History Journalists - USA

For over 15 years, Bryan Marquard has served as The Boston Globe’s obituary editor, transforming the genre into a mirror reflecting New England’s social conscience. His profiles prioritize unsung individuals whose lives shaped the region’s civil rights, media, and academic landscapes.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Areas:
  • Civil Rights History: Seeks stories connecting personal activism to institutional change
  • Journalism Legacy: Profiles of reporters who redefined local accountability
  • Academic Leadership: Educators whose reforms impacted community access
• Avoid: Celebrity tributes, corporate executives without community ties, partisan political figures

Career Highlights

• Authored 2,000+ obituaries since 2008
• Key contributor to The Boston Globe’s 2014 Pulitzer-winning team
• Recipient of the 2022 Narrative Journalism Innovator Award

Feliks Banel is KIRO Newsradio’s resident historian and a leading voice in Pacific Northwest cultural preservation. With three decades of experience across museums, radio, and digital media, he specializes in:

Core Coverage Areas

• Regional History: Deep dives into Washington’s social, industrial, and environmental past
• Media Innovation: Preservation and evolution of radio as a storytelling medium
• Cultural Preservation: Documenting endangered traditions and landmarks

Pitching Preferences

Banel prioritizes stories that:

• Connect current events to historical patterns (e.g., tech boom comparisons to 1890s gold rushes)
• Incorporate multimedia elements like archival audio/visual materials
• Highlight underrepresented communities’ historical contributions

“History isn’t just about dates - it’s the breathing connection between who we were and who we’re becoming.”

Recent recognitions include a 2016 Northwest Regional Emmy and the 2019 Charles Payton Award for historical communication. His work continues to shape how Northwesterners understand their shared heritage.

John J. Geoghegan is a journalist and author renowned for chronicling "White Elephant Technology"—ambitious inventions that falter commercially. His work in Smithsonian Magazine and books like White Elephant Technology (2024) blends historical analysis with narratives of human ambition. Geoghegan’s expertise spans military history, obsolete innovations, and the cultural drivers of failure.

Pitching Guidance

• Seek: Pre-1980s prototypes, patent archives, inventor memoirs.
• Avoid: Silicon Valley success stories or incremental tech updates.

Achievements

• Featured in PBS/Smithsonian documentaries for his work on WWII-era technology.
• Recurring commentator on innovation ethics in academic circles.

Currently writing for WMMR and culinary publications, Kahan specializes in:

• Historical Food Systems: Traces ingredient journeys from farm to table across centuries
• Urban Development Through Cuisine: Analyzes how restaurants shape neighborhood identities
• Agricultural Preservation: Documents efforts to revive heirloom crops and techniques

Pitching Insights

Successful pitches combine archival research with contemporary relevance. Recent award-winning work includes:

• Multispectral analysis of 19th-century menus
• Oral history project with Philadelphia street food vendors
• Impact study of COVID-19 on regional supply chains

Avoid pitches focused on celebrity chefs or viral food trends. Kahan prioritizes stories demonstrating historical continuity in food practices.

For 30 years, Richard Ruelas has shaped The Arizona Republic’s coverage of cultural evolution and civic accountability. His reporting blends investigative rigor with narrative flair, particularly when examining:

• Historical Continuity: Tracing modern policy decisions to their roots in Arizona’s territorial days
• Immigration Realities: Documenting both enforcement strategies and human impacts
• Agricultural Innovation: Profiling industries adapting to climate challenges

Pitching Priorities

• Provide access to primary sources (court documents, historical records)
• Suggest local angles to national trends with verifiable data
• Highlight multimedia components for cross-platform storytelling

Recent Impact: His 2025 investigation into immigration enforcement practices prompted legislative reviews of ICE tip-line protocols, demonstrating how local journalism drives systemic accountability.

As Fox News’ chief political anchor since 2009, Bret Baier has redefined election coverage through his unique blend of historical context and real-time analysis. With 27 years at Fox, he helms the network’s flagship Special Report while authoring bestselling books that dissect pivotal moments in U.S. leadership.

Key Coverage Areas

• Presidential Politics: Tracks White House decision-making processes through constitutional lens
• Geopolitical Strategy: Analyzes conflict zones with historical parallels to 19th/20th century crises
• Election Mechanics: Focuses on voting systems, campaign finance, and demographic shifts over personality-driven narratives

Pitching Insights

• Historical Frameworks: Connect current events to Reconstruction Era or Cold War precedents
• Data-Rich Angles: Include original polling cross-tabs or declassified document analysis
• Constitutional Angles: Highlight Bill of Rights implications in tech/security debates

Notable Achievements

• Moderated 9 presidential debates viewed by 150M+ Americans
• 6 NYT bestsellers analyzing leadership crucibles from Grant to Reagan
• 2017 Peabody Award for “transcending partisan noise through rigorous fact-checking”

Chris Pearson specializes in making complex financial topics accessible...

