From 1953 until 1981, a silver haired woman calling herself only "Peace Pilgrim" walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. Wearing a blue tunic and carrying just a few worldly possessions in her pockets, she shared her simple but profound message in thousands of communities throughout the U.S.: “when enough of us find inner peace, our institutions will become peaceful and there will be no more occasion for war.” Today, her words – captured in books, videos and other media – continue to inspire people around the world.


Born Mildred Lisette Norman on July 18, 1908, Peace Pilgrim grew up among a close-knit extended family on a poultry farm in Egg Harbor City, NJ. After enjoying the "flapper" era as a young woman, her inner compass slowly moved toward seeking a greater purpose. Following an unhappy marriage, she embarked on a personal transition that culminated with her hiking the 2050-mile Appalachian Trail – the first woman to do so in one season. On this journey, she had a vision that guided the rest of her life. Relinquishing her name and possessions, she stepped out in front of the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, CA on Jan. 1, 1953 wearing a blue tunic imprinted with her new identity: PEACE PILGRIM. For the next 28 years, she criss-crossed North America, touching many thousands of hearts, minds and lives as she walked joyfully on her pilgrimage for peace.