Remembering David McCullough

Long time readers of our blog will no doubt remember that historian and author, David McCullough, was a great favorite of Cornelia’s and mine. We heard him speak at conferences and twice stood in line, once on the National Mall on a hot and humid day, to meet him personally and get books signed.

He died on August 7, 2022, after a long career. He was awarded two Pulitzer Prizes for biographies of two US presidents. He won two National Book Awards and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in 2006.

The Washington Post called David McCullough “A master storyteller…” and David Brinkley, a historian and professor at Rice University said, “He is the gold standard of American Historians. He helped America understand itself and stood for reason, enlightenment, education, and incorruptible democracy,” Ken Burns said, “He had a profound influence on all I’ve done because he taught me how to tell a story.”

He will be missed but his writings live on. His amazing research and his way with words will inspire those who take the time to read his (rather long) books. The one most people are familiar with is John Adams that became an award-winning miniseries on HBO. Other books were about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the flood in Johnstown, PA, Teddy Roosevelt as a youth, and more. He worked with Ken Burns, as a narrator, on a PBS series on the Civil War.

As a college freshman, I had a professor who taught history by telling stories that captured the imagination of his students. He was mine, and everyone’s, favorite professor because his way of teaching made the past come to life. He convinced me that studying history would help me navigate life, and I am so grateful I listened to him.

On that hot day on the National Mall waiting to get our books signed during the National Book Festival, there was a group of high-school students with their teacher also in line. As David McCullough was signing my books, we talked about the importance of teaching history in schools. He thought that great teachers are passionate about their subject matter. You could be taught to be a good teacher, he said, but to be a great teacher, you needed to love your subject—be it math, science, English, but especially history.

To say that conversation, which lasted less than three minutes, was a highlight in my life is an understatement. It illustrated how much David McCullough cared about what we all can learn from studying the past. That teacher in line in front of us was, I’m sure, a great, passionate history teacher.

At a conference, we heard him say that you have to know where you have been to know where you are going. We included that powerful statement at the conclusion of The Big Book of HR because understanding the past helps to shape the future in so many aspects of our society.

As summer comes to an end, consider reading one of David McCullough’s books. You won’t be disappointed. There is much to learn from him.