Ralph Bunche, American political scientist and civil rights advocate, was born August 7, 2009. Early on, Bunche became a prominent political scientist widely-known in academic circles, but he earned international recognition through his lifelong commitment to human rights. In his numerous speeches and writings, Bunche expounded his belief during the civil rights movement that democracy and racial prejudice could not coexist, and he went on to serve as a diplomat for the United States government and the United Nations. For his mediation between ethnic groups in Palestine, Bunche won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950, becoming the first person of color in the history of the Prize to earn the honor. Below, an excerpt from one of his earliest speeches, “That Man May Dwell in Peace”:

We may speak of treaties without end – of pacts and agreements of every kind. But the texts of pacts and treaties and agreements have no inherent remedial powers. Treaties are, when signed, only what the nations and the signatory governments make of them. They may for the moment close the gates of conflict, but at any time the devastating war-flood may again be unloosed!

The world must, then, look to the cultivation of a universal desire for peace – a universal cooperation among all peoples that a lasting peace may be attained.

It will be immediately urged that such a foundation cannot be laid without a rather comprehensive change in human nature.

I believe that, before a permanent peace can ever be achieved by this strife-ridden world, such a “change” is absolutely essential. The league and the court are assuredly commendable steps in the proper direction, but the physical framework without the soul – without universal goodwill – is impotent.

We must cultivate a spirit of World brotherhood! But many will insist that such a process is quite outside the realm of practicability and at best but idealistic.

However, psychology informs us that human nature is plastic indefinitely, yes, infinitely modifiable. Sociology further reveals that man is by nature a social product. Individually, we are but human vessels into which society pours the ingredients which make of us character-possessing, rational individuals.

Why, then, is it not possible to accomplish with human beings what the late Luther Burbank has done with horticultural specimens? Why can we not, by means of social education centering about a new concept of the human self as a member of a world society, turn thorny, unproductive, shirking, exploiting, cross-grained human natures into cooperating members of a great united human brotherhood?

I do not maintain that anything magical is to occur – but gradually, by means of social education, we must strive to supplant mutual fears and hatreds among the world’s citizenry with mutual coordination of wills toward world peace.

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. For understanding eschews dislikes, vitiates fear, and gives rise to faith and trust, in which lies the spirit of cooperation.

—Excerpted by Jodie Liu

*Photo courtesy sergio_leenan.