AN DIA KIRTL The Cleveland Museum of Natural History December 1999 51:99-104 PRESENTATION OF THE DAVID S. INGALLS, JR. AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE* PRESENTATION OFTHEAWARD MIRIAMSMEAD Trustee, The ClevelandMuseumofNaturalHistory 1 WadeOvalDrive, UniversityCircle Cleveland, Ohio44106-1767 Wehavegatheredtonighttopaytributetotheworld’s encouragedthisyoungwoman,whohadnoformaltraining, foremostauthorityonthechimpanzee.Dr.JaneGoodall.In tobeginalong-termstudyofthechimpanzeesinthejungles overthirty-fiveyearsofpatientobservationattheGombe ofAfrica.Littledidheknowhowgiftedshewouldbecome GameReserveinEastAfrica,shehasreachedacrosseons atcommunicatingwiththesenon-humanprimates. oftimetoourevolutionarypastandcompletelychangedour Thus, inJuly of 1960, withherbelovedmotherasher understanding ofthe mostintelligentofthe greatapes. companion,JaneGoodallbeganoveraquartercenturyof StephenJayGould,whoreceivedthis awardin 1993, has observationsanddiscoveriesofman’sclosestrelativeatthe notedthatJaneGoodall’sworkwithchimpanzeesisoneof GombeGameReserve (now Gombe National Park). This theworld’sgreatscientificachievements. wasthebeginningofthelongestcontinuousfieldstudyof JaneGoodallwasbominLondon,England. Herfather animalsintheirnaturalhabitat. wasanengineer;hermotheraninternationallyknownnov- In1962,withLeakey’surging,shebeganworktowarda elist.Asachildshehadagreatfascinationforanimals.Her Ph.D. atCambridgeUniversity. In 1965 shewasawarded dreamwasto someday gotoAfricato study animals. In herdoctorateinethology.Shebecametheeighthpersonin 1957 that opportunity arose. She was invited to visit a thehistory ofCambridge tobe awardedaPh.D. without friend’sparents’ farminKenya. Sheworkeddiligently to havingfirstearnedabachelor’sdegree. earn herpassage. At the age oftwenty-three she left Shereturned to Africato found the Gombe Stream EnglandbyoceanlinerforMombasaontheEastAfrican ResearchCenter. Herworkcontinuestheretoday,through coast.Followingthevisit,shesetoffforNairobitofindthe theeffortsofherresearchteam, providinginsightsintothe famedanthropologistLouisLeakey. livesofnon-humanprimates. The scientific world, atfirst Dr. Leakey was greatly impressed by this young critical ofherresearch methodology, today lauds her woman’s intense interestin animals andhiredheras an approachofpatientobservation,oflettingthechimpanzees assistantsecretary.Intimehegainedgreatconfidenceinher tell aboutthemselves. Today hermethodis the standard abilities and wasimpressedby herendlesspatience. He usedbyfellowethologists. *On April 18, 1997, the David S. Ingalls, Jr. AwardforExcellence was presentedtoJane Goodall. A slightly shortened versionofMiriamSmead’sspeechonthatoccasionisprintedhere.JaneGoodall’sremarks,whichfollowonp. 103-104,are excerptedfromheracceptancespeech. 100 SMEAD No.51 ThroughtheyearsDr.Goodall’sresearchandfascinating discoverieshavebecomeknowntotheworldthroughmany avenues: herwritings, television appearances. National Geographicarticles,anddocumentaries.Sheistheauthorof fourbooksforadults andtwoforchildren. Throughher books,IntheShadowofMan(1971), TheChimpanzeesof Gombe (1986), and Througha Window (1990), she has enchanteduswithheranecdotesaboutherGombechimps. Wehavemetandcometoknowtheindividualswhoselives shehasobserved.Wenowunderstandthattheyhavebehav- ioral patterns, cognitive abilities, emotions like ourown