Michael Beschloss | |
|---|---|
 Beschloss in 2023 | |
| Born | Michael Richard Beschloss (1955-11-30)November 30, 1955 (age 69) |
| Occupation | Historian |
| Education | Williams College (BA) Harvard University (MBA) |
| Subject | United States presidency |
| Spouse | Afsaneh Mashayekhi |
| Children | 2 |
Michael Richard Beschloss[1] (born November 30, 1955)[2] is an American historian specializing in theUnited States presidency.[3][4][5] He is the author of nine books on the presidency.[3]
Beschloss was born inChicago, grew up inFlossmoor, Illinois which is south of Chicago, to Ruth and Morris Beschloss, who was aJewish refugee fromNazi Germany. Beschloss was a student atEaglebrook School inDeerfield, Massachusetts;Phillips Academy inAndover, Massachusetts;Williams College inWilliamstown, Massachusetts; andHarvard University.[6] He majored inpolitical science, studying underJames MacGregor Burns at Williams College[7] from which he graduated with Highest Honors, and earned an MBA atHarvard Business School, originally intending to write about history while he held a position as an executive at a foundation.[8]
Beschloss has been a frequent commentator on thePBS NewsHour and is anNBC News presidential historian. He is a trustee of theWhite House Historical Association and theNational Archives Foundation.[9] He sits on the board of theSmithsonian'sNational Museum of American History and has been a trustee of theThomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello), theUrban Institute, theUniversity of Virginia'sMiller Center of Public Affairs[10] and thePEN/Faulkner Foundation.
He also sat on the advisory board to theAbraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and was a member of thePresident's Commission on White House Fellowships. He held appointments in history at theSmithsonian Institution,[11] as a senior associate member atSt. Antony's College (University of Oxford),[11] a visiting scholar at the Harvard University Russian Research Center,[11] a Senior Fellow of theAnnenberg Foundation, and a Montgomery Fellow and Dorsett Fellow atDartmouth College. Since 2014, he has been chair of the annual Robert F. Kennedy Book Awards. He has appeared onThe Daily Show in2003,2005,2006,2007, and2010. He was portrayed byChris Kattan onNBC'sSaturday Night Live on February 14, 1998.[12]
Beschloss has had aX account, @BeschlossDC, since October 2012.[13][3]Time included his account in their "Best Twitter Feeds of 2013".[14] He has contributed columns on history with the title HistorySource toThe New York Times.[15] He is also the editor ofWashington byMeg Greenfield (2001) andEssays in Honor of James MacGregor Burns (withThomas Cronin) in 1988.
Beschloss received a 2005News and Documentary Emmy Award for being the host ofDiscovery Channel'sDecisions That Shook the World, the category was "Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Research". He has received theWilliams College Bicentennial Medal,[16] Illinois' Order of Lincoln (the state's highest honor), the Harry S. Truman Public Service Award, theAmbassador Book Award, theRutgers University Living History Award, theNew York State Archives History Award, the Founders Award of theHistorical Society of Pennsylvania, and the Phillips AcademyAndover Alumni Award of Distinction. He has received honorary doctorates fromLafayette College,Williams College,St. Mary's College of Maryland,Saint Peter's College,Governors State University andAllegheny College.[10]
Beschloss was inducted as a Laureate ofThe Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln (the state's highest honor) by the governor in 2004 in the area of Communications and Education.[17] In October 2022, Beschloss received the National Archives' annual Records of Achievement Award. In 2019, he received The Lincoln Forum'sRichard Nelson Current Award of Achievement.[18]
He has two sons with hisIranian-born wifeAfsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss.[11][9] Afsaneh is president and CEO of the Rock Creek Group, aWashington D.C. investment firm. They are advisory board members of Resources for Inner City Children.[19] Beschloss' brother Steven is also a writer and journalist.
Co-authored books
Edited Books
Edited transcriptions ofLyndon B. Johnson's conversations, as captured by his taping system, with historical annotation and commentary. A third Johnson volume is forthcoming.
PresidentBill Clinton toldPeople in December 1997 that the first audiobook he ever listened to wasTaking Charge by Michael Beschloss.[20] InBob Woodward'sPlan of Attack, PresidentGeorge W. Bush is quoted as telling the authorElie Wiesel in February 2003, "I read your views onAuschwitz in Michael Beschloss' book", referring toThe Conquerors.[21] Bush refers to Beschloss' bookPresidential Courage in his 2010 memoirDecision Points.[22]
John Frankenheimer's last film,Path to War (HBO, 2002), starringDonald Sutherland andMichael Gambon, was based in part on Beschloss' two books aboutLyndon B. Johnson.
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