Let me take a moment to wish a happy 80th birthday to one of the most important figures in the modern libertarian movement who many of you might not know: Leonard Liggio. Leonard has been around the movement since his youth, having spent time with Rand and Rothbard and being one of the earliest and most important figures in the growth of the Institute for Humane Studies. He has been with the Atlas Foundation in recent years, tirelessly traveling the world for the cause of liberty. (He was just in Portugal at the Liberty Fund I attended last weekend.)

Almost every libertarian academic or think-tanker I know has had contact with Leonard. He is the consummate networker and always shows up with something he found that he thinks you should read (he did so for at least both me and Sarah last weekend). Leonard has done so much for liberty, and much of it somewhat behind the scenes, that it’s hard to really summarize. I was very happy to have helped honor him two years ago with the Society for the Development of Austrian Economics Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a gem, a gentleman, and a giant of modern libertarianism.

Happy 80th Leonard. Many, many more.