Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882)
WHO HE WAS:
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society. Emerson disseminated his thoughts through dozens of published essays and more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States.
WHAT HE SAID:
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
WHY HE MATTERED:
Emerson is often remembered as one of the most influential figures in American thought and literature. His work has not only shaped the philosophy of transcendentalism but also provided the intellectual foundation for American civil disobedience and the concept of nonconformity.