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Capsule Biography

A capsule biography is a brief synopsis of a person’s life that highlights key facts, accomplishments, and other important details. It is usually no more than a few paragraphs and focuses on the most significant events in an individual’s life. It is often used to introduce a speaker at an event or provide a brief overview of a person’s life for an article or book.

Introduction

A capsule biography is a concise summary of a person’s life and accomplishments. It is a powerful way to showcase who you are and what you have achieved in a few words. It is an important component of professional networking and job applications, as it gives employers a brief overview of a candidate’s qualifications and experience. A well-crafted capsule biography is a great way to stand out and make a lasting impression. It should be concise, accurate, and structured in a way that is easily digestible for employers.

When crafting a capsule biography, it’s important to highlight the most important aspects of your life and career. Start off by introducing yourself and adding a few sentences about your personal background, such as where you come from, what you studied, or any awards you may have won. Then, move on to outlining your professional experience, such as past positions held, the companies you have worked for, and any skills you have acquired along the way. Finally, include a few sentences about your ambitions and any accomplishments you are proud of.

By taking the time to craft a compelling capsule biography, you can ensure that employers have a clear view of who you are and what you have to offer. It is a powerful tool for making a great first impression and can be the difference between getting the job or being passed over.

Definition of a Capsule Biography

A capsule biography is a short, concise, and to the point description of a person’s life, accomplishments, and career. It gives readers a broad overview of a person’s life in a few sentences or paragraphs. It also serves as a way to introduce an individual to the public, such as a job applicant or a political candidate. It is usually written by the individual themselves or a professional biographer.

A capsule biography should include basic information about the individual, such as their name, educational background, and work experience. It should also include any awards, honors, or distinctions they have achieved, as well as any special skills or interests they may have. It should be written in an engaging and interesting way, and should be kept to one page or less. In addition, the capsule biography should be tailored to the audience, as different groups may be interested in different facts about the individual.

Finally, it is important to remember that a capsule biography should be kept up to date. As a person’s life, accomplishments, and career evolve, so should their capsule biography.

Types of Capsule Biographies

A capsule biography is a brief, informative summary of a person’s life and accomplishments. It is usually used to highlight the individual’s career, achievements, and qualifications. It may also be used to introduce the individual to potential employers, business partners, or investors. There are several types of capsule biographies, each with its own unique purpose.

The most common type of capsule biography is the professional biography. This type of biography is used to highlight a person’s professional background and accomplishments. It includes information such as work experience, education, and awards. This type of biography is typically used to apply for a job or to promote oneself in the business world.

Another type of capsule biography is the personal biography. This type of biography is used to highlight a person’s personal life and accomplishments. It includes information such as family, hobbies, and personal interests. This type of biography is often used for personal networking, promoting oneself in the social world, or when applying for scholarships.

Finally, the executive biography is used to highlight the accomplishments of a person in a business setting. This type of biography includes information such as professional experience, business decisions, and leadership qualities. It is typically used to introduce an individual to potential investors, partners, or employers.

No matter the type of capsule biography, it should be brief, well-written, and informative. It should provide readers with a clear understanding of the individual’s life and accomplishments. Furthermore, it should be presented in a professional manner and should be optimized for search engines.

Benefits of Writing a Capsule Biography

Writing a capsule biography can provide a number of benefits for individuals and businesses alike. A capsule biography can be used to summarize a person’s life and accomplishments, helping to promote a career, business, or individual’s accomplishments. A capsule biography can also be used as a marketing tool to showcase a person’s talents and experiences. Additionally, a capsule biography can be used to introduce a person to a potential employer or business contact, giving a brief, yet comprehensive, overview of the individual in question.

For businesses, a capsule biography can be used to promote the accomplishments and successes of an individual or team. This can be used to boost company morale, as well as help to attract new customers and clients. Additionally, a capsule biography can help to showcase a person’s skills and make them stand out from the crowd, helping to increase their chances of success.

Overall, writing a capsule biography can be an invaluable tool for individuals and businesses alike. It can provide an effective way to promote and market a person or business, showcase their skills and accomplishments, and give an overview of their experiences. Consequently, a capsule biography can be a powerful marketing tool that can help to maximize success.

Tips for Writing a Capsule Biography

Creating a capsule biography can be a daunting task. It’s important to remember that a capsule biography is a brief summary of one’s professional or personal life that highlights the key points in a concise and engaging way. It should be optimized for search engines and be SEO friendly.

