Diplomat, political scientist, and professor Ralph Bunche was a leading figure in the U.S. civil rights movement and global decolonization of the mid-20th century. He was the 1950 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the first Black Nobel laureate, and was the first Black Member elected to the APS.
In 1926, Ralph Bunche gave a speech at UCLA titled "That man may dwell in peace." In this speech, he said, "Hatreds are superficial—based upon fear, ignorance, blind prejudice or a desire to dominate for selfish ends. They are simply mental attacks upon others, perchance calling for a physical attack or war in self-defense and retaliation. If people can, by educational processes, mutually arrive at greater understanding and sympathy, these hatreds will in large measure be dissipated."
Since 1743, APS Members have sustained its mission—speaking out with conviction that intellectual inquiry and critical thought are inherently in the best interest of the public. Check back weekly for their words of wisdom.