Vanderbilt Distinguished Visiting Professor of Political Science and Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer has been awarded a National Humanities Medal, the nation鈥檚 highest honor for contributions to the humanities.听听
Meacham, who holds the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in the American Presidency, was among 19 NEH medalists recognized by President Joseph R. Biden and NEH Chair Shelley C. Lowe in a recent White House ceremony.听听
The National Humanities Medal honors an individual or organization whose work has deepened the nation鈥檚 understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens鈥� engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans鈥� access to cultural resources.听
“In his bestselling books, in his work with students and as co-chair of the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, Jon Meacham does Americans the invaluable service of showing us the countless times in our history when we have worked together across our differences to build a more perfect union,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “He reminds us again and again that the American experiment is never easy but always profoundly worthwhile. I congratulate Jon on receiving this honor at the White House and am proud to call him a member of our Vanderbilt community.”听听听
惭别补肠丑补尘鈥檚 New York Times bestsellers include: ; ; ; (with Tim McGraw); ; and . 惭别补肠丑补尘鈥檚 book鈥�, also a New York Times鈥痓estseller, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for biography in 2009.听
惭别补肠丑补尘鈥檚 latest book, The Call to Serve: The Life of an American President, George Herbert Walker Bush: A Visual Biography, was published in May 2024.听听
Meacham is co-chair of the . This fall he is co-teaching U.S. Elections, one of Vanderbilt鈥檚 most in-demand courses, with three other political scientists: John Geer, Josh Clinton and Nicole Hemmer. The U.S. Elections course broke the largest student enrollment record in Vanderbilt鈥檚 history for an elective class, engaging 1,100 students.听
In addition, Meacham and Geer co-host The Choice, a four-part podcast produced by and focused on key moments and ramifications of the 2024 presidential election.听听
鈥淭he awarding of the National Humanities Medal to Jon Meacham is an honor that he richly deserves,鈥� said Geer, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Political Science.听 鈥淛on鈥檚 contributions to our country through his writing and commentary are immeasurable. He has shed a bright light on America, even in its darkest moments, that has deepened the public鈥檚 understanding of democracy and the central role our leaders have played and continue to play in seeking to make this country a more perfect union. Jon鈥檚 impact underscores the merits of the old adage鈥攖he pen is mightier than the sword.鈥�听
Meacham, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, graduated salutatorian and summa cum laude from Sewanee: The University of the South with a bachelor of arts in English literature.听听
He is a contributing writer to鈥�The New York Times Book Review, a contributing editor of鈥�Time and has written for鈥�The New York Times鈥�op-ed page,鈥�The Washington Post鈥痑苍诲 Vanity Fair, among others. His previous positions include executive editor and executive vice president of Random House and editor-in-chief of .听听
In November 2021 Meacham was named the Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral. He is a fellow of the Society of American Historians and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.听听