When writing a capsule biography, it’s essential to include relevant data and real-world examples to provide an in-depth analysis of the subject. Additionally, it’s important to reference expert opinions and ensure that the content is informative and engaging.

When writing a capsule biography, it’s important to begin with a strong opening statement. The introduction should be brief and direct, while capturing the attention of the reader. It’s also important to highlight the subject’s key professional accomplishments and goals in an articulate and concise manner. Additionally, it’s important to include relevant data and real-world examples to provide an in-depth analysis of the subject.

Lastly, it’s important to proofread the capsule biography to ensure that the content is free from errors and presents the subject in an accurate and professional manner. By following these tips, one can create an effective and engaging capsule biography that accurately conveys the subject’s professional or personal life.

A capsule biography is a brief overview of a person’s life, career, accomplishments, and personal life. It is often used to introduce a person in an article, book, or other professional context. While it is typically brief, it should provide enough information to give the reader a clear idea of who the person is and what they have achieved. It should also be engaging and informative, as this helps to draw the reader in and encourages them to read further. By creating a capsule biography that is optimized for search engines, you can ensure that your work is found by the right people. With a bit of creativity and research, you can craft an effective and compelling capsule biography that gives readers the information they need.

FAQs About the Capsule Biography

Q1: What is a capsule biography? A1: A capsule biography is a brief description of a person’s life and accomplishments, usually no more than a few paragraphs in length.

Q2: What information should be included in a capsule biography? A2: A capsule biography should include the person’s name, education, work experience, any honors or awards they have received, and any other significant accomplishments.

Q3: How long should a capsule biography be? A3: Generally, a capsule biography should be no more than a few paragraphs in length. It should be concise and to the point.

A capsule biography is a useful tool for summarizing a person’s life in a concise, easy-to-read format. It is an effective way to give readers a brief overview of a person’s accomplishments, education, and other relevant information. It can be used to summarize a person’s life for a variety of purposes, such as a biography for a website, a career profile, or a resume. A capsule biography is a great way to quickly and effectively share information about a person’s life.

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Biographical Sketch Examples – A Guide to Biographical Sketches

A biographical sketch can be regarded as an account of the life and activities of a person or family. This sketch should be written by someone else and not the person that it is written for. When properly written, biographical sketches can tell many interesting facts about a person they are written for. It mentions the age the person lives, their occupation, hobbies, and many other things worth mentioning. 

So, how do your Write a Biographical Sketch?

When you write a biographical sketch, you must remember the purpose of the sketch, be precise, and highlight the achievements and influences of the person. Arrange your information logically, and verify your information before putting them out there. 

What Is A Good Example Of A Biographical Sketch?

An excellent example of a biographical sketch should include information on the individual or family’s names, residence, education, occupation, life activities, and other vital information. A biographical sketch must also have hobbies, friends, interests, and the influence of people in the individual’s life and achievements. 

A biographical sketch should be around 500 words and should include answers to the following questions;

• Where is the place of residence of the individual?
• What did they do for a living?
• Was the person married?
• Did they had children?
• What are the names of their parents or guardians?
• How long did they live in their last place of residence?
• Why did they join military or paramilitary forces like the Army or the Boys scout?
• What happened to them when they joined the military?
• What did they achieve in and outside of their main occupation?
• When did they die?
• How friends, family, and other people did remember them?

Please type your biographical sketch with the 12-point font and double-spaced. It is also essential to check for punctuation, spelling, and verbal usage errors. It would be best if you allowed friends, family, and another person who has come across the individual to contribute any vital information to the sketch, as they have the necessary information that can be useful in many ways. 

You may not be able to answer all the biographical sketch questions fully; that is okay as long as you make the final report very interesting. 

Tips And Ideas For Writing Biographical Sketch

A biographical sketch is supposed to paint the abbreviated picture of an individual’s life. It can be written about your own life or someone else’s. When written about someone else’s life, the sketch must explain who the person is and highlight their achievements. If a biological sketch is about you, then the same rule applies. 

You must get permission before you write a biography sketch. You must approach the individual or their family members and ask for their permission to write about the individual’s life. 

In some cases, asking for permission may not be necessary, for instance, if the individual is a public figure or deceased individual, but seeking approval will make your work a lot easier. 

