Former Presidents Join In Pursuit Historical Essay Project

Former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton have partnered with historians and authors for In Pursuit, a 250th-anniversary series featuring essays on U.S. presidents and first ladies. The project is staged by the nonpartisan alliance More Perfect and covers 43 presidents and 30 first ladies.

Curated by Colleen Shogan, a former U.S. archivist fired by President Donald Trump in February 2025, the series excludes Joe Biden and Donald Trump because they are considered too current for historical appraisal. While the project avoids partisan themes, several contributions draw parallels to contemporary governance. George W. Bush wrote an essay focusing on George Washington's humility and his choice to relinquish power, while Stanley McChrystal authored a piece on Ulysses S. Grant's commitment to the Constitution.