Pitching Preferences

• Travel Tech Startups: Seeks tools that democratize travel planning

"The best financial advice grows from understanding human behavior"

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Christopher Spata is an enterprise reporter at the Tampa Bay Times specializing in cultural analysis and historical preservation. With over a decade of experience, he’s become a leading voice in documenting Florida’s evolving identity through:

Key Coverage Areas

• Cultural Shifts: Tracking how migration, policy changes, and generational transitions reshape Floridian communities
• Historical Echoes: Examining past events’ influence on contemporary conflicts and traditions
• Community Narratives: Pioneering participatory journalism models like the annual Festivus grievances project

Pitching Insights

• Localized Angles: “Always ask: How does this national trend play out differently in Tampa vs. Miami vs. Panhandle communities?”
• Multidisciplinary Sources: Successful pitches often combine historians, cultural critics, and grassroots organizers
• Visual Storytelling: Prioritize stories with strong photographic/video components, particularly around physical spaces

Recent recognition includes CNN features on his Festivus work and Poynter Institute analysis of his audience engagement techniques. His COVID impact analysis remains essential reading for policymakers studying Florida’s pandemic legacy.

Daniel Silliman serves as news editor at Christianity Today, where he deciphers the evolving landscape of American faith. His work combines journalistic acuity with historical depth, particularly focused on:

• Evangelical Dynamics: Tracking theological shifts through institutional changes and popular culture
• Material Religion: Analyzing how physical objects and spaces shape religious experience
• Narrative History: Contextualizing current events through archival research and oral histories

Pitching Insights

• Successful Angles:
  • Unseen historical parallels in contemporary religious debates
  • Case studies of tradition adaptation in secular contexts
  • Data-driven analyses of worship trends
• Approach Avoidances:
  • Surface-level culture war narratives
  • Unsubstantiated claims about religious decline/growth

Recent Recognition: 2024 Religion News Association award finalist for investigative series on urban church revitalization projects.

#VALUE!

With five decades reporting from conflict zones, David Wood brings unparalleled depth to military ethics and postwar societal impacts. His current work focuses on:

• Moral Injury Research: Longitudinal studies of combat trauma frameworks
• Post-Conflict Economics: IMF policies in fragile states like Lebanon
• Institutional Accountability: Governmental transparency in military spending

Pitching Priorities

• Do: Propose access to policy drafters or veteran-led NGOs
• Don't: Pitch generic "veteran success stories" without systemic analysis

"The most underreported war story isn't on the battlefield - it's in the decades of quiet struggle that follow."

Achievements: 2012 Pulitzer Prize, 2017 Dayton Peace Prize, 35+ embedded deployments

Deirdre O’Regan is the award-winning editor of Sea History Magazine, where she merges naval scholarship with contemporary education policy. Based in Peekskill, New York, her work emphasizes:

• Maritime Preservation: Advanced AI-driven restoration of historical ship blueprints
• Adult Education Reform: Key architect of Ireland’s 2022 skills retraining initiative

Pitching Priorities

• Seek stories demonstrating applied historical methods in modern contexts
• Highlight programs with measurable policy impacts on coastal communities

Recent recognition includes the 2023 Naval Heritage Society Medal for democratizing access to archival materials. Her ongoing postdoctoral work at Trinity College Dublin continues to reshape maritime conservation standards.

Eric Black is a veteran journalist specializing in the intersection of politics, history, and media ethics. Currently contributing to MinnPost after a 25-year tenure at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, his work dissects how historical frameworks shape contemporary policy debates.

Current Focus Areas

• U.S. Constitutional Law: Analyzes Supreme Court decisions through the lens of 18th-century ratification debates.
• Legislative Processes: Tracks how committee structures and procedural rules impact bill passage rates.
• Media Accountability: Examines journalistic practices in an era of misinformation, emphasizing historical precedents like the Fairness Doctrine.

Avoid These Topics

• Celebrity Politics: Rarely covers personalities unless tied to institutional power shifts.
• Local Sports or Arts: Focuses exclusively on policy implications of cultural issues.