If an individual wants a biographical sketch, they will surely provide some vital information or resources you will need to do the work. You may throw in your skill into the write-up, but the primary information about the person is more important. For this reason, getting permission and a true story from the right source is always an excellent step to take. 

In addition to presenting an individual or yourself in a positive light, you must keep readers engaged and wanting to know more. 

The first thing you must keep in mind when writing a biographical sketch is to remember your purpose. This notion means the sketch must provide the core information about the individual. You must include the full names, place of birth, occupation, family background, and significant accomplishments. 

If you are writing a biographical sketch about yourself, it is known as an autobiographical sketch. You may write this sketch to promote yourself, for instance, when you want to sell a book. When a biographical sketch is about you, then your primary focus should be your accomplishments.

Another tip that is vital for a successful biographical sketch is conciseness. It would be best if you were concise with all information provided. You should aim for 500 words or less with your biographical sketches. This should fit into a single-spaced, standard page. Keep in mind that a sketch is a condensed or compressed version of a fuller biography; hence you should pay attention to the core information. 

The core information in a biographical sketch includes; background and history plus accomplishments. To be concise with the information provided, you must choose the essential sentiments due to the space confinement for the report. 

It would be best if you highlighted the achievements and influences of the recipient of the biographical sketch. Highlighting the recipient’s accomplishments will impress the audience more and make them more interested in the person. 

It would be best to mention how life’s accomplishments affected the individual’s life, and you may incorporate their influences into the sketch.  An example of highlighting achievement in a biographical sketch is as follows;

“Marcus Rashford is a wall street Journal author who speaks worldwide about how small and medium businesses can escape the effects of marketing mediocrity to produce tangible results. Forbes named him one of the most influential people shaping modern business marketing”. 

This brief highlight showcases the occupation of the individual and his achievement within the sector. Every other achievement mentioned in a biographical sketch should follow a similar format to save space. 

Now that you have mentioned the life achievements of the individuals and their background, the next step is to arrange your information logically or in sequence. You must have gathered all the necessary information. Hence it would be best if you gathered your fact. 

Keep in mind that 500-word content will probably give you 4-5 paragraphs to include all necessary information. You may want to write the biographical sketch in chronological order or retell their life in full, but the space constraint remains an issue. 

In an autobiographical sketch, you may have to consider a bullet list to highlight achievements. It all depends on how much information you have and how well you want to summarize such. You must be ready to shorten your information to include all achievement highlights. 

Verifying your information is as essential as any other tip here. Before you publish or present a biographical sketch of an individual, you must double-check all your sources. You must confirm your information to be accurate to prevent misrepresentation that can mislead people. 

Sometimes, interviewing the person involved may be necessary; otherwise, you must have a credible source for your information. 

What Is The Difference Between Biographical Sketch And Capsule Biographical? 

People often confuse capsule biography with a biographical sketch, but there is a wide range of differences between the two. 

The main difference is that a biographical sketch is like a summary of a capsule biography, which means you can extend a biographical sketch into a full bio. The Capsule biography covers some essential elements: name, birthplace, parents’ names, significant achievements, and death. 

You may think that the elements in a capsule biography are the same as those in a biographical sketch, capsule biography can include more details on its descriptions. For instance, you can provide the achievements of the individual in more information; likewise, they may emphasize personal information more. 

What You Must Avoid In Biography Sketch

Aside from making brief descriptions of the accomplishments of an individual, there are some things you should avoid including in such a biography.

For instance, you must not include attempts at any accomplishments. These are regarded as incomplete, and they should not be mentioned in the sketch except when references are made. 

You must not include personal issues such as divorces, criminal convictions, and information on other related matters in biography sketches. Such sketches aim to emphasize the accomplishments of an individual and not their shortcomings. 

You must not include fabricated accomplishments, titles, positions, and awards in a biography sketch. You can quickly discover false information in this modern digital age; hence You could remove your biography sketch, and you could be sanctioned. It is better to avoid exaggerated achievements than to get caught up in lies. 

Everyone should have a biography sketch, and you don’t have to wait until you are old or passed away to have a biographical sketch. A biographical sketch can help generations after you know more about your life, and you may become a source of inspiration to them.  

If you are writing about someone else, you should do comprehensive research and confirm every detail of the information you get before you publish them in the biographical sketch. Not gaining permission for a biographical sketch can lead to litigations, and you may find yourself paying huge fines or even go to jail for such. Please make sure the relatives of the individual get the sketch before you publish it.

