Presidential Historian Jon Meacham to Deliver 2026 Baccalaureate Address at Sewanee
March 24, 2026
The University of the South is pleased to announce that Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer and presidential historian Jon Meacham, C’91, H’10, will deliver the baccalaureate address on Saturday, May 9, 2026, during Commencement Weekend.
A nationally respected interpreter of American history, democracy, and civic life, Meacham plans to use the Sewanee platform to share his reflections on 250 years of the American story—a theme central to his scholarship and public commentary. His remarks are expected to draw significant interest from graduates and their families, Sewanee alumni, and a broad public audience. The ceremony will be livestreamed and recorded for those unable to attend in person.
Meacham is the author of numerous New York Times bestsellers, including American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House—winner of the Pulitzer Prize—as well as acclaimed biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, George H.W. Bush, and John Lewis. The Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in the American Presidency and a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University, he is the canon historian of Washington National Cathedral, a contributing editor to TIME, and a fellow of the Society of American Historians. His work regularly shapes national conversations about leadership, character, and the American experiment.
A native of Chattanooga and a summa cum laude Sewanee graduate, Meacham has remained deeply connected to the University through service on the Board of Regents and other advisory roles. He lives in Nashville and Sewanee with his family.
Commencement Weekend will also feature a conversation between Meacham and veteran television news anchor John Seigenthaler on Friday, May 8. Additional details about this event will be shared soon.
Sewanee looks forward to welcoming Jon Meacham home to the Mountain for a weekend of reflection, celebration, and inspiration.