withthecapacityforaffectionandtenderness,andthatthey are capable ofmakingandusingtools. Andyes, likeus, theyalsohaveadarksidetotheirnatureandcanbejustas brutal as humans. Throughherbooks thatmirrorchim- panzee life, we see ourown lives reflectedandbecome starklyawareofhowcloselywearerelated. In 1977 sheestablishedtheJaneGoodallInstitutefor WildlifeResearch,Education,andConservation.Basedin SilverSpring,Maryland,itpromotesanimalresearchthrough- outtheworld,andprovidessupportforresearchonwildchim- panzees.Italsoprovidesfundingforsanctuariesinanumberof Africanlocationsforthehumane,long-termcareoforphaned chimpanzees.Tragically,increaseddemandforthem,notonly byscientists,butbycircuses,zoosandfilmstudios,hasresulted inanincreaseofillegaltradeintheseprimates. Awarethatfieldresearchmustbeaugmentedbyconser- vationeducationtopreserve wildchimpanzees andtheir habitats,shebegana“RootsandShoots”programinAfrica as an efforttoinvolve youngpeople in conservation. In 1993 Dr. Goodall andadelegationofchildren made an JaneGoodall,April 18, 1997. appearance at the United Nations Environmental Conference.Followingthis the “RootsandShoots”move- mentspreadtomanycountriesthroughouttheworld. the GoldenMedal ofConservationfromthe SanDiego Sheisthefounderof“ChimpanZoo,”aprogramforstu- Zoological Society, the KilimanjaroMedal forWildlife dents,keepers,andvolunteerstostudychimpanzeebehavior Conservation Prize, and the J. Paul Getty Wildlife in zoo groups. Suchprograms havehelpedto greatly ConservationPrize, tonameafew.ThisMuseum’sDavid improvechimpanzeelife inzoos, withlargerenclosures, S.Ingalls,Jr.AwardforExcellenceisawardedtoanindi- morenutritiousfood,andactivitiestohelpdispelboredom. vidualforexcellenceinresearch,educationorconservation With grave concernsforthedwindlingpopulations of in oneofthefieldsofnatural sciencerepresentedbyThe chimpanzees,in 1986shehelpedfoundtheCommitteefor ClevelandMuseumofNaturalHistory.Theindividualcho- theConservationandCareofChimpanzees.Shelobbiedthe senwillhavemadeamajorcontributionthatisrecognized UnitedStatesgovernmenttogiveaddedprotectiontochim- bythenationalorinternationalscientificcommunity. panzeesbyreclassifyingthemas “endangered”ratherthan Dr. Jane Goodall, weareindeedindebtedtoyou, not as “threatenedspecies.”By appearingonprimetelevision onlyforthemorethanthirty-fiveyearsinwhichyourgiftof programs shehashelpedtoeducatethepublicconcerning communicationwiththechimpanzeeshasdispelledmyths conservationissues. andrevealedprofoundscientificdiscoveries,butalsofor Anotherconcernhasbeenthetreatmentofchimpsandother yourabilitytocommunicateandsharewithustheexcite- animalsintoday’smedicalresearchpractices.Sheisdedicated mentandthetruthsofyourresearch.Insodoingyouhave tomakingimprovementsinthisarea.Asourambassadorfor woncountlessnumbersofhumansupportersofallagesfor thechimpanzees,herpleainherownwordsis,“Surelywe thesenon-humanprimates,ourclosestrelatives. mustspeakforthem-fortheycannotspeakforthemselves.” Itismydistincthonor,onbehalfoftheBoardofTrustees Dr.Goodallhasbeentherecipientofnumerousscientific ofTheClevelandMuseumofNaturalHistory,topresentto awards:theNationalGeographicSociety’sHubbardMedal, youtheDavidS.Ingalls,Jr.AwardforExcellence. 