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Tips for Writing a Biographical Sketch (With Examples)

• DESCRIPTION writing a biographical sketch
• SOURCE Imagezoo / Imagezoo / Getty Images
• PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license

AMPERE biographical rough paints an abbreviated video of someone's life . It ca be written about personage else’s life or my own life . Are you’re writing about someone any, then you must explain anybody the person your the highlight their major achievements. If the biographical sketch is about you, the same check apply, in addition to the goal of presenting yourself in a positive daylight. Below, you’ll detect tips on writing ampere factual sketch — additionally known as a biosketch — inches order to keep our engaged and make others need to know more about the subject.

1. Remember Your Purpose

Biographical sketches usually provide an account of a person's life and enclosing core information. If you’re writing a biosketch about mortal else, you’ll want to focus on the ensuing basic information: completely full, date/place on birth, house background, occupation, and major accomplishments.

We can plus write biographical sketches about ourselves — otherwise known as autobiographical designs — when our require to promote ourselves, say, for one book or presentation. Often, we need to create professional portfolios that include a resume, samples of professional work and a biographical sketch. In these instances, the primary focus are greater accomplishments, which we will show in some are the examples below.

2. Be Concise

It’s best to aim forward approximately 500 words or less inches these sketches. That’s equivalent to about one standardized, single-spaced page. Remember, as a “sketch,” this is going into be a condensed version by a fuller curious. You’ll want on tap into those core our, including background and history, along with pertinent achievements. You will, however, have to select only the most noteworthy sentiments, as you’ll being confined to estimated one single-spaced page.

3. Highlight Achievements and Influences

Try to highlight notable achievements is will impress the audience and construct the subject a moreover memorable one. Mention how these accomplishments affected the subject’s life. Likewise, you can also incorporate personalization influences into the artist.

This is a snippet out lehrer marketer Ann Handley ’s biographical sketch. In it, she masterfully highlights her key and influence on her industry.

"Ann Handley exists a Wall Street Journal bestselling author who speaks worldwide about how companies bottle escape marketing negligence until ignit tangibility results. IBM namen her one of the 7 people shaping modern marketing."

4. Arrange Your Information

Once you’ve gathered all which must information to compose a biographical sketch, it’s time on format my facts. Will yours retell the person’s life in chronological order? Or, will you lead with yours major achievements and then circulate back to tell their full story?

Five thousand words only gives you three to five paragraphs to work with. In an auto sketch, you can even consider adenine bulleted list. Take adenine viewing at this sample biographical sketch via Leonard Burnstein, American conductor, composed and educator.

Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918-October 14, 1990) will forever be remembered for seine entries to who world of entertainment. The world-renowned, honor winning American composer, conductor and pianist enjoyed an long and storeyed my that involved concert corridors to the world and massive success in theatre, television and motion pictures. His contributions to Brodway, bewegung pictures and the world of music changed the media our permanently. In the early days of the Massachusetts native’s professional career, he served with of Latest York Philharmonic as assistant conductor. His incredible talent was immediately recognized. He quickly rose to notoriety and began composing concertos and Broadway musicals. During the 1940s, he composed the symphonies Jeremiah, Age of Anxiety and the Broadway musical On the Town. During the 1950s, he composed learn Broadway musicals, including Beautifully Select, Honest, and the internationally-acclaimed West Side Story. Shortly after completing Westbound Show Story, in 1958, Bernstein was named music director for the New York Philharmonic, a role he held until 1967. Bernstein’s career more to expand or grow even more winning as he left his mark on one planet of music as a writer, conductor, educator, and author. During his decade-spanning career, Bernstein traveled the worldwide bringing the joy of musics to audiences everywhere. He served as guest conductor for many major polyphony, including the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. He worked more an educator at Boston’s Tanglewood Music Home press By University in Walla, Boston. He also published two books of essays, Joy of Music furthermore Infinite Variety of Music. His later works include the dance drama Dybbuk, aforementioned shows Gemessene: A Opera Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers and 1600 Paints Avenue, and the ballet A Quiet Place. Bernardine was recognized equal numerous awards throughout his career, including two Tony Awards, seconds Primetime Emmy Awards the 16 Grammys. Male was also recognized with a coveted Kennedy Center Distinctions Award. Early in his career, he was nominated for an Academy Pricing to the score of On the Port. Bernstein never stopped composing, continuing into create and perform until just a less months before fellow passed out int October 1990. To final performance as a conductor was at Tanglewood Music Central in August 1990.