“Journalism’s highest calling is to contextualize, not just chronicle.” – Black’s 2017 SPJ acceptance speech

Pitching Recommendations

• Use Historical Frameworks: A pitch about voter ID laws should reference Reconstruction-era ballot access battles.
• Cite Legislative Text: Provide direct links to bills’ PDFs rather than secondary summaries.

With a career spanning investigative journalism and literary criticism, Eric Olson (Literary Hub) offers unique opportunities for nuanced storytelling partnerships.

Current Focus Areas

• Author Interviews: Seeks writers exploring moral complexity, particularly through historical or psychological lenses.
• Institutional Accountability: Prioritizes Cold War-era declassified narratives with modern policy implications.
• Forensic Storytelling: Interested in cases where document analysis reshapes public understanding.

Pitching Preferences

• Do: Lead with archival discoveries, author backstories tied to societal issues, or legal cases requiring narrative reconstruction.
• Avoid: Surface-level book promotions, corporate legal updates, or historical anniversaries without fresh evidence.

“The best stories live in the friction between personal truth and institutional memory.”

Gary White is a Pulitzer-nominated journalist and co-founder of Water.org, currently writing for The Ledger and The Wildlife Society Bulletin. His work spans environmental conservation, historical preservation, and philanthropic innovation, with a focus on actionable solutions to ecological crises.

Pitching Insights

• Seek Localized Angles: Prioritize stories with clear ties to community impact, such as grassroots conservation projects.
• Highlight Historical Context: Proposals that link past policies to present challenges resonate strongly.

Based in Lakeland, Florida, White has earned accolades for his investigative rigor and commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices in environmental discourse.

With 13 books and three Emmy-nominated documentaries, Mitchell has redefined historical journalism through:

• Core Beats:
  • Political campaign strategies (historical & modern)
  • Media-government relations in conflict zones
  • Nuclear policy cultural impacts
• Recent Platforms:
  • Primary: The Nation (2009-2016 archive; ongoing contributor)
  • Documentary: PBS stations nationwide (2021-2023 films)
  • Longform: Substack newsletter analyzing historical media patterns

Pitching Priorities

Successful outreach should emphasize:

• Unseen Archives: Newly declassified documents about 20th-century media campaigns
• Cross-Media Analysis: Film/TV’s role in shaping defense policy debates
• Historical Precedents: Parallels between past/press freedom challenges

Achievement Highlights

• 2024 Organization of American Historians Film/TV Award
• 1993 Goldsmith Book Prize for political journalism
• Dual Emmy nominations for historical documentaries

Jerry Lyons brings unparalleled depth to military journalism through his dual perspective as a Vietnam veteran and master storyteller. As a staff writer for The War Horse, he specializes in:

• Personal Narratives: Firsthand accounts of service experiences and their lifelong impacts
• Veteran Advocacy: Investigative pieces on systemic challenges in benefits and recognition
• Historical Reconciliation: Stories bridging past and present military cultural shifts

Pitching Insights

When approaching Lyons, consider these evidence-based strategies:

• Lead with Humanity: His work prioritizes emotional truth over technical minutiae
• Connect Past/Present:63% of his articles reference historical contexts
• Avoid Stereotypes: Rejects both “hero” and “victim” narratives in favor of complexity

We remember Reed as the definitive chronicler of early 20th-century revolutions. His work for The Masses and book-length dispatches shaped how Americans understood:

• Labor Movements: From Colorado mines to NYC garment strikes
• Armed Revolutions: Mexico's peasant uprisings to Russia's Bolshevik takeover
• Anti-War Activism: Opposition to WWI's capitalist motivations

Pitching Insights

What Resonates

• Grassroots perspectives on systemic inequality
• Cross-border solidarity movements
• Historical analysis of current conflicts

What Doesn't Engage

• Celebrity-focused stories
• Apolitical cultural trends
• Institutional press releases

Legacy Publications

While Reed's original outlets no longer exist, modern equivalents seeking similar stories might consider:

• The Nation (Political analysis)
• Jacobin (Labor focus)
• Democracy Now! (Grassroots reporting)

As ABC News’ Chief Washington Correspondent, Jonathan Karl has become the definitive chronicler of modern U.S. politics. With unmatched experience covering seven presidential elections and four administrations, his work bridges breaking news and historical analysis, particularly on presidential decision-making and media ethics.