1999 101 INTRODUCINGJANEGOODALL WILLIAMC.McGREW DepartmentofSociology, Gerontology,andAnthropology,andDepartmentofZoology MiamiUniversity, Oxford, Ohio45056 OnMonday,April 14th, 1997, USATodayreportedthatthe nalsandchaptersineditedvolumesfollowed,buthermagnum mostpopularAmericantelevisioncommercialof1997sofar,as opusappearedin 1986. TheChimpanzeesofGombe,published determinedbyreadersurvey,isanHBOcommercialfeaturing byHarvardUniversityPress,all673pagesofit,becamethe JaneGoodallandthechimpanzeesofGombe.Uponreadingthis, “bible”forchimpology.Nootherprimatologist,beforeorsince, Icouldonlysmileandshakemyhead:firstly,becauseIwasin hasproducedsuchavolume. Kigoma,Tanzania,whentheHBOfilmcrewpassedthrough Whatmakeshersciencesogood?Isuggestthreeelements. townandsowonderedwhattheywereupto,andsecondly, Firstshetookcarefulnoteofthespontaneousactsofindividuals, becauseitshowedyetagainthatwhentonight’srecipientputsher andIstressthatlastword.Fromthetimethattheapescouldbe mindtoaprojectitwillhaveanimpact. identified,sheperceivedthemasindividuals,refusingtolump IfeelhonoredtobeaskedtointroduceJaneGoodallthis thembyage,sex,orrank.Ineffectshe“listened”towhateach evening,butIalsofeeldaunted.Afterall,wehaveknownone chimpanzeehadtosayandcametounderstandtheirrichsocial anotherformorethanaquarterofacentury,yettheorganizersof worldaccordingly.Second,shepersevered.Janecommittedher- thisevening’sceremoniestoldmetoconfinemyremarkstoonly selfandhercolleagues,Tanzaniansandexpatriates,tothelong- 10minutes, 15atthemost! So,fromthemanylivesofJane termstudyofanorganismwhoselifespanismeasuredin Goodall,Ihavechosenjustthree:JaneGoodallasscientist,Jane decades.Thisnowamountsinsomecases(mostfamouslywith Goodallaseducator,andJaneGoodallasconservationist.This the“F’family)tofourgenerationsofchimpanzees.Third,she omitsseveralotheraspects,admittedly,butthen,anyoneofthese neverpermittedherselftobecomeensnarledindogma.Shewent threecouldhavetakenupallthetimeallotted! toGombewithanopenmindandkeptitopen.Ifthechimpanzees JaneGoodallasscientistmustbe,firstandforemostthemain showedherinfanticideandcannibalismaswellasmaternaldevo- reasonthatweareassembledhereatoneofthenation’smost tion,thenshereporteditall.Whenafteralmost15yearsofappar- renownednaturalhistorymuseums.And,evenifourrecipienthad entlyharmlessthoughnoisythreatsanddisplays,theapesshowed neverinspiredasinglestudentnorsavedasingleape,herplace herinter-communitywarfarethatledeventofatality,thenshe tonightwouldbesecureforherresearchandscholarshipalone. dulyexpandedherconceptionofchimpanzeenature. Sheis,Isuspectthemostwidely-knownandrespectedwoman WhataboutJaneGoodallaseducator? Shehasneverhelda scientistintheworld.Yetshegottobethatwaybyamost permanentfacultypositionandsohasneverofficiallysuperviseda unorthodoxroute:Sheneverwenttoauniversityasanundergrad- graduatestudentyetherinfluenceonlearnershasbeenimmense. uate;hermentor,LouisLeakey,whosentherouttodofieldwork, AtarecentWenner-GrenFoundationconferenceonTheGreat wasaprehistorianandnotaprimatologist;andinsteadofjoining Apes,21primatologicalexpertsconvened.Theseweretheworld’s anestablishedresearchteamatawell-knownfieldsite,shewas finestresearchersongorillas,orangutans,andbonobos,aswellas senttostartfromscratch,accompaniedbyhermother!