5. Verify Yours Information

Before publication or introducing a life sketch on an individual, double-check all your sources. It’s important that the product being presented shall confirms also accurate. If you’re typing ampere biographical sketch, to subject are the your person to give accurate information. Is into interviews possible? If not, as you obtain informations about your subject of other roots, be sure to verify its veracity. Here’s more with how to find plausible quell .

Biographical Sketch Example for Students

If you need to spell a biosketch about myself, review the original example below for inspiration. It's via a fictional college student, however you can follow of biosketch format and tone to create your own personen statement. A time capsule is a historic cache of items or information, normally intended as a intentional method of communication with future people, and in help future ...

Personal biographical sketch

Biogragraphical sketch vs. capsule biography.

If you’re writing your own biographical sketch, it can be extended into a capsule biography or full-blown autobiography. A capsule biography covers six german elements: name, birthdate, birthplace, parents’ names, large achievements, and death.

While the topics are comparable, capsule biographies are able to include a little more view than biosketches, which focus on major achievements, with possibly just one tiny little personal detail at the end. Syringe Birth, Biosketch, Feature Article Overview | PDF

Write Yours Owner History Sketch Today

A biographical sketch is an important tool in a professional’s toolkit. If you’re a writer, it can help you formulate a byline . If you’re find for jobs, it can help you formulate thine professional summarized .

Expand the Story Out a Biosketch

All in every, a biosketch is a sprung to yours report. Now which you know how to write a biographical sketch, it can even extend for your super own autobiography, memoir either biography about someone else. There, you’ll be free to dive into all sorts of anecdotes and tales . Autobiographies and biographies are not limited go overarching achievements in roughly 500 words. Whether you’re writing a biography either autobiography, check out these tips on how to engage the reader . There, you’ll learn about the artist on who hook , a practice helpful to every genre of writing.

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Definition of capsule

 (Entry 1 of 3)

Definition of capsule  (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

Definition of capsule  (Entry 3 of 3)

• narrow (down)
• apothegmatic
• compendious
• elliptic
• epigrammatic
• monosyllabic
• sententious
• telegraphic

Examples of capsule in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'capsule.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

French, from Latin capsula , diminutive of capsa box — more at case

circa 1693, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

1859, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1938, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capsule

• Bowman's capsule
• time capsule

Dictionary Entries Near capsule

Cite this entry.

“Capsule.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capsule. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of capsule.

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Kids Definition of capsule  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of capsule.

called also internal capsule

called also external capsule

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Author Interviews

A historian's view of 'an extraordinary time capsule of the '60s'.

Reena Advani

Doris Kearns Goodwin's late husband, Dick Goodwin, and Bill Moyers peering over President Johnson's desk in the Oval Office to see the edits the president is making on a speech draft in May, 1965. LBJ Library photo by Yoichi Okamoto hide caption

Doris Kearns Goodwin's late husband, Dick Goodwin, and Bill Moyers peering over President Johnson's desk in the Oval Office to see the edits the president is making on a speech draft in May, 1965.

When acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin delved into 300 boxes of memorabilia preserved by her late husband Richard Goodwin, she got to relive with him his twenties. In real life, they first met when he was 40 years old and she was 29.

In 1972, he walked into her office at Harvard, where they both had office space, and the two bonded over shared interests. "So began a conversation about LBJ, the Sixties, writing, literature, philosophy, science, astronomy, sex, evolution, gossip, the Red Sox, and everything else under the sun," Kearns Goodwin writes in her new memoir, An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s. It's an intimate account of her husband's experience in law, military service, and politics, capturing his pursuit of social justice in everything he did.

Items from Dick Goodwin's boxes. The author's late husband served as an advisor and speechwriter for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Courtesy of Christie's Images, Ltd. hide caption

Items from Dick Goodwin's boxes. The author's late husband served as an advisor and speechwriter for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

As a longtime political speechwriter and presidential adviser to John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, he wanted his own history remembered, so he asked his wife to help him relive it and ultimately write it. That meant delving into dozens of letters and journals, a kind of time capsule of the 1960s. Their date nights involved watching old presidential debates between John F. Kennedy and incumbent Richard Nixon and critiquing their performances together.

