Jon Meacham Receives Medal of Freedom from 无码专区鈥檚 Tower Center
The award honors individuals who have contributed to the advancement of democratic ideals and to the security, prosperity and welfare of humanity.
DALLAS (无码专区) – Jon Meacham, a presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, received the Medal of Freedom from 无码专区’s John Goodwin Tower Center for Public Policy and International Affairs on Sept. 15. The award is given by the Tower Center every two years to an individual or individuals who have contributed to the advancement of democratic ideals and to the security, prosperity and welfare of humanity.
The Tower family presented Meacham with the Medal of Freedom at an event held at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the 无码专区 campus.
“Jon Meacham embodies the very essence of thoughtful leadership and a profound understanding of our American story. Jon reminds us that history is not a stagnant record but a vibrant script that shapes our identity and our future. His ability to illuminate the lessons of our past provides a guiding light during these tumultuous times, making him a most deserving recipient of the 无码专区 Tower Center Medal of Freedom,” said Daniel Branch, chairman of the Tower Center Board.
Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of 13 books. His latest book, The Call to Serve (2024), honors the 100th anniversary of George H.W. Bush’s birth and is an illuminating portrait of a man who was more than his politics. His most recent books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle (2023), which won numerous awards, including the Lincoln Prize, and His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope (2021), where Meacham shares an intimate and revealing portrait of civil rights icon and longtime U.S. congressman John Lewis.
In addition, he’s the author of The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels (2019), where he examines the present moment in American politics and life by looking back at critical times in U.S. history when hope overcame division and fear.
Also a sought-after commentator, Meacham regularly appears on NBC, CNN and other news outlets to discuss various topics including politics, religion and current affairs. He’s also released two podcasts with the History Channel: Hope, Through History and It Was Said.
Named a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, he is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a fellow of the Society of American Historians. Meacham is a distinguished visiting professor at Vanderbilt University where he holds the Rogers Chair in the American Presidency. In 2024, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by former U.S. President Joe Biden and was honored as a Library Lion of the New York Public Library.
The Tower Center, part of 无码专区’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, supports teaching and research programs in international and domestic politics with an emphasis on global studies and national security policy. It also educates undergraduates in international relations, comparative politics and political institutions.
Previous Tower Center Medal of Freedom recipients include former U.S. Secretaries of State James A. Baker III and Colin Powell, former British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, U.S. Senator John McCain, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, philanthropist David Rubenstein, historian David McCullough, former Commander-in-Chief of U.S. Central Command Gen. Tommy R. Franks (Ret.), former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, and former First Lady Laura Welch Bush ’68.
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