In Pursuit USA

In Pursuit USA A national project to debrief the American experiment at 250 years. In Pursuit is a non-partisan, not-for-profit initiative of More Perfect.

Without ever holding elected office, Eleanor Roosevelt redefined the role of first lady from gracious helpmate to public...
09/17/2026

Without ever holding elected office, Eleanor Roosevelt redefined the role of first lady from gracious helpmate to public advocate, spending half of each year crossing the country to see the Depression firsthand and bringing what she learned back to the White House.

In a new essay, Hillary Rodham Clinton reflects on Roosevelt—one of her heroes—and the discipline of showing up for the hardest problems confronting the nation and the world.

Read the full essay here: Lesson #49: https://www.inpursuit.org/lessons/in-the-long-run-courage-is-easier-than-fear

The Study (North Dakota) has a lineup of upcoming online conversations exploring the lives and legacies of American pres...
09/16/2026

The Study (North Dakota) has a lineup of upcoming online conversations exploring the lives and legacies of American presidents, featuring leading historians, authors, and scholars. All conversations will be moderated by Dr. Colleen Shogan:

September 22 — William Henry Harrison and the Power of Presidential Storytelling with Sharon McMahon
October 13 — John F. Kennedy and Rethinking the Camelot Myth with Alexis Coe
October 27 — John Quincy Adams and Louisa Adams with Dr. Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky and Louisa Thomas
November 10 — Sarah and James K. Polk with Dr. Amy Greenberg and Dr. Matt Costello

All events are online and open to all. For more information and to register, visit https://www.thestudynd.org/

Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns write about Franklin D. Roosevelt and the political force of durable optimism. FDR entere...
09/15/2026

Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns write about Franklin D. Roosevelt and the political force of durable optimism.

FDR entered office in 1933 with one in four Americans out of work, 9,000 banks failed, and public confidence collapsing. He responded with the New Deal and a steady public voice that Eleanor Roosevelt said never once treated a problem as unsolvable, carrying the country through the Depression and most of World War II.

Read the full essay: https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/franklin-d-roosevelt-by-geoffrey?r=6mmis5

09/10/2026

The chairman of the LBJ Foundation, Mark Updegrove, reflects on the time George W. Bush met Bono of U2 in this short take from Retro Report.

In Pursuit: Lessons of American Leadership, based on In Pursuit USA by More Perfect, airs Oct. 27 at 10/9c (check local listings) on PBS. Learn more: https://retroreport.org/articles/in-pursuit-lessons-of-american-leadership-premieres-tuesday-october-27-2026-on-pbs/

Teachers, access additional free classroom resources for America’s 250th anniversary on Retro Report’s website today: https://retroreport.org/america-250-resources/

Nancy Beck Young writes about Lou Henry Hoover and a philosophy of service that ran quietly through the worst years of t...
09/10/2026

Nancy Beck Young writes about Lou Henry Hoover and a philosophy of service that ran quietly through the worst years of the Depression. A Stanford-trained geologist and lifelong advocate for the Girl Scouts, Lou merged hospitality with reform long before entering the White House.

She built a school for a poor mountain community near Camp Rapidan, quietly paid tuition for students she never met, and refused publicity for any of it.

Read the full essay here: https://www.inpursuit.org/lessons/lead-for-a-cause-not-applause

George H. Nash writes about Herbert Hoover and a career that outlasted its defining defeat. Hoover entered office in 192...
09/08/2026

George H. Nash writes about Herbert Hoover and a career that outlasted its defining defeat. Hoover entered office in 1928 as one of the most admired men in the world, then presided over the Great Depression and left the White House a virtual pariah.

He spent the next thirty years back in the fight, rebuilding influence he no longer held through office and reshaping his own place in the American story.

Read the full essay: https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/herbert-hoover-by-george-h-