Josh Zeitz — Historian, Author, and Contributing Editor

Josh Zeitz is a historian and author whose work explores the intersections of politics, culture, and identity in modern America. A contributing editor at Politico Magazine, his writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and other leading outlets, where he is known for making complex history accessible to broad audiences and connecting the past to urgent contemporary debates.

He is the author of several acclaimed books, including Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image (Penguin Press, 2014), a finalist for the 2015 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize; White Ethnic New York: Jews, Catholics, and the Shaping of Postwar Politics (University of North Carolina Press, 2007); and editor of Building the Great Society: Inside Lyndon Johnson’s White House (Princeton University Press, 2018). He is also a contributor to the New York Times–bestselling collection Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past (Basic Books, 2023).

In addition to his books and journalism, Josh has served as a historical consultant for Ken Burns’s documentary films, including Prohibition (2011) and The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (2014), bringing his expertise to widely acclaimed public history projects.

Josh earned his B.A. in History and English from Swarthmore College and his Ph.D. in American History from Brown University. He has taught American history at Harvard University, Princeton University, and Cambridge University, where his research and teaching have focused on race, immigration, ethnicity, and political culture.

He is a frequent commentator on broadcast and digital media, speaking on topics ranging from Abraham Lincoln’s legacy to the contested history of civil rights and immigration. His ability to bridge rigorous scholarship with clear, compelling storytelling has made him a sought-after speaker at universities, think tanks, and cultural institutions.

Josh Zeitz is represented by Andrew Wylie of The Wylie Agency.