This month’s History Matters - produced in collaboration with the Delaware Historical Society - offers interviews with this year’s recipients of the Historical Society’s annual Delaware’s History Makers award.
Bryan Stevenson was honored as a Delawarean who changed the course of history. He grew up in Milton and has fought to overturn or reduce death penalty sentences in more than sixty cases.
"I think that we have a criminal justice system that treats you better if you’re rich and guilty than if you’re poor and innocent. And that needs to change. We can’t really claim to be a just society while wealth, rather than culpability, shapes outcomes and proceedings," he said.
Former Governor and Congressman Mike Castle was also honored at the celebration. Castle has been lauded for successfully using the "Delaware Way," to create political change.
"In this state you generally know people," said Castle. "That makes Delaware a different place. And it's one of reasons I tended to be more moderate than some people would have liked. I was - and am - a strong believer in working together to get things done. And when you do that, a lot of people come to your assistance to help, from both political parties."
Castle adds that this approach helped him on many occasions, including his successful efforts to to raise teachers' salaries and begin construction of Route 1 while governor.