Throughout my life, I have learned that we each get but one true choice: what we are willing to give our lives for. Alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and countless others, I chose to dedicate myself to the fight for civil rights. This journey was, in part, guided by one of America’s earliest champions of liberty—John Adams, a man who not only shaped his own time but also laid the foundations for justice that resonate today.
Adams once predicted, “Monuments will never be erected to me.” He could not have foreseen how deeply his ideals would inspire those who came after him. The Adams Memorial Foundation has taken on the mission of ensuring that John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Abigail Adams, Louisa Catherine Adams, and their descendants are given their rightful place among the monuments of Washington, D.C. A memorial to the Adams family will serve as an invitation to all Americans to reflect on the principles we uphold. The Adams family will once again stand as a beacon, amid polarization and mistrust, to remind us of the everlasting importance of integrity, personal responsibility, and public service. Let us build this monument, not only to honor the past but also to encourage future generations to uphold the ideals that the Adams family so courageously defended.
John Adams, my favorite president, is often overlooked among the pantheon of Founding Fathers, but his impact on American ideals of freedom and democracy is profound. Adams believed passionately that all men are created equal, a truth forever enshrined in our founding documents. It was Adams who persuaded the Continental Congress to select Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence, an act that embedded the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in our nation’s core beliefs. Adams’s work in drafting the Massachusetts Constitution, which remains the oldest functioning written constitution in the world, served as a model for our own U.S. Constitution, establishing the bedrock that has guided us through generations.
The Adams family’s commitment to these principles did not end with John Adams. His son, John Quincy Adams, carried his father’s torch into an era marked by one of our nation’s most painful divides: slavery. John Quincy’s work as a diplomat, a senator, and the sixth president of the United States reflected his dedication to the betterment of our country. After he lost his reelection bid for the presidency, he ran for Congress and was sworn into the House of Representatives on Dec. 5, 1831. He fought tirelessly against the expansion of slavery and for the right of all people to live free and with dignity. In 1841, long after he had left the presidency and while he was serving in Congress, John Quincy made a historic stand when he argued before the Supreme Court on behalf of the Amistad captives, a group of Africans who had been kidnapped and illegally sold into slavery.
This “impossible” and “unwinnable” case became a defining moment in our nation’s legal history and a powerful victory for abolitionists. John Quincy argued that the Amistad captives had acted in self-defense, fighting for their own freedom as Americans had done decades earlier. His defense secured their release and set a precedent for the struggle against slavery in America. But the case didn’t just free the captives—it ignited a broader movement. The American Missionary Association, inspired by the efforts of the Amistad Committee that financed the Amistad defense, grew into a powerful abolitionist organization. Later, it became instrumental in founding many of the nation’s first historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), including Howard University, from which I am proud to have graduated.
The commitment of the Adams family to freedom and righteousness is a legacy that still holds profound relevance. In a time when division threatens our shared bonds as Americans, we need reminders of what ties us together. The Adamses were pioneers in civil service, integrity, and accountability. They remind us that our duty to this country is not just a privilege, but a profound responsibility. They exemplified the courage to make difficult choices in the pursuit of a better America. John Adams wrote to his beloved Abigail during the darkest days of the Revolutionary War, “Through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory.” His optimism in the face of adversity and his unwavering commitment to the ideals of a just and lasting republic continue to carry great importance. It is time we honored his sacrifice with a memorial to him and his family.