The Last Lecture: Timeless Lessons from Commencement Speeches

Episode 41 - Václav Havel: The Power of the Powerless

Before he was a president, Václav Havel was a dissident playwright who argued that even under a totalitarian regime, one could live in truth. This episode explores his profound essay on how small acts of integrity can challenge an entire system built on lies. It is a timeless lesson on the courage of individual conscience.

Episode 42 - Barbara Jordan: Statement on the Articles of Impeachment

In 1974, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan delivered a speech that became the moral anchor of the Watergate hearings. With her powerful voice and unwavering faith in the Constitution, she elevated the debate from partisan politics to a defense of the republic itself. This episode is a study in moral clarity and the power of principled leadership.

Episode 43 - Robert F. Kennedy: On the Mindless Menace of Violence

The day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Robert F. Kennedy delivered a raw and reflective speech about the "mindless menace of violence" that afflicts the human soul. We listen to this powerful call for compassion and self-reflection, a plea to replace division with a common effort to understand. It is a speech that is tragically relevant today.

Episode 44 - Malala Yousafzai: Nobel Peace Prize Lecture

Accepting the Nobel Peace Prize at just 17, Malala Yousafzai spoke not of her own story, but for the 66 million girls deprived of an education. This episode explores her powerful call to action, reminding world leaders that "one child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world." It is a testament to the courage of a new generation.

Episode 45 - James Baldwin: A Talk to Teachers

In 1963, James Baldwin delivered a blistering and brilliant address to a group of New York City school teachers. He argued that the purpose of education is to create the ability to look at the world for oneself and to question everything. This episode unpacks his radical vision of education as a tool for liberation, not social control.

Episode 46 - Gloria Steinem: Address to the Women of America

At the conclusion of the 1977 National Women's Conference, Gloria Steinem delivered a speech that captured the spirit of second-wave feminism. She outlined a future of true equality, not just of opportunity but of humanity. We revisit this powerful moment and explore its vision of a world remade by empathy and justice.

Episode 47 - Bryan Stevenson: We Need to Talk About an Injustice

In a TED Talk that has been viewed by millions, public interest lawyer Bryan Stevenson makes a powerful case for confronting the history of racial injustice in America. He argues that the opposite of poverty isn't wealth, but justice. This episode delves into his four key lessons for creating a more just world, starting with the power of proximity.

Episode 48 - Greta Thunberg: How Dare You?

"You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words." With these searing words at the UN, Greta Thunberg became the voice of a generation confronting the climate crisis. This episode examines her raw, emotional, and unapologetic rhetoric, exploring the power of a young voice speaking inconvenient truths to the powerful.

Episode 49 - Arundhati Roy: The End of Imagination

In response to India's nuclear tests, writer Arundhati Roy delivered a passionate and poetic denunciation of nationalism and weapons of mass destruction. She argues that the bomb is not a weapon, but a "failure of the imagination." This episode explores her powerful plea for a different kind of power—the power of stories, empathy, and a world without borders.

Episode 50 - Desmond Tutu: The Rainbow People of God

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the moral conscience of South Africa's transition from apartheid to democracy. This episode explores his theology of Ubuntu—the idea that "I am because we are"—and his joyful, compassionate vision for a "Rainbow Nation." It is a profound lesson in forgiveness, reconciliation, and the power of restorative justice.