(Although chimpanzees.Fullyathirdofthem,7inall,hadworkedwithJane anyonewhoknowsVanneGoodallwillrealizewhatahappy atGombe.Janehasmentoredundergraduates,graduatestudents, choicethatwas!)Topileonemetaphoruponanother,Jane andpost-doctoralfellows,whoarenowtobefoundatthenation’s Goodallwasthrowninatthedeependandmadetore-inventthe bestinstitutionsofhigherlearning.Anyoneofuscouldstandhere wheelwhenitcametofieldprimatology. thiseveningandtellyouofthecrucialnatureofJane’scontribution Theresult?Thepersonwhohadneverseenawildchimpanzee toourintellectualdevelopmentatGombe. whenshebeganinJuly, 1960attheGombeStreamReservein Yet,JaneGoodall’spedagogygoesfarbeyondthehallsof westernTanzania,becametheworld’sexpertonthespeciesin academe.Asearlyas1967,shehadbeguntoeducatethegeneral lessthanadecade.Howthatcameaboutwouldtakealecturein public, with the publication ofMy Friends, the Wild itself,butby1963shehadtoldusofchimpanzeesbeinghunters Chimpanzees,whichgrewoutofherNationalGeographicarticles andsharersofmeatand,ayearlater,sherevealedapetechnology andtelevisiondocumentaries.Shebrokenewground,sometimes inamasterlylittlelettertoNature.Thenshewasofftothe astonishinglyso.In1971,herobituaryforoldFlo,thematriarch UniversityofCambridgetotackleaPh.D.withoneoftheworld’s oftheGombechimpanzees,waspublishedintheSundayTimes. foremostethologists,RobertHinde,andtheresultingthesis Shewrotenotone,buttwobest-sellingpopularaccountsofGombe: becamehercomprehensivemonographonthelivesofGombe’s IntheShadowofManin1971,coveredGombe’sfirst10years,and chimpanzees,publishedin1968.Scoresofarticlesinlearnedjour- ThroughaWindowin1990,chronicledthenext15years. 102 McGREW No.51 Yet, as an academic, I mustreturn to what may be foundedChimpanZoo,aconsortiumofNorthAmericanzoos Jane’smostsignificant,yetleastrecognized,impact,thatof whothroughcollectiveresearchontheirchargeshaveraised an educator. In 1997, one ofmy students at Miami theconsciousnessofkeepersandadministratorstothecondi- University,AmyMcClain,undertookaprojecttoassessthe tionsofconfinement.Elsewhere,JaneiscommittedtoRoots extentofJaneGoodall’sinfluenceatlarge. Shecombed andShoots,herconservationorganizationfocusedonyoung through40 introductory collegetextbooks, meticulously people,nowintheprocessofbeingexpandedtoincludecol- notingevery—mentionofchimpanzees.Jane’spresencewas legestudents.Itisnoaccidentthatitsmottois:“Everyindi- ubiquitous whetherin anthropology, biology, orpsy- vidualcanmakeadifference.” Herwritingreflectsthese chology, Jane Goodall was chimpanzees. She was cited appliedinterests. Goodall’s 1993book, VisionsofCaliban, evenmoreofteninculturalanthropologytextbooks(afield writtenwithDalePeterson,recountsthecomplexandsome- ofthediscipline supposedly restrictedtohumanbeings) timespainfulrelationsbetweenhumansandtheirapecousins. thaninbiologicalanthropologytextbooks! Intermsofthe SomepeoplehavequestionedJaneGoodall’snowover- dissemination ofknowledge in the widest sense, she is ridingcommitmenttoconservation,butitseemsaperfectly surelyprimatology’sanswertoMargaretMead. straight-forwarddevelopment: incomingtoknowanother JaneGoodallspendsmostofherwakinghoursthesedays species,youcometovalueit,andifthatmeansworkingto asaconservationistandcampaigneronbehalfofthewelfare saveit,thensobeit.Besides,JaneGoodallhasalwaysbeena andpreservationofchimpanzees,bothincaptivity andin conservationist. Does anyonereallybelievethatGombe nature. Thisis mostreadily seen inthefund-raising and StreamReservewouldhavebeenupgradedtoanationalpark speakingengagementsthatgotosupporttheJaneGoodall in1968,hadshenotdonechimpanzeeresearchthere? InstituteforWildlifeResearch,EducationandConservation, So,mytimeisup,althoughthereisstillmuchmorethat withitsvarietyofactivitiesworldwide.Mostdirectofthese couldbesaid,butIthinkyou’veheardenoughfromme.Iam aretherefuges, orsanctuaries, incountries like Congo, pleasedtobeabletosayafewwordsaboutsuchascientist, Tanzania, KenyaandUganda, that take inconfiscated, educator, conservationist, andfriendofall chimpanzees orphanedorabandonedchimpanzees. Onanotherfront,she everywhere,Dr.JaneGoodall. 