PHILADELPHIA (February 11, 2026) — The National Constitution Center today announced the appointment of Jon Meacham—Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, bestselling author, and one of America’s most prominent public scholars—as the Center’s Semiquincentennial Scholar, a one-year appointment designed to anchor the Center’s intellectual and civic programming celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Meacham’s appointment runs from February 2026 through February 2027, and recognizes his distinguished contributions to public scholarship and storytelling. In partnership with the National Constitution Center, Meacham will contribute intellectual leadership and public-facing scholarship that invites Americans to reflect more deeply on the people, ideas, debates, and constitutional principles that have shaped the nation.
“As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, we have an opportunity to invite Americans into a deeper, more meaningful conversation about the ideas that bind us together,” said Vince Stango, Interim President and CEO of the National Constitution Center. “Through Our Story Continues, we are framing this moment not as a single commemoration, but as the beginning of a longer national reflection that extends to the Constitution’s 250th anniversary in 2037. Jon Meacham has a singular gift for making history vivid, human, and urgent, and for connecting key moments in our nation’s history to the questions we face today. We’re honored to welcome him as our Semiquincentennial Scholar as we expand the Center’s work across this important decade.”
During his term as Semiquincentennial Scholar, Meacham will contribute intellectual leadership and public scholarship through high-profile public programs, the development of a narrative-driven virtual course on American constitutional history, and a professionally produced, storytelling-based podcast series.
“The years between 2026 and 2037 offer a rare opportunity not just to commemorate milestones, but to reflect seriously on the constitutional story we’ve inherited and the one we are still writing,” said Jon Meacham. “I’m excited to work with the National Constitution Center as its Semiquincentennial Scholar to contribute to that reflection through public programs, civic education, and narrative storytelling that helps place the past in clearer conversation with the present.”
Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and the author of numerous bestselling books exploring American leadership, democracy, and the nation’s enduring constitutional ideals. His works include American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House (Pulitzer Prize for Biography), Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels, and And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle, among others. Meacham holds the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in the American Presidency at Vanderbilt University, where he is a distinguished visiting professor. He is a frequent commentator on American history and public life and has long been recognized for bringing scholarly rigor and narrative clarity to the nation’s most consequential stories.
The Semiquincentennial Scholar appointment is part of the National Constitution Center’s broader commitment to serve as America’s leading platform for nonpartisan constitutional education and civil dialogue. As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 and looks to the 250th anniversary of the Constitution in 2037, the Center is expanding its work through Our Story Continues, a multi-year campaign designed to spark curiosity and deepen learning about American history and constitutional self-government. The campaign includes a national public engagement effort, new civic programs and convenings, digital learning experiences for learners of all ages, intergenerational learning rooted in homes and communities, and partnerships across the country.
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About the National Constitution Center
The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia brings together people of all ages and perspectives, across America and around the world, to learn about, debate, and celebrate the greatest vision of human freedom in history, the U.S. Constitution. A private, nonprofit organization, the Center serves as America’s leading platform for constitutional education and debate, fulfilling its congressional charter “to disseminate information about the U.S. Constitution on a nonpartisan basis.” As the Museum of We the People, the Center brings the Constitution to life for visitors of all ages through interactive programs and exhibits. As America’s Town Hall, the Center brings the leading conservative and liberal thought leaders together to debate the Constitution on all media platforms. As a Headquarters for Civic Education, the Center delivers the best educational programs and online resources that inspire citizens and engage all Americans in learning about the U.S. Constitution. For more information, call 215-409-6700 or visit constitutioncenter.org.
