250th Anniversary

This month, we turn our attention to a woman whose influence took a different form, though no less enduring in its effect: Dorothy Day. Born in Brooklyn in 1897, the daughter of a journalist, her early life was shaped by movement and a close exposure to the wider conditions of American life at the time.

Though Randolph’s name is not etched into marble as often as some of his contemporaries, his influence lingers in something quieter and perhaps more difficult to sustain: the expectation that deliberative bodies must function even when disagreement runs high.

As the United States enters its 250th year, the Grey School of Wizardry is taking a moment to look back at some of our nation’s wisest figures. Over the next year, we’ll be celebrating one American Wizard each month, reflecting on how they thought about the world, how their influence still rings true for today.