The Heroes

The following is a list of the initial Heroes Club series: REAL AMERICAN HEROES


Jane Addams (...more) The Mother of Social Workers

Jane Addams made friends easily by being nice to people. She cared about poor people and welcomed them to a special home in Chicago, Illinois called Hull House. Her work at this home changed people's lives. By being so concerned about them, she shared the wonderful gift that costs no money: the gift of FRIENDSHIP. ...more Virtue: Friendship Trading card #: 12

Susan B. Anthony (...more) Champion for Women’s Rights

Susan B. Anthony wanted to vote, but before 1920, women were not allowed to vote. Susan patiently proved that women should have the same right as men to vote. One time she did go vote and was arrested for putting her ballot in the voting box. Because of her PATIENCE and hard work over many years, women may vote when they turn eighteen, just like men. ...more Virtue: Patience Trading card #: 6

Clara Barton (...more) Angel of the Battlefield

Clara Barton was a real-life "action figure." She didn't just talk about supporting people in need of help - she did it. During the American Civil War, she cared for wounded soldiers. In 1881, this hard working woman started the American Red Cross, an organization which helps many people today and continues Clara's work of COMPASSION. ...more Virtue: Compassion Trading card #: 8

Mary McLeod Bethune (...more) A Champion of Learning

Whenever Mary McLeod Bethune worked with and helped others, she showed them LOVE. One expression of her love for children was a school she started with only $1.50 in her pocket. Lots of hard work made the school a success. She knew learning would lead to a better life for those children. By doing good deeds for others, Mary showed them that LOVE can make a difference in people's lives. ...more Virtue: Love Trading card #: 13

Elizabeth Blackwell (...more) First American Female Doctor

Every doctor's college said "NO, NO, NO" - no woman may become a doctor! That's the way it was in 1840 in the USA. But Elizabeth Blackwell said "YES, YES, YES." She had the intelligence and skills needed to become a doctor. Most importantly, Elizabeth had CONFIDENCE. "I can" was her winning spirit. And that very confident young woman became Dr. Blackwell, leading the way for many others. ...more Virtue: Confidence Trading card #: 7

Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta (...more) Champions of the Migrant Workers

Migrant workers harvest many of the fruits and vegetables we eat. In the 1960's migrant workers were paid $1 a day. They worked many hours (often in fields sprayed with poisons) and lived in shacks without electricity or running water. Cesar and Delores made people aware of the terrible living and working conditions. They held meetings all over the country and told true stories of the migrants' poverty. Their PERSEVERANCE in this struggle helped to improve the lives of migrant workers. ...more Virtue: Perseverance Trading card #: 23

Roberto Clemente (...more) An MVP - Most Valuable Player - On and Off the Field

Roberto Clemente is a baseball legend. But, he was more than just a great player. He was always helping people by sharing his time, energy, and money. Sadly, Roberto lost his life in an airplane crash when he was on his way to deliver food and medicine to earthquake victims in another country. We remember Roberto for his never-ending spirit of HELPFULNESS. ...more Virtue: Helpfulness Trading card #: 25

Walt Disney (...more) The First Imagineer

Walt Disney was a man bursting with CREATIVITY. He imagined so many wonderful ways to entertain people and he decided to share his creative ideas. Walt was a great artist, so he created cartoon characters, like Mickey Mouse, to make people laugh. He also imagined and designed Disneyland and Walt Disney World, where everyone could go and have fun. That's some awesome imagining! ...more Virtue: Creativity Trading card #: 19

Thomas Edison (...more) The Wizard of Menlo Park

Thomas Edison invented thousands of things. When his experiments didn't work the first time, or the hundredth time, or even the thousandth time, he just kept trying. "Tom" always knew he could get the job done. In fact, he had so much DETERMINATION that he tried 9,990 experiments before finding the right wire to make a light bulb glow! As he once said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." ...more Virtue: Determination Trading card #: 10

Albert Einstein (...more) Science Superstar

Albert Einstein was always asking questions. He was amazed at many science concepts, such as light, gravity, and time. His sense of WONDER led him to discover many new ideas about those terms. Today lots of people use his name to mean genius, saying "You're a regular Einstein." Start wondering and you can end up a genius too. ...more Virtue: Wonder Trading card #: 14

Benjamin Franklin (...more) A Man for All Ages

Benjamin Franklin used his time, talents and money to start many important services and places we still need and use today. He began the first public library, the first postal system, the first volunteer fire company, the first hospital, the first college in Philadelphia, and the first police department. Wow! "Ben" was certainly a man of SERVICE, and he never expected anything in return. ...more Virtue: Service Trading card #: 1

Milton Hershey (...more) The Chocolate King

Milton Hershey became very rich by selling candy. At first it was caramels, but as you may already know, it was "Hershey's Chocolate" that made him wealthy and famous. Milton and his wife, Catherine gave their money, time, and energy to open a home for boys who didn't have a mom or a dad. Today in Hershey, PA, because of his GENEROSITY, homes and schools for over 1,500 children provide the help and encouragement those boys and girls need. ...more Virtue: Generosity Trading card #: 11

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan (...more) The Miracle Workers

When Helen Keller was a child, she became very sick and lost her hearing and her sight. Fortunately Anne Sullivan became Helen's teacher, and devoted herself to helping. Anne's total COMMITMENT to her student completely changed Helen's life. She taught Helen to spell words with her fingers, to recognize objects by touch, to read Braille, and to speak. While Helen was attending college, Anne spent many hours spelling books and lectures into Helen's hand. ...more Virtue: Commitment Trading card #: 15