Pitching Priorities

• Historical Parallels: Stories that connect current policies to 20th-century precedents, especially those involving economic or foreign policy.
• Bipartisan Breakthroughs: Legislation with unusual stakeholder alliances, particularly in tech regulation or defense spending.
• Primary Source Revelations: FOIA-obtained documents or leaked memos that expose bureaucratic decision-making processes.

Achievements Snapshot

• Emmy® and Walter Cronkite Award winner for presidential coverage
• Author of four New York Times bestselling books on U.S. politics
• First journalist to interview Donald Trump as a presidential candidate (2015)

Mike McNessor is a leading automotive journalist and editor at Hemmings Motor News, specializing in classic car restoration, collector markets, and vintage vehicle culture. With a career spanning over two decades, his work combines technical expertise with engaging storytelling, making complex topics accessible to enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Pitching Tips

• Focus on Hands-On Restoration: McNessor prioritizes stories about DIY projects, innovative repair techniques, and cost-effective solutions for vintage models.
• Emphasize Historical Significance: Pitches should contextualize vehicles within broader automotive history, such as the impact of 1960s muscle cars on modern design.
• Leverage Community Insights: Articles featuring interviews with collectors, restorers, or event organizers are ideal, particularly those highlighting grassroots initiatives.

Based in the United States, McNessor continues to shape Hemmings’ coverage of the classic car world, offering readers a blend of practical advice and cultural commentary. His profile can be accessed via Hemmings’ author page, which features his latest articles on auctions, restorations, and industry trends.

Nancy Churnin bridges historical scholarship and children's education through award-winning biographies that emphasize social justice and inclusion. Based in Dallas, her work for publishers including Albert Whitman & Company and Beaming Books has earned recognition from the National Jewish Book Awards, Sydney Taylor Book Awards, and Texas Library Association.

Key Focus Areas

• Historical Biography: Resurrects overlooked figures who shaped civil rights, disability access, and cultural identity
• Educational Resources: Develops free classroom guides used in 40+ states
• Community Engagement: Partners with museums and schools on literacy initiatives

Pitching Priorities

• Stories with verifiable primary sources and contemporary relevance
• Projects supporting DEI curriculum standards
• Cross-platform opportunities (museum exhibits, performance rights)

"Churnin's work doesn't just tell stories - it creates activists." - School Library Journal

As National Geographic's editor-at-large and podcast host, Peter Gwin specializes in environmental conservation, historical exploration, and outdoor adventure journalism. His career-spanning focus on human-nature interactions makes him particularly receptive to stories that:

• Bridge Past and Present: Projects connecting archaeological discoveries to contemporary ecological challenges
• Showcase Field Innovation: Cutting-edge conservation techniques being implemented in remote regions
• Highlight Cultural Preservation: Indigenous knowledge systems informing modern environmental policy

Pitching Priorities

Gwin seeks narratives with strong visual components and opportunities for immersive reporting. Successful pitches often involve:

• Multi-disciplinary research teams open to journalist participation
• Underdocumented ecosystems facing imminent change
• Historical patterns repeating in modern environmental conflicts

Recent accolades including the Overseas Press Club Award and Fulbright Scholarship underscore his commitment to stories that reshape understanding of humanity's relationship with natural systems. Avoid pitches focused on urban environmentalism or celebrity-driven conservation campaigns.

Peter Hartlaub is the San Francisco Chronicle’s Culture Critic, specializing in hyperlocal stories that bridge past and present. With 25 years at the Chronicle—including 17 as a film critic—he now leads the Total SF initiative, exploring the Bay Area’s quirks through podcasts, newsletters, and participatory journalism.

Pitching Insights

• Focus Areas:
  • Urban exploration (e.g., abandoned buildings, transit challenges)
  • Historical deep dives using archival materials
  • Community-driven narratives about resilience
• Avoid:
  • National politics or celebrity culture
  • Generic travel/tourism pitches

Career Highlights

“I’m a journalist but also a concierge and a ringmaster. My goal is to get out and meet every one of our newsletter readers.”

From interviewing Jon Stewart at SF’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium to co-founding Total SF, Hartlaub’s work celebrates the Bay Area’s idiosyncrasies while advocating for equitable urban development.

Riley Black is a Salt Lake City-based science writer and paleontologist currently contributing to Smithsonian Magazine. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in:

• Evolutionary Biology: Tracing anatomical adaptations across deep time, particularly in Mesozoic reptiles and Cenozoic mammals.
• Mass Extinctions: Analyzing fossil records to reconstruct ecological collapse/recovery, notably the K-Pg and Triassic-Jurassic events.
• Science Communication: Developing multimedia content that makes paleontology accessible, including NPR segments and museum exhibits.

