Historian, bestselling author Jon Meacham to speak at ASU

Presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham will speak at ASU's Tempe campus on Oct. 12. Photo courtesy Jon Meacham

By Stephen Perez |
September 08, 2023

With a depth of knowledge about politics, history, religion and current affairs, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham has the unique ability to bring historical context to the issues and events impacting everyday life.

This fall, he will bring that ability to Arizona State University when The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences hosts him for a discussion titled “An evening with Jon Meacham: And There Was Light" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12, on the Tempe campus.

One of America’s most prominent public intellectuals and the author of several New York Times No. 1 bestsellers, Meacham has written acclaimed books about George H. W. Bush, Winston Churchill, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin D. Roosevelt and civil rights icon John Lewis. His latest book, “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle,” spent 16 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

The Tennessee native received his bachelor’s degree in English literature from Sewanee: The University in the South. He worked for The Chattanooga Times, Newsweek and the Washington Monthly. Most recently, he served as the executive editor at Random House.

In addition to writing biographies, Meacham has written pieces for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair and Garden and Gun. He is also a contributing editor at Time magazine.

Meacham’s numerous honors include the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for his biography “American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House,” the 2013 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award, the 2015 Public Library Literary Award and the 2023 Abraham Lincoln Institute Book Award.

He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a fellow of the Society of American Historians. Meacham is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University and holds the Rogers Chair in American Presidency.

The event is free and open to the public. Visitor parking is available in several lots and garages near the venue. Learn more and RSVP at thecollege.asu.edu/meacham.