Lindsay M. Chervinsky

An intro for news faces 👋! I'm a presidential historian, author of a couple of books including *Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic*, and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. And I have a four-legged sidekick who is my heart.

Hey @lmchervinsky.bsky.social, your video answering questions about U.S. elections that's up on @wired.com is a great public service. (embed in this story)

Join us November 5–7 as we explore the enduring ideals of democracy that have shaped the American experiment at the 2026 Democracy Symposium. Speakers will connect founding principles with today's most pressing civic questions. For in-person or virtual tickets, visit our website: bit.ly/4yzuflz

Great post on writing tips by @mkn.bsky.social @draftingthepast.bsky.social Getting Through Getting Stuck www.draftingthepast.com/getting-thro...

Is Nathaniel Philbrick’s latest book worth reading? Well … Read my answer to that question in my review of THE RUSH for @draftingthepast.bsky.social www.draftingthepast.com/mining-the-p...

For this month's Imperfect Union, I wrote about my visit to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, what I learned about the Badlands, and what TR offers us today. Check your inboxes or subscribe today! imperfectunion.substack.com/p/what-theod...

Honored to join @MountVernon this November for Lessons from the Founding: The 2026 George Washington Symposium, three days on the health of American democracy from the founding to the present. Learn more here: www.mountvernon.org/plan-your-vi...

Had the most amazing visit to @trpl.bsky.social for #TeddyCon. The library is so inspiring and I fell in love with the Badlands. You can’t understand TR without seeing them in person.

I’ll be at Mount Vernon for The 2026 George Washington Symposium It looks like I will be part of a panel on religious freedom with David French and Mona Charen. Here is Lindsay Chervinsky, the event's convener: Learn more, including the full schedule, here. I hope to see you next month in Virginia!

YOU GUYS. The newly expanded DRAFTING THE PAST launches ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! With two book reviews, and later in the week, a Friday Exclusive that you won't want to miss! Subscribe now at www.draftingthepast.com

This week's history episode kicks off a four part democracy special, as the superb @lmchervinsky.bsky.social helps us understand what democracy even means. Apple: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/d... Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/4Mzv...

I'm thrilled to share that my new book about #SCOTUS, "The Court We Need: What's Really Wrong With the Supreme Court—and How to Fix It," is now available for pre-orders: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/812983... The book is set to be published by @vikingbooks.bsky.social on May 4, 2027.

Ok deep cut for maybe like 3 people? I think Worthington Chauncey Ford understood JQA better than most historians combined, but he got Washington *way* wrong.

I received the loveliest email today from someone who did not have to send it to me. It made my evening. Just a reminder that it costs nothing to say something nice and might mean a great deal to the person who receives it.

Last week I wrote about George Washington's presidential pardons. There is bipartisan support for pardon reform and these principles offer a guide for how the pardon power was intended to be used. Check your inboxes or subscribe today! imperfectunion.substack.com/p/the-four-f...

I had an amazing time visiting McLennan Community College and Baylor Law School last week. MCC is doing incredible work with first generation students and it was a real honor to give the Kenneth Starr endowed lecture on all things 250. You can tell from the last picture that I really hate my work. 🥰

Despite everything that happened after 9/11, there was an important moment of presidential leadership first. Religious freedom matters and depends on all of our leaderes. Let me know what you think of my latest Imperfect Union: imperfectunion.substack.com/p/25-years-a...

For the first time since July 2024, I am at inbox zero in all three inboxes. I don't have enough swear words to describe my excitement.

Related: reach out to sites about book talks NOW. We book roughly 8 months out. If you email me about a book coming out next month, there is nothing I can do to help.

Very much enjoyed hearing this year's finalists for the George Washington Book Prize discuss their books. Great to see old friends @rickbell.bsky.social @stevesarson.bsky.social, @joycechaplin.bsky.social and to meet Amy Watson and Paul Staiti: all worthy nominees.

@lmchervinsky.bsky.social is not only an outstanding historian herself, she's an excellent interlocutor giving authors the space to discuss their work all while keeping everything on track. As usual Mount Vernon puts on this kind of show better than any place in the business.

BLUESKIS. This is what @katecarp.bsky.social and I have been working on! Check out the website and join our community of readers who want to know and talk about #history worth reading! www.draftingthepast.com

DRAFTING THE PAST is expanding! Together, @katecarp.bsky.social and @mkn.bsky.social are creating a website and newsletter devoted to nonfiction history books. You'll find book reviews, craft essays, author interviews, publishing news, and more--plus the podcast you already know and love. 🗃️ 1/

The National Book Festival with @librarycongress.bsky.social is the absolute best and I'm so thrilled to be on the program. I'll be speaking with Sarah Pearsall and Kevin Butterfield about the American Revolution around the world at 11 AM. See you there!

