The pen is mightier: when words (and leadership) change history

Words have the power to shape values, shift attitudes, and motivate people to act. As such, the cultural, societal, and historical impact of words is often long-lasting and far-reaching.

People who changed the world for the better have typically shared an understanding of how to capitalize on the power of language, while also embodying the qualities of influential leadership.

The article provides an overview of 14 historical—and some contemporary—examples of writers, scientists, poets, activists, and politicians who used their respective talents in written and verbal communication to alter the narrative of history.

The power of words and leadership

Books, poems, speeches, and headlines all use language as a catalyst for change, whether to spark social justice reform, advance political policy, or inspire global movements.

Effective leaders are experts at harnessing the power of words to authentically convey emotions, foster empathy, and open up dialogues that may otherwise be left unspoken.

Whether you’re considering a career as an author, marketer, politician, or another occupation, understanding how changemakers wield language to make a positive impact will undoubtedly inform your own rhetorical prowess and success.

Books that changed the course of history

Books can serve as vital representations of historical transformations by people who changed the world for the better. Below are four such examples of nonfiction and fiction works that altered the way people view politics, science, and societal attitudes and bias.

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels (1848)

Published by a group of German-born socialists called the Communist League, this political pamphlet connected major societal shifts with historical class struggles, making it arguably one of the most influential in history.

The manifesto helped define the core principles of communism at the time, laid the groundwork for what would become Marxism, and inspired a succession of communist revolutions in the 20th century.

With class-based inequities and political unrest continuing to rise around the world, the premise that capitalist societies will ultimately be overthrown by the working class is one that remains relevant to activists today.

Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852)

A passionate abolitionist, Harriet Beecher Stowe authored the best-selling novel of the 19th century in response to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Although it is a work of fiction, the book served as an eye-opener into the harsh realities of slavery in the United States.

In doing so, it helped galvanize support for the abolition movement and may have advanced the existing tensions between northern and southern states ahead of the Civil War. Stowe’s work is said to have influenced President Lincoln and inspired the anti-slavery movement in Great Britain.

On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin (1859)

Often heralded as the greatest science book of all time, On the Origin of Species introduced Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution via natural selection. Because it challenged widely held beliefs regarding divine creation espoused by established religions, such as how old the universe was, it was considered radical for its time.

Prior to publication, different aspects of the natural world were being explored via geology and astronomy, and Darwin’s research and concepts informed what are now modern sciences including biology, genetics, ecology, and psychology.

In addition to his still-celebrated scientific ideas and accomplishments, Darwin also serves as a powerful example of how presenting research-based arguments with tenacity and determination can help change rigid societal attitudes.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair (1906)

The Jungle sparked major national controversy when it exposed the disgusting conditions—including dead rats, open latrines, and chemical-ridden rotting meat—that proliferated in stockyards and slaughterhouses in the US.

Upton Sinclair hoped that his stomach-turning depictions of unsanitary conditions and the oppression of meat processing workers would generate outrage about “wage slavery” while promoting socialism as an obvious solution. However, the public focused more on the horrifying condition of the meat, which helped catapult the pure food movement to the forefront of the conversation.

As a result, President Theodore Roosevelt eventually signed the first comprehensive federal food safety laws in America, including the Meat Inspection Act and The Pure Food and Drug Act, which created the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This solidified Sinclair’s legacy for the effectual use of language as a catalyst for change, even though it wasn’t exactly the type of revolution he had in mind.

Poems that inspired artistic and cultural change

Poetry has the power to enlighten, inspire, and highlight injustice. Not only do the three poems below highlight the creativity and skill of the people who wrote them, but they each also serve as a unique magnifying glass focusing on societal issues of their respective times.

"The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot (1922)

Written in the aftermath of the devastation of World War I, this poem is one of the most influential of the modernist era.

Through the use of a disjointed, chaotic structure and the juxtaposition of allusions to Greek mythology with images of industrialization and squalor, T.S. Elliot expertly paints the picture of the collapse of civilization. He also makes the prescient connection between technological advancement and the fragmentation of society, which holds as much (if not more) relevance now as it did in his own era.

“I, Too” by Langston Hughes (1926)

Langston Hughes, a leading member of the Harlem Renaissance in New York, wrote this groundbreaking free verse poem after facing discrimination when attempting to board a ship home from Italy.

In a consummate reference to Walt Whitman’s poem “I Hear America Singing,” Hughes highlights racial inequality and speaks of the Black Americans who also “sing” of America but are treated as second-class citizens.

Although it pre-dates the civil rights movement, “I, Too” is often considered a protest poem, in which Hughes skillfully balances a tone of subtle defiance with joyful optimism.

