
This principle informed a decision I made earlier this year to direct $60 million in presidential reserves to nonpartisan organizations safeguarding our elections—an investment that builds on the foundation’s longer commitment to civic participation and the rule of law, including more than $1 billion in support for civic engagement during the past decade. Our partners and grantees are making certain that votes are counted fairly, that voters have faith in election results, and that government adheres to the laws enacted by the people themselves.
“ Ultimately, democracy is not self-executing. Each generation must choose to protect it, preserve it, and pass it forward. This is the unfinished work.”
Heather Gerken – President, Ford Foundation
Among those carrying forward this work are leaders of Pillars of the Community, co-chaired by Republican election lawyer Ben Ginsberg and Democratic attorney Bob Bauer. For decades, as adversaries, these legal minds battled it out on opposite sides of some of America’s fiercest political contests. Today, they stand together in defense of something larger: confidence in the democratic process itself, which is essential both despite and because of our fractured politics.
We have also supported the work of veterans to shore up the democracy they were willing to sacrifice their lives to defend. Here, too, people from across the political spectrum are standing together to protect what matters most.
Finally, democracy must be for the people. Whether this country flourishes or founders depends on whether individuals can live and work with dignity. Strong neighborhoods and communities enable people to claim their stake in the common good. Policy and legislation should be guided by the many, not set by the few. Inclusive economic opportunity must be afforded to all; everyone should have a chance to dream a better future into reality for themselves and their families.
For nine decades and counting, the Ford Foundation has invested in this work, of the people, by the people, for the people.
Our predecessors protected free speech and dissent during the McCarthy era. They sustained the civil rights and anti-apartheid movements. They built the backbone of public media, of public-interest law, and of human rights. They worked to alleviate poverty and empower local communities. And, along the way, they made wonderful things possible for people around the world—among them Head Start, Big Bird, and free legal clinics.
When Lincoln spoke in Gettysburg all those years ago, the republic’s very survival was in grave peril. While we’ve traveled a long way from that bloody battlefield, the work to protect our essential values remains.
Today, as we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s audacious declaration—that all are created equal, that all are endowed with inalienable rights, that we are defined not by where we started but by what we pursue—we would be well served to ask anew: How do we expand belonging, deepen participation, and invest in communities that enable people to thrive?
These questions reside at the heart of this series. And during the days ahead, I hope the reflections captured here kindle new conversations, spark new understanding, and fuel the ongoing work of democratic renewal.
Ultimately, democracy is not self-executing. Each generation must choose to protect it, preserve it, and pass it forward. This is the unfinished work. This Fourth of July, let us recommit ourselves to it—and to one another.