Part II of my series on civilian control of the military is live! I cover the Whiskey Rebellion to Ulysses S. Grant, then pose some questions for us to consider today. Check it out and let me know what you think. open.substack.com/pub/imperfec...

Such a fun week with @gliamericanhistory.bsky.social teaching George Washington and the Founding for 50 teachers. It was so energizing and a great reminder of the amazing teachers doing the incredible history work in classroom.

🤯🤯🤯🤯

@lmchervinsky.bsky.social, author of MAKING THE PRESIDENCY, quoted in @pbsnews.org 's America at a Crossroads series on the country's 250th anniversary. Read the full review: https://page1m.co/4wuSGin Pick up your copy of the book here: https://page1m.co/4h0BmNP

"The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects." www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/b...

Between this and the French with the sign on the Eiffel Tower, good reminder these things are bigger than the current admin and moment

President John Adams set the standard for what peaceful transitions of power should be. @monacharen.bsky.social's book club this month on "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic," is live with author @lmchervinsky.bsky.social.

Marking the #4thofJuly today by watching the new @netflix.com documentary “The American Experiment” featuring the brilliant insights of an inspiring array of scholars including @sarageorgini.bsky.social, @lmchervinsky.bsky.social, and @cgoodhistorian.bsky.social. m.youtube.com/watch?v=KM9X...

"Women, people of color, and immigrants were essential to the Revolution’s success." America was, and is, about all of us. It's a story we have to keep telling and improving upon.

The founding generation inspired our predecessors to inch toward perfection. Only recently has that legacy of innovation, and the history of our revolutionary origins, fallen by the wayside. @lmchervinsky.bsky.social on the legacy and future of our republic: lnk.thebulwark.com/4eV1Y0c

One week from tonight on @pbsnews.org with the legendary Judy Woodruff and Ron Chernow. It was the privilege of a lifetime to be at Independence Hall after hours. I hope you tune in!

If you watch the Obama Library, the World Cup, and the Knicks parade this afternoon -- and nothing else -- you can actually see the America we're supposed to be at age 250

Obama on the message of the 250th: "In a newly independent US, there will be no kings"

I’m probably most proud of this line of any I have uttered on a podcast.

So excited to be giving a Ford Evening Book Talk at George Washington's Mount Vernon tonight, 7 pm, for my book, White Power: Policing American Slavery. Thank you @lmchervinsky.bsky.social and the Washington Library's amazing staff--I am very grateful for this opportunity!

I gave a lot of thought to my last newsletter before the 250th. I selected two royal visits to the United States and what they revealed about the nation on this big anniversary. It’s the ultimate irony, but worth considering. I hope you’ll check it out. open.substack.com/pub/imperfec...

When I started reading for my PhD exams, I made the mistake of beginning with this book. A month later, I had several legal pads full of notes and questions plus the realization I was going to have to delay my exams. One of those books that launched hundreds of others

What a fabulous analysis of a president writing about a president. I love Lincoln, I so enjoy reading Obama on Lincoln for @inpursuitusa.bsky.social, and I learned much from @civilwarmemory.bsky.social.

Can hardly believe it but there it is!!

Putting myself in good company for 250! Yesterday the @aupresses.bsky.social put out a list of 100 books for the semiquin but no @academic.oup.com books? Couldn't do better than @emilysneff.bsky.social @lmchervinsky.bsky.social @unlawfulentries.bsky.social! +imho politics of family is pretty impt.

Last week, I was talking about the upcoming 250th celebrations and I noticed some really interesting parallels to previous commemorations. I wondered what that said about the country. Take a look and let me know what you think! open.substack.com/pub/imperfec...

This afternoon at 4 EDT! @lmchervinsky.bsky.social on early American presidencies for the @jcblibrary.bsky.social Revolution is News event --part of our Journalism & History initiative (w support from The Atlantic)! Hope you'll join us: brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

*Whispers into the void*: Assigned word counts aren't serving suggestions.

"Character is essential because norms and customs depend on the president choosing to uphold them." Presidential historian @lmchervinsky.bsky.social on Article II, the question "can the president do that?" and why the framers left so much to character: