John W. Gardner
Obama Presidential Center Honoree
Space Name: Yes We Can, named in honor of John W. Gardner | Museum | Level 2
John W. Gardner was an American social reformer, educator, and Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon B. Johnson. He helped launch Medicare, expand secondary education, and create the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Gardner relentlessly championed citizen participation and lifelong learning. His life demonstrates that nurturing knowledge can shape stronger communities—and that leadership is measured by the opportunities we create for others.
With gratitude to Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling
Legacy on Campus
Obama Presidential Center Museum
The Museum presents the remarkable story of President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, America’s first Black president and First Lady.
Yes We Can, named in honor of John W. Gardner, is an immersive exhibit that captures the grassroots energy of the 2008 presidential campaign and features a display of 440 campaign buttons that honor the volunteers who fueled the movement.
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Through the honoree naming initiative at the Obama Presidential Center, we are partnering with our donors to celebrate a part of the history in which the Obama story is so deeply rooted by associating a named space with a hero, moment, or person "on whose shoulders we stand"—an honoree who made the Obamas’ story possible.
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