Iconic Individuals as Exemplars of the American Spirit

The influence of exemplary individuals on conceptions of national identity is well known but rarely studied in quantitative ways. We explore the American case, asking a panel of survey respondents from the state of New Hampshire, to identify one living, and one deceased person who best reflects the values and true spirit of contemporary America. Former United States Presidents dominated the nominations. A minority of social justice icons and businesspeople were also to be found. Social bandits or ‘outlaws’, sporting heroes, celebrities and colonial pioneers were rarely mentioned. Political partisanship and social background, in particular, age, gender, education level and gun ownership are also associated with choosing exemplars of the values and spirit of America. Our findings broadly support the idea that a ‘sacred center’ linked to political power and civil religion has yet to be eroded by popular culture or postcolonial critique.