As the New Year approached in 2020, millions of Americans shared internet memes reflecting the widespread hope that the new year would ease the chaos and fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. This, coupled with one of the most dramatic and contentious elections in American history, produced the sense that a new era was beginning. Nevertheless, 2021 proved just as challenging as the year that preceded it. Americans still faced a deadly disease that continued to kill thousands each month, while new variants expanded the danger to younger segments of the population. Efforts to combat the virus met with resistance, stalling progress and placing limits on Americans' daily lives. One record of this tumultuous year can be found in the speeches delivered by the most important and influential pop culture figures of the era. From new President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the highest-ranking female politician in American history, to activists and celebrities, the speeches from America's most significant figures provide an important reflection of the kinds of things that Americans cared about, worried about, and argued about over the course of the year. In the increasingly noisy and crowded information environment of American culture, only the loudest voices and most provocative issues rise to the forefront of the public debate. However, because of digital media, a number of smaller, more esoteric issues were also able to capture the public imagination, if only for a few brief moments--Preface. Selected from a diverse field of speakers and venues, this volume offers some of the most engaging American speeches of the year. Distinguished by its diversity, covering areas in politics, education, popular culture, as well as trending topics in the news, these speeches provide an interesting format to explore some of the year's most important stories.

Commencement speeches of the year.Leading with love to build healthier and safer communities / John Legend -- Remarks to the United States Naval Academy graduation and commissioning ceremony class of 2021 / Kamala Harris -- It takes courage to ask: is it possible to do what people say is impossible? / Bina Venkataraman -- Commencement address to the University of Pennsylvania class of 2021 / Laurene Powell Jobs -- Commencement speech to the Suffolk University class of 2021 / Marty Baron -- Covid and the mask debate. House speaker at the COVID-19 Memorial / Nancy Pelosi -- Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic / Joe Biden -- Rally speech in Cullman, Alabama / Donald Trump -- Florida governor addresses COVID-19 and the Delta variant / Ron DeSantis -- Apology for comparing mask mandates to the Holocaust / Marjorie Taylor Greene -- Health and equity. Texas governor vows to "eliminate all rapists" and signs voting bill / Greg Abbott -- Valedictorian's speech on abortion rights / Paxton Smith -- Remarks before a reproductive rights roundtable / Kamala Harris -- Congresswoman testifies on America's Black maternal health crisis / Cori Bush -- The Affordable Care Act and healthcare / Kamala Harris -- Facebook head of safety testifies on the mental health effects of children and teens / Antigone Davis -- Rand Paul questions health nominee on gender reassignment for minors / Rachel Levine -- Facebook whistleblower opening statement: Senate Hearing on Children & Social Media / Frances Haugen -- Hurricanes, flooding, and climate change. Remarks to the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate / Joe Biden -- Civilian Climate Corps / Chuck Schumer and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez -- Governor surveys wildfire damage, talks climate change / Gavin Newsom -- Remarks at the 2021 Leaders Summit on Climate / Avril Haines -- Speech at the B20 2021 inception meeting / John Kerry -- September 11th and the Afghanistan conflict. Remarks at the Flight 93 National Memorial / George W. Bush -- The end of the war in Afghanistan / Joe Biden -- Remarks honoring the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks / Merrick Garland -- Congressional leaders at the 9/11 remembrance ceremony / Nancy Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy, Chuck Schumer, and Mitch McConnell -- Domestic terrorism caseload has more than doubled / Christopher Wray.