1999 103 REPLY JANEGOODALL JaneGoodallInstitute P.O. Box14890 SilverSpring, Maryland20911 Thankyou,whatanhonortobehereandtoreceivethis AssoonasIbegantoread,Iwantedtoreadbooksabout wonderful, prestigious prize. And thankall ofyou for animals.Dr.Doolittlewasoneofmyearlychildhoodheroes. comingtosharethisspecialmoment.Standingupherenow ThenImetTarzan,andbythetimeIwaseightornineIwas infrontofyouall Ican’thelpbutberemindedofanold madlyinlovewithhimandterriblyjealousofTarzan’sJane. Texassaying, “Ifyouseeaturtleontopofa 10-footpole IthoughtthatIwouldhavemade amuchbettermatefor yousureasheckknowshedidn’tgettherebyherself.”As Tarzanmyself.So,bythistimeIwasdreamingaboutgoing oneclimbsupthetenfootpoleoflife, indeedthereareso toAfrica, ofliving withanimals, andwritingbooksabout many people to provide help and support. I’ve been them.Myfamilyhadnomoney,myfatherwasofffighting incredibly fortunateduringmylifetohave hadallthose inthewar. Mymother’sfriendsapparentlykeptsayingto students,peoplelikeBillMcGrewandLinda,whohelpedto her,“Whydon’tyoutellJanetodreamaboutsomethingshe collectthedataovertheyears,thewonderfulTanzanianfield canachieve?She’llnevergettoAfrica.”Butyousee,this staff,andallthestaffoftheJaneGoodallInstitute. remarkablemotherusedtosaytome, “Jane, ifyoureally Ofallthepeoplewhohelpedmethroughoutmy life, wantsomething,andifyoutakeadvantageofopportunity,if colleaguesandfriends,scientists,andjustordinarypeopleout younevergiveup,you’llfindaway.”So,thewayIfoundis there,theonethatIfeelIowethemosttoismymother.Itold history.Iworkedasawaitresssavingupthewagesandthe herthismorningthatIwasgettingthisaward,andshewished tips, andIreceivedthat wonderful letterinviting meto shecouldbehere.Sheis93yearsoldnowandsheisassharp Africa.Isetoffattheageoftwenty-threeonthisbigship,by assheeverwas.Rightfromthebeginningshehasbeenthere myself,tostaywithmyschoolfriend.ThatwaswhenIheard tosupportandhelp.WhenIhadtakenawholehandfulof aboutLouisLeakey. earthwormsuptobedwhenIwasjusteighteenmonthsold, EverytimeIcometoaplacelikethis,Isortofgobackto shedidn’tsay“yuck,”andthrowthemoutofthewindow.She thoseearlydaysinKenya,toLouisLeakeyandthenatural said,“Jane,ifyouleavethemheretheywillsoonbedead.”So, history museum inNairobi. I couldanswermostofthe Iranwiththemintothegarden.Afewyearslater,Iwentoffto questionsheaskedmeaboutthe animals. That’swhyhe spendtimewithmyfather’sfamilyinthecountry.Here’sthis gavemeajob.Thenheallowedmetogowithhiswifeand littlegirlfromacity,lovinganimals,whoissuddenlyoutin one otheryoungEnglish girl and himself, ofcourse, to thefieldsamongthecows,thepigsandthehorses.Oneofmy OlduvaiGorge. InthosedaysOlduvaiwasn’tknownatall jobs,asIwentthroughthesemarvelouslearningdays,wasto becausenohumanfossilizedremainshadbeenfound, so helpcollectthehens’ eggs.AsIcollectedtheeggsandput therewasnoroad,therewasnotrail,therewasnothing. theminmybasket,Ibegantobecurious.There’stheegg,so Everydayafterthehardworkofchippingawayunderthe