April 21, 2026 – A recently discovered memoir by Sargent Shriver, We Called It A War: Lessons Learned from the Fight to End Poverty, is being released today. A first-hand account of Shriver’s leadership of the War on Poverty, which he undertook under President Lyndon Johnson between 1964 and 1968, Shriver’s book offers a rare inside view of how programs like Head Start, Community Action, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA, now AmeriCorps VISTA), Job Corps, Legal Services, Neighborhood Health Centers, Foster Grandparents, Upward Bound, and Work-Study were conceived and implemented—and how Shriver’s approach can be applied to tackling poverty in America today.
We Called It A War documents a specific moment in American history that can also capture the imagination of contemporary policymakers. The organizing principles of treating poverty as a national emergency still offer lessons for today: early childhood education programs empowered whole families; community health center boards included patients; skills training programs were linked to real jobs; and legal services gave ordinary people leverage in the systems that shape their lives.
In his introduction to the book, University of Chicago history professor Adam Green aptly describes We Called It A War as “a unique opportunity to rethink what those policies entailed, as government action and creative public experiment. ” Shriver himself, reaching through time with his words, makes a sweeping declaration that hopefully fuels action in his readers: “We called it a war. We have only now begun to fight it. But if, as a nation, we ever do, it will prove to be the greatest victory in the history of humanity.”
Advance Praise for We Called It A War:
“We Called It A War is essential reading for anyone committed to the challenge of proving democracy can deliver, especially today.”
– Stacey Abrams, political strategist
“In these pages you feel the urgency, the creativity, and the deep humanity behind programs that lifted millions. We Called It A War isn’t a history lesson; it’s a reminder of what moral leadership looks like when we choose to act.”
–José Andrés, chef and philanthropist
“We Called It A War pulls you into the room where Head Start and Job Corps were born—not as abstract policy, but as concrete bets on people’s potential. Sargent Shriver’s voice throughout is practical, warm, and clear-eyed about what it actually took— and what it takes—to fight poverty at scale.”
–Mallory McMorrow, former Michigan state senator and candidate for U.S. Senate
“Being in the inaugural class of Head Start put me on a path to learning, to the world outside of my environment, and to thinking creatively about what my life might be. Shriver’s retelling of his life’s work fighting poverty and inequality could not be more timely and has profound lessons for our democracy at this moment.”
– Darren Walker, former president, Ford Foundation; Head Start graduate
We Called It A War is available for purchase where all books are sold. Cleared archival stills and footage references, and a programming brief are available upon request. Interview opportunities with Maria, Timothy, Bobby, and Mark Shriver can be coordinated for print, radio, television, and live events.
Press contact:
The Lead PR
Jeffrey Schneider
646-210-9367 | jeffrey@theleadpr.com
Scott Bixby
212-518-1658 | scott@theleadpr.com
