Community colleges are the great American education success story of the 20th century. This account of their origin, the vision of the Truman Commission, and the enduring role played by Teachers College, Columbia University is both informative and entertaining. As we move forward in the 21st century, the community colleges will be teaching more than half of the post-secondary students. Knowing the history and understanding the purpose of the institution will be important to all involved in the education community.