whereistheholeinthehenbigenoughforthateggtocome hotsun,wewereallowedtogooutontheplains, andin outof? Icouldn’tseeit.Ikeptaskingeveryoneandnobody thosedaysthere were somany animals: thegiraffes, the obviouslytoldmetomysatisfaction,soIdecided,inmylittle zebras, andthe antelopes. Andone eveningthere was a four-and-a-half-year-oldmind,thatIhadtofindoutbymyself. rhino,andtwoyoungmalelionsthatfo—lloweduscuriously Isawahenwalkingupthegangplanktoherlittlewooden about, whichwasalittlebitfrightening butjustmagic. I houseandIcrawledafterher. Sheflewout. So,Ihidinthe wonderifyoucanimaginewhatitwaslikeforthisyoung backofthehenhouseandIwaitedandIwaited.Myfather’s girlwhohaddreamedofAfricaallherlife.Everymorning familycalledthepolice. Andasduskwasfalling, andmy whenIwokeup, Iwasinmydream, andmydreamwas motherwasstilloutsearching, shesuddenlysawthislittle suddenlyareality.Ithinkthat’swhenLouisLeakeydecided creaturerushingtowardthehouse,coveredinstraw. She Iwasthepersonhehadbeenlookingfor,togoandtryand didn’tgrab,assomanymotherswould,andask,“Wherehave findoutaboutourclosestlivingrelative. youbeen?Don’tyouknowhowworriedwehavebeen?”She Hewasfaraheadofhistime,agiantandgeniusofaman, sawmyexcitementandsatdowntohearthewonderfulstory anotherofthegreatinspirationalforcesinshapingmycareer. ofhowahenlaysanegg. Hearguedthatifwefoundbehaviorthatwascommonto 104 GOODALL No.51 humanstoday andchimpanzeestoday,thatbehaviormay similarities,alongwiththesimilarbrainandcentralnervous wellhavebeenpresentinanapelike,humanlikecreaturethat system,Idon’tthinkso.Thisleadstoethicalproblems,when ledtothestockleadingtotoday’schimpanzeesandhumans. wethenconsiderhowweuseandabusesomanyofthese Ifbehaviorcommontochimpanzeesandhumanstodaywas amazingnon-humanbeings,oftenwithoutreallythinkingof presentinthecommonancestormillionsofyearsago,then what we are doing. Knowing all of this about the probably wecouldguess whathashappenedinourown chimpanzees,howtragictofindthattheyaredisappearingso earliestknownancestors. AndsothiswasLouisLeakeys’ fastinAfricaduetohabitatdestructionandtotheincreased argument,andasBillsoeloquentlysaid,thereareveryfew numbersofthehumanpopulationandtologging. textbookstodaythatdeal withhumanevolution thatdon’t Ifwelookaroundtheworldtoday,wecanseecruelty,not mentionchimpanzeebehaviortosomeextent.Theyusually onlytothechimpanzeesandotheranimals,butthecruelty specificallymentiontheGombechimpanzees,soLouiswas that we inflict on each other. We can see massive tremendouslyvindicated. deforestationgoingon,notonlyinthedevelopingworld,but Itwasn’tveryeasytogetthemoneyformetogothere.I alsointhelastremainingforests andwoodlandsofNorth wasuntrainedasyou’veheard,andwhowasgoingtogive AmericaandEurope.Wecanlookattherateofthespreadof himmoney? Inthosedaysyoungpeople,especiallyyoung deserts as aresultofdeforestation. Wecanlookatthe women, didnotgotrampingoffintotheforestlivingwith pollution,sometimesmassivepollution.IthinkthequestionI animals. Moreover, Ididn’thaveany kindofuniversity getaskedmostoftenis,“Jane,doyouthinkthere’shope?” education; butfinally Louis foundawealthyAmerican IhavethreereasonsforhopeandI’dliketoendupby businessmanwhoprovidedmoneyforsixmonths. Itstill sharingthosethreereasonswithyou. Thefirstlies inthe wasn’ttheendofLouis’ problems,becauseinthosedays incrediblebrainthateachoneofusisendowedwith.Even