On the third day of the new administration, I questioned how the president’s orders make America great. I decided to do some research into greatness itself. My first step is studying Nobel Peace Prize recipients to see what their selection reveals about greatness. Since many Americans have won the prize, I decided to focus in on them.
Alfred Nobel left instructions for the creation of these awards in his will. He wanted to award “those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.” Nobel wrote that his peace prize should go to “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”
While I read about awardees from many countries, I thought the United States citizens were most relevant.
Peace Prize Winners in the 1940s
Cordell Hull, the US Secretary of State from 1933 to 1944, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1945. He is known as the father of the United Nations.
The prize in 1946 went to two Americans: Emily Greene Balch and John R. Mott. Balch, a sociologist, focused on the living conditions of immigrants, workers, minorities, and women beginning in 1906. She encouraged neutral states to help stop World War I. Mott headed the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), an organization that promoted peace across national boundaries. When at Cornell, Mott felt a religious call to spread the Gospel which he did through the YMCA, missionary work, and ecumenical efforts.
Peace Prize Winners in the 1950s
Ralph Bunche was the first African American awarded the prize in 1950. He studied racial segregation in the United States and later worked for the United Nations. He replaced a murdered UN negotiator in 1948 and was able to bring the Jewish and Arab warring sides to a cease-fire in Palestine.
George Marshall won the prize in 1953. President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Marshall Chief of Staff in 1939. Marshall and Harry Truman created the “Marshall Plan for Peace,” to direct the economic recovery of Europe after World War II.
Peace Prize Winners in the 1960s
In 1962, Linus Pauling received the Peace Prize only a few years after he was named the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He and other scientists wrote to convince others of the dangers in the nuclear arms race. He urged nuclear powers – the USA, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain-to ban nuclear testing, a ban that took place in October 1963.
Two years later, in 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received the peace prize. King believed in non-violence and assessing people based on character rather than skin color. He wanted the U.S. government to say that the racial discrimination policies in Southern states were unlawful. In 1964, President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act.
Peace Prize Winner in the 1970s
Secretary of State Henry Kissinger controversally received the peace prize with Le Duc Tho of Vietnam. Two from the Nobel Committee resigned in protest. Kissinger was responsible for bombing in Vietnam before the ceasefire. Le Duc Tho refused the award.
No Americans won the peace prize in the 1980s.
Peace Prize Winner in the 1990s
Jody Williams received the Peace Prize in 1997 for her work banning and clearing anti-personnel mines.” Williams worked with children severely injured by landmines in El Salvador. She launched the International Campaign to Ban Landmines which operated in 60 countries. She was a significant contributor to the Ottawa Convention in 1999, signed by 120 countries, that banned landmines and made provisions for mine clearance.
Peace Prize Winners in the 2000s
Two American presidents and one vice president were recipients of the prize during this decade. In 2002, former President Carter won the prize. During his presidency, he negotiated the peace agreement between the leaders of Israel and Egypt. After his term, he negotiated for peace, advocated for human rights, and helped people in the US and around the world.
In 2007, former Vice President Al Gore received the peace prize with the International Panel on Climate Change. While in office, he was environmentally-conscious. After he left, he wrote a book and created a documentary to raise awareness about the serious threat of climate change.
Former President Barack Obama received the Peace Prize in 2009 when he was still in office. The Nobel Committee rewarded his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between countries. He also spoke out against nuclear weapons, began relationships with the Muslim world, and spoke out about human rights.
No Americans received the award between 2010 and 2024.
Insights into Greatness
Nobel wanted to honor people who benefitted humankind in each of his prizes. In the Peace Prize, he specifically wanted to recognize people who helped international cooperation, the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and peace-building.
Nobel’s will suggests that evaluating actions according to their benefit across humankind describes greatness.
Nobel wanted nations to cooperate with each other. Hull was the father of the United Nations. Balch asked neutral nations to intervene in World War I. Mott promoted peace. Bunche diplomatically negotiated a ceasefire in a troubled place at a challenging time. After World War II, Marshall made a plan to help European countries get back on their feet.
Pauling spoke out about the dangers of nuclear war. He advocated a ban on testing nuclear weapons. King promoted equality in a non-violent way. Williams was able to get many nations to sign a landmine ban. Carter negotiated a peace agreement between warring nations. Gore spoke out about the threat of climate change. Obama was a great diplomat and furthered international cooperation.
President Trump’s Return to Office
If Alfred Nobel were to look at the news this past week in order to see if President Trump is making America great again, he might not agree that this is happening.
The Peace Prize winners helped. These people were builders. They built peace treaties, increased cooperation, and worked on climate change.
Dictating that no person with male genetalia at birth can live as a woman, or that a person’s non-binary status cannot go on their passport does not reflect some Americans’ lived reality. Pretending like climate change does not exist does not mean that this is true. Permitting ICE agents to arrest people in schools and at church does not build. Putting candidates forward for his cabinet who are inadquately prepared does not create. Scaling back DEI in the government and relieving former officials of their security details is not building. Pardoning even the people who used violence against police officers on January 6, 2021 is a disregard for people’s lives.
So far, President Trump has returned to his practice of tearing things down. He is concerned about himself but feels empowered to take down programs that have helped people and honored them. Apparently, Trump is interested in winning the Peace Prize. I do not anticipate that this will happen.