Today, we celebrate the 190th birthday of the “father of American literature,” Mark Twain, a storyteller whose wit, wisdom, and honesty spoke to the heart of our Nation.  Through humor and imagination, he transformed everyday life into timeless tales, embodying the American spirit of daring and defiance, courage and confidence, and excellence and adventure.    

Before he took up his famous pen name, Samuel Clemens was raised in the river town of Hannibal, Missouri, where the sights and sounds of the Mississippi River would later inspire some of his greatest stories.  He worked as a printer’s apprentice, riverboat pilot, and silver miner before discovering his true calling as a writer.  From these early experiences came the sharp humor, plainspoken wisdom, and unforgettable characters that made him one of America’s most beloved voices.     

Mark Twain witnessed the events that shaped our Nation’s story and transformed his everyday life into novels that still define American culture.  Living through the Civil War, the Reconstruction era, and the rise of the Industrial Age, Mark Twain chronicled a country finding its identity and gave voice to the forgotten Americans who make it so unique.  His journeys took him around the world, where he found meaning in the everyday experiences shared by Americans from all walks of life.  Through classics such as Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Innocents Abroad, he captured the humor, hardship, and hope of an era, a people, and a Nation.  His humor was honest, his honesty was humorous, and both were unapologetic, bold, and distinctly American.  

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started,” Mark Twain once wrote.  And his words still ring true today.  From the very first day of my Administration, we got to work fulfilling the promises we made to the American people, and we are delivering historic results.  We are revitalizing our economy, lowering prices and costs of living for everyday Americans, securing the safest border in history, and brokering unprecedented peace deals around the globe.  We are restoring law and order, rebuilding American strength, and renewing pride in the values that make our country great.  In so doing, we are fulfilling Mark Twain’s hope for an America that measures greatness not in the illusion he once called the “Gilded Age” but in the Golden Age of prosperity for all Americans.

Happy birthday, Mark Twain! 

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