TanganyikawasaBritishprotectorate. Britishauthorities though we’re soclosebiologically tochimpanzees, the found a young girl on her own in the bush to be intellectualperformancesofthehumanreallydodwarfthose preposterous.However,Leakeynevergaveup,eventuallyhe ofeventhemostgiftedofchimpanzees,andtherearesome persuaded them to allow me to go, providing I tooka verygiftedchimpanzees.So,giventhisamazingbrain,don’t companion. That was when my mother volunteeredto youthinkwecangettogetheraroundtheworldandstart accompanyme.Shestayedforthreemonths. healing the scars and finding ways ofliving in better Lookingbackoverthese37years,backoverthefactsthat harmonywithnature?Thisleadsintomysecondreasonfor havebeenrelatedto you tonight, teachingus aboutour hope, whichisthat,asyoungpeoplearoundtheworldget closestlivingrelatives, Ithinkthethingthatis themost more andmoreeducated, sodoestheircommitmentand strikingisthewaysinwhichtheydosomuchresembleus. energy forconservation become enormous. There’s a Yes, there are all the biological similarities, the close wonderfulenergyinyoungpeopleandthisiswhatledmeto resemblanceinthe structureofthebloodandtheimmune developtheRootsandShootsProgram. Rootscreepunder systemandthefactthatthechimpanzeebrainandcentral thegroundtomakefirmfoundations;shootsseemsmall,but nervous systemis more like ours than thatofany other toreachthelighttheycanbreakbrickwalls.Let’sthinkof creature.ThefactthattheDNAofchimpanzeesandhumans the brick walls as all those problems that I already differs by onlyjust overone percent. These are only mentioned.ThemessageofRootsandShootsisoneofhope. interestingtothescientists,particularlythoseworkingon HundredsandthousandsofRootsandShoots,youngpeople medicalresearch.Theseresearchersaretryingtolearnabout frompreschooltouniversitiesaroundtheworld,togethercan thenatureofcertaindiseaseswhichchimpanzees,because breakthrough,canchangethecourseoftheplanettoday. theyaresolikeus,canbeinfectedwith. Myfinalreasonforhopeishuman spirit. AsItravel Itwas rathertragic thatfor so long, the behavioral aroundtheworld,Imeetpeoplewhoaresotrulyremarkable, similarities that arelogicallytobeexpectedfromthose peoplewhotackleproblemsthey’retoldareimpossible,but similarities inthebrainandcentralnervous systemwere whowillsucceedorblazethetrailforotherstofollow.People denied. Thatis whatenabled chimpanzees in medical who overcome the most amazingdisabilities, physical laboratoriesaroundtheworldtobeconfinedintinycagesfor disabilitiesorwhathaveyou,andsomehowleadalifethatis alife spanthatmaybeuptosixtyyears. Researchonthe ashiningexampletothosearoundthem.Itraveledaroundthe Gombe chimpanzees showed them to have vivid worldwithafewsymbolsofhope.Justatsuppertimetoday, personalities,andtoolusingandcoop—erativebehavior.Their Iaskedforsomethingthatwouldbeasymbolofhopefor nonverbalcommunicationpatterns kissing, embracing, Cleveland.IhadheardaboutLakeErieandthesurrounding holding ha—nds, patting on the back, swaggering, and riversandthefirehazardsthatweretherenotsoverylong threatening aresolikeours. ago.Nowthewaterismuchcleaner. SoAarongavemea Soinallthesewayswefindthechimpanzeesresembling littlepieceofdriftwoodthathecollectedfromthelakeasa usfarmorethananybodyhadthought.Andshoulditsurprise symbolofhopeforCleveland.Thisalsoshowstheamazing usthattheyalsohaveemotionssimilartoours?Giventhese recuperativepowerofnature,ifwegiveherachance.