Pitching Insights

• Do: Connect discoveries to broader evolutionary trends (e.g., how new ankylosaur findings revise theories about dinosaur migration).
• Avoid: Incremental taxonomic descriptions without narrative hooks (e.g., “new species of hadrosaur” vs. “hadrosaur fossils challenging continental drift models”).

Career Highlights

• Consultant for Jurassic World franchise (2015–present)
• 12+ books translated into 8 languages
• Regular contributor to Science Friday and National Geographic

Tim Queeney is the editor of Ocean Navigator, where he demystifies maritime technology and history for a global audience of sailors and enthusiasts. Based in Maine, his work spans ocean racing, naval engineering, and the cultural legacy of seafaring.

Pitching Insights

• Seek Historical Parallels: Queeney often contextualizes modern innovations through historical breakthroughs, as seen in his coverage of Elaine Kaplan’s propeller designs.
• Prioritize Practicality: Articles must offer tangible takeaways, such as his analysis of marine electrical systems maintenance.
• Celebrate Unsung Innovators: Profiles of niche experts, like weather router Ken McKinley, align with his editorial vision.

Awards Spotlight

Queeney’s collaboration with the 2023 Transpac Race set new standards for regatta journalism, blending live data with narrative storytelling. His upcoming book Rope (St. Martin’s Press) further cements his authority in maritime history.

As Today Magazine's Senior Environmental Correspondent, Cameron specializes in visual narratives about land conservation and sustainable industry. His work combines:

• Archival research
• Scientific data visualization
• Long-form photographic documentation

Pitching Priorities

• Local Impact: Prefers Northeast U.S. stories with clear regional significance
• Visual Potential: Requires strong visual components demonstrating environmental change
• Solution Focus: Highlights actionable responses to ecological challenges

"The best environmental stories show how human ingenuity can work with natural systems."

As The Wall Street Journal’s preeminent scholar-journalist, Tom Shippey bridges medieval studies and modern mythmaking. His work illuminates how historical narratives shape contemporary fantasy, with particular expertise in Tolkien’s Middle-earth and Chaucer’s England.

Key Coverage Areas

• Literary Archaeology: Tracing modern storytelling techniques to medieval roots
• Adaptation Studies: Analyzing how ancient narratives transform across media
• Linguistic Evolution: Examining how language construction shapes fictional worlds

Pitching Insights

• Leverage Historical Parallels: Successful pitches connect modern cultural phenomena to specific medieval precedents
• Emphasize Primary Sources: Shippey prioritizes research grounded in archival materials and textual analysis
• Avoid Anachronistic Readings: He critiques interpretations that impose modern values on historical contexts

Career Highlights

• Consulted on all three Lord of the Rings film adaptations
• Authored 8 seminal books on medieval literature and fantasy
• Recipient of three Mythopoeic Awards and a World Fantasy Award

As editor-in-chief of AlaDefense.com and contributor to WMAR News, Turner specializes in military policy analysis with a human impact lens. His dual focus makes him uniquely positioned to cover:

• National Security Legislation: Particularly bills affecting veteran communities or interstate collaboration
• Cold Case Investigations: With emphasis on systemic reforms over sensationalism
• Historical Military Research: Oral histories from aging veterans and archival discoveries

Pitching Insights

Turner prioritizes stories demonstrating measurable policy impacts. Successful angles include:

• Veteran-led social initiatives reducing recidivism rates
• Declassified documents revealing historical precedents for current conflicts
• Cross-sector partnerships improving military family support systems

Recent honors include Columbia University's 2012 Anti-Racism Citation for reservation land rights investigations and repeated Pulitzer Prize jury service. His 30-year career spans frontline reporting and executive roles at one of America's largest newspaper chains.

Wesley Wren combines mechanical expertise with historical analysis at Autoweek, focusing on preservation ethics and EV-classic integration. His work appeals to collectors, restorers, and policymakers navigating automotive sustainability.

Key Coverage Areas

• Classic Car Restoration: Technical guides, sourcing rare parts, balancing authenticity with modern safety
• EV Retrofit Challenges: Battery integration, regulatory compliance, collector community reception
• Automotive Cultural History: Design evolution, regional manufacturing legacies, generational stewardship

Pitching Insights

• Do: Reference pre-1980s models in innovation pitches
• Avoid: Motorsports or aftermarket performance topics
• Unique Angle: Urban planning x vintage car infrastructure needs