American Heroes is an anthology of 50 biographical portraits of key American figures—people whose heroism has in some way shaped American society. This group of great Americans was not famous or successful merely by the standards of their own time. Something about their achievements, whether familiar or not, transcends their time to make their greatness resonate throughout history. These American heroes, either as household names or through contributions that we recognize even though the contributors are not as well known, have become woven into the fabric of American history. Their achievements are diverse, but we recognize their spirit as uniquely American.