It is often said that “history repeats itself” and who could argue with a notion whose truth has been so consistently demonstrated? But as destined as it is to repeating, history has also been guilty of forgetting. On occasion, it forgets a person truly deserving of our admiration — someone who changed the course of history, but whose name today is barely known and whose accomplishments are little remembered. Stephen Girard was precisely such a person.

    The Stephen Girard Awareness Initiative seeks to correct this unfortunate oversight of recorded history. Our Initiative strives to introduce Girard’s name and his extraordinary humanitarian, patriotic, and philanthropic accomplishments through education, the use of print and broadcast channels, the Internet and social media. Our ForgottenPatriot.com website is the touchstone of that effort. 

The Stephen Girard Awareness Initiative is a project of the Girard College Alumni Association — fitting sponsors, since we are all men and women who have benefited by receiving a full room and board scholarship education from the Girard College for Orphans, the school Stephen Girard founded in 1848. Girard’s bequest to build and perpetually operate the school remains to this day as one of the greatest acts of philanthropy in the history of America.

We would very much like to hear from you about our Initiative and to have your support for what we are attempting. You can help by visiting the ForgottenPatriot.com website periodically and often. You can help even more by telling others about this site. And you could get further involved, if you are so inclined, by funding our activities. 

However many of these ways to you choose help, you have our deepest appreciation.