"He would describe to me how he was preparing Kennedy for that," Doris Kearns Goodwin said in an interview on Morning Edition . "We'd go backward and forward. So it was really fun. I remember he said to me at the beginning, 'Are you nervous? Do you wonder who's going to win?'"

Doris Kearns Goodwin and Dick Goodwin were married in 1975. Marc Peloquin, courtesy of the author. hide caption

Doris Kearns Goodwin and Dick Goodwin were married in 1975.

Richard Goodwin advised Kennedy in the White House, and after Kennedy's assassination, he stayed on with President Lyndon Johnson. In An Unfinished Love Story , Doris Kearns Goodwin celebrates the many historical moments of the 1960s that her husband had a large hand in defining, including the founding of the Peace Corps and helping to draft the lauded Voting Rights Act speech delivered by President Johnson.

Doris Kearns Goodwin came to our studio in Washington D.C., for a conversation with NPR's Steve Inskeep.

Steve Inskeep: The key line [in the Voting Rights Act Speech] – you called it the "We Shall Overcome" speech. This is a line from a spiritual that people sang as they were demonstrating for civil rights. Johnson just says it. What did it mean that Johnson just said that?

Kearns Goodwin: What it really meant was that's a moment when the person in the highest level of power is connecting to an outside group, the civil rights movement, who are pressuring the government to act. And that's when change takes place in our country.

SI: How do you think Richard was able to win the favor of and the trust of powerful men without losing himself, as some staffers do?

KG: It wasn't always easy. I think the fact that he had been with John Kennedy before Lyndon Johnson meant there was always a layer in Lyndon Johnson of not fully trusting him because he thought he was a Kennedy. You know, that was that fault line. You were either a Kennedy, or you were a Johnson. Even the first time when he calls Bill Moyers on the phone and there's this great tape where he's saying, "I need someone to be my speechwriter." This was only months after John Kennedy had died.

Dick Goodwin, President Kennedy, and David Dean Rusk, the president's secretary of state, in front of the U.S. Army helicopter on the White House South Lawn. Feb. 1, 1962. Abbie Rowe, courtesy of John F. Kennedy Library hide caption

Dick Goodwin, President Kennedy, and David Dean Rusk, the president's secretary of state, in front of the U.S. Army helicopter on the White House South Lawn. Feb. 1, 1962.

And he says to Moyers, "I need someone who can put sex in my speech, who can put rhythm in my speech, Churchillian phrases. Who could that be?" And Moyers says, "well, there's Dick Goodwin, but he's not one of us." And he knew then that that would always mean that he would always have a layer of not full trust.

SI: I feel that that relationship in microcosm is something that goes all the way through American life because this is a class difference along with everything else, right? Guy from Harvard versus the guy from a teacher's college in Texas.

KG: So true. I mean, one of the things Johnson used to say a lot was that his father always told him that if you brush up against the grindstone of life, you'll get more polished than anyone who went to Harvard or Yale ever did. But then he would add, but 'I never believed that.' I mean, there was always - and he was so much more brilliant than many people who go to Harvard or Yale. I mean, he used to call me Harvard half the time.

SI: When you met your husband, your future husband, in the early '70s, he's still a relatively young man but had had his greatest accomplishments. Would you say that that's true?

KG: I think that was the thing that was hard for him the rest of his life. I mean, he did do work after that. He wrote a play that was put on in London. He wrote columns. He wrote manifestos about America's revolution, the need for a new revolution. He got more radical as time went on. And he did work on Al Gore's concession speech.

SI: That's a gracious speech, Al Gore's concession in the 2000 election...?

KG: It was a lovely speech. Al Gore had called him and said that he wanted a victory speech or a concession speech. But Dick knew that the concession speech would be more important. And what a great, important memory is that right now that in that year of 2000, he was able to say, the law of the land is this. I don't agree with the decision, but I cherish this tradition and congratulate President Bush. We need that so badly right now.

SI: I'm struck by the idea that he thought people would not remember.

KG: I'm not sure what it was, but yeah, he did feel that need. It wasn't so much even for his work but for the work that he did together with these presidents because he wanted people to remember that the '60s was a time when young people in particular were powered by the conviction that they could make a difference. And tens of thousands of people joined the Peace Corps, were marching against segregation, against denial of the right to vote, were anti-war marching – and the beginning of the women's movement, the gay rights movement. It was a great time to be alive and a great time to be young.

The audio for this interview was produced by Kaity Kline.

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