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (...more) The Voice of Equality

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his life working to make his ideas come true. In a famous speech called "I have a dream," he said that all people, no matter the color of their skin, should be treated equally. Some people hated the Rev. Dr. because of his dream. But he focused on his goal of equality and would not change his mind. He showed STEADFASTNESS as he marched peacefully and encouraged others, even children, to help his dream come true. ...more Virtue: Steadfastness Trading card #: 24

Lewis & Clark & Sacagawea (...more) Trailblazers

CURIOSITY led the team of Lewis and Clark on a long and difficult trip in this nation's early history. Leading other explorers and helped by a young Shoshoni girl named Sacagawea, they traveled from the Midwest to the Pacific Ocean in Oregon. Every day of that adventure they learned new information about plants, animals, and the native peoples who lived there. They wrote many notes in their journals, so now our CURIOSITY about that fantastic journey can be satisfied. ...more Virtue: Curiosity Trading card #: 3

Abraham Lincoln (...more) The Great Emancipator

Even when he was alive, people called him "Honest Abe." Our beloved 16th president, who freed the slaves and who kept the country together, believed in HONESTY. As he faced challenges in his personal life and in his public duties, Abe told the truth. That's why the voters of his time believed in him. That's why Americans today still respect him. ...more Virtue: Honesty Trading card #: 4

George C. Marshall (...more) Peacemaker

Although General George. C. Marshall was a soldier, his number one LOYALTY was to the goal of peace. He helped to win World War II, and he wanted to prevent World War III. He came up with a plan to help feed and house the victims of that long war. Because the Marshall Plan helped millions of people have better lives, the General was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. By being loyal to the cause for peace, he made the world a safer place. ...more Virtue: Loyalty Trading card #: 16

John Muir (...more) Father of our National Parks

In a factory accident, John Muir became blind. Miraculously, his eyesight came back. Not being able to see for a month led him to decide to spend his life seeing the beauty of nature. Then he realized that just as his own vision had been taken away, so might natural wonders be taken away if not protected. His FORESIGHT led him to convince our leaders to preserve the wilderness. They saved incredible land and water areas that are now our National Parks. ...more Virtue: Foresight Trading card #: 9

Rosa Parks (...more) Mother of the Civil Rights Movement

The bus driver said, "Move to the back and stand." Rosa Parks said "no." She was scared when she refused to follow his order, but she had the COURAGE to do what she knew had to be done. African-Americans had very few civil rights in the U.S. until brave people like Rosa started taking action against unfair laws. Their courageous deeds to fight discrimination made our country a better place for everyone. ...more Virtue: Courage Trading card #: 20

Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey (...more) Team Players

Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey loved the game of baseball. But professional baseball teams before 1947 allowed only white players on a team. Jackie, a "Negro League player," and Branch, the Brooklyn Dodgers' manager, supported the goal of black and white players on the same team in the "Major" leagues. Through their COOPERATION, despite a lot angry people who didn't like the idea, America's favorite sport was finally integrated. Today, athletes of any skin color can play together. ...more Virtue: Cooperation Trading card #: 22

Eleanor Roosevelt (...more) First Lady of the World

Eleanor Roosevelt was a person who did many good deeds for others. As our country's First Lady during the 1930's Great Depression, she saw millions of poor people suffering. Knowing she could not provide food and homes for all the poor, she did her best to make their lives happier. Her simple acts of KINDNESS, such as a letter to them, or a visit, brought hope to needy folks whose lives were often hopeless. ...more Virtue: Kindness Trading card #: 18

Jonas Salk (...more) Medical Pioneer

Even the disease's name scares everyone today: Cancer. But in the 1950's the scary disease was Polio. It paralyzed or killed children. People kept hoping someone would find a way to stop it. Dr. Salk worked every day for years to discover a vaccine to prevent polio, and he succeeded. But instead of bragging and taking lots of money for his work, he displayed HUMILITY and kept working as a doctor to find cures for other diseases, including cancer and AIDS. ...more Virtue: Humility Trading card #: 21

Harry S Truman (...more) America’s Thirty-Third President

One of the mottoes on President Harry S Truman's desk started with three words, "Always do right...". His INTEGRITY proved that he followed those words. Even with small matters, he behaved in the right way. When he wrote letters to his wife, the President always paid for his own stamps. Using the free government mail was not "right" because the letters were personal. He did the "right" thing even when no one was watching. ...more Virtue: Integrity Trading card #: 17

Harriet Tubman (...more) Moses

Harriet Tubman was free. She had escaped from slavery. To help other slaves escape, she became a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. Escaping slaves knew they could count on her. None of the 300 slaves who walked the freedom trail behind Harriet were ever captured. Wow! Her RELIABILITY rate was 100% - totally dependable for the people who needed her. ...more Virtue: Reliability Trading card #: 5

George Washington (...more) Father of Our Country

Possibly no other person in U.S. history had greater RESPONSIBILITY than George Washington. The colonists assigned him the duty of Commander-in-Chief to win our war for independence. He did. The citizens of our new nation assigned him the duty to be our first President and lead us. He did. In everything he did, this great man showed RESPONSIBILITY as a great leader. When the job needed to be done, he did it, and he did it successfully. ...more Virtue: Responsibility Trading card #: 2