“How to Write a Poem in a Time of War” by Joy Harjo (2019)

Poet and musician Joy Harjo is the 23rd poet laureate of the United States and the first Indigenous person appointed to this role.

In “How to Write a Poem in a Time of War,” Harjo tells the haunting story of an invasion by an unnamed army—detailing what happened not only to her tribe, the Mvskoke Nation, but also to countless colonized cultures around the world. The poem is a powerful narrative of survival and self-validation both for oppressed peoples and for Harjo herself.

Having overcome derision and rejection early in her writing career, she serves as an inspiring example to future Indigenous poets (and women in particular) by becoming a commanding and meaningful voice for representation, transformation, and healing in the 21st century.

Orations that shaped the world

Well-designed and strongly delivered orations are capable of transcending time and space. Whether due to the speaker’s influential leadership skills, ability to create a compelling vision, or persuasive and impactful technique, the three speeches below undoubtedly influenced opinions and shaped society as we know it.

“Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln (1863)

President Abraham Lincoln’s dedication of a military cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War is one of the most striking examples of leadership through communication in American history.

His moving speech of fewer than 275 words, in the wake of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, articulately conveyed that the fight was not just to save the Union but also “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

Although reception of the Address was divided between parties at the time, the prolific speech still resonates today as a vision for a democracy that is still a work in progress.

"Blood, Toil, Tears, and Sweat" by Winston Churchill (1940)

Winston Churchill’s speech before the House of Commons after accepting the position of Prime Minister is arguably the most prolific of his career, as it set the tone for his historic leadership of Britain during World War II. 

His galvanizing rhetoric—such as the phrase “Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be”—was delivered with a self-assurance and candor that won a vote of confidence from a previously divided House.

Churchill’s stalwart inaugural words also helped spur a new British outlook toward the escalating conflict in Europe as well as illustrated the power of language to unite and rouse government and country.

“I Have a Dream” by Martin Luther King Jr. (1963)

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s heralded “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington was a defining moment in American history.

Not only was his inspiring rally cry critical to the passing of landmark anti-discrimination legislation—including the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act—it remains to this day the ultimate primer on how to eloquently and effectively use language as a catalyst for change.

Dr. King shared with the crowd his vision for a better, more equitable country wherein people of all races could prosper and live in harmony. He famously ended his oration with a line from a traditional Black hymn: “Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.”

Headlines that stirred nations

Headline writers are tasked with summarizing major world events in only a few words. When done well, these words have expressed the significance of historical transformations, informed the masses, and provided much-needed hope to readers.

“Peace!” (1945)

This simple but impactful headline from the front page of The Sun based in Sydney, Australia, officially marked Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II on September 2, 1945. The enthusiastic use of an exclamation point is somewhat unconventional but serves to convey a sense of collective joy and relief after six brutal, deadly years of conflict.

“The First Footstep” (1969)

Neil Armstrong made history as the first man to walk on the moon on July 21, 1969. The succinctly poetic headline from London’s Evening Standard expresses the significance of this scientific and engineering feat, helping usher in an exciting new era of space exploration, discovery, and technology.

“The Iron Curtain is Swept Aside” (1989)

Before it fell, the Berlin Wall stood as a forbidding symbol of the Iron Curtain, a political boundary that separated Eastern Bloc nations from the Western Bloc. Built by the Soviet Union to stop the flow of refugees from East to West Germany, its destruction in November of 1989 represented a symbolic freedom from the Soviet stranglehold that was artfully captured in metaphor by the Daily Telegraph of London.

“Mandela Goes Free Today” (1990)

On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years in jail at the hands of the South African government. He was given a life sentence after fighting against apartheid by forming an armed wing of the African National Congress that was labeled as a terrorist organization. To celebrate Mandela’s long-due release, the South African City Press ran a clear-cut but triumphant headline.

Learn more about historical transformations and cultural change

As part of the concentration in Literature, Culture, and Tradition for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree at Penn LPS Online, you’ll study and examine the worldviews of diverse cultures, including how they change over time and place. Through historical, literary, and cultural analysis of sources and artifacts, you will learn how to evaluate complex cultures and scenarios, then apply your analytical approaches to gain important insights into contemporary issues.

The concentration prepares you to:

• Understand critical historical themes and issues from ancient times to the present, with an emphasis on exchanges between different cultures
• Analyze key literary and historical texts, from perspectives of gender, religion, politics, sociology, cultural anthropology, and economics
• Explore the history of religion and how it continues to inform modern cultures, politics, and societies.

If you haven’t already, apply to Penn LPS Online today and register for the Literature, Culture and Tradition concentration for the BAAS degree. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can enroll in the Certificate in Creative Writing or the Certificate in Leadership and Communication. You can also view our course guide to learn more about what individual courses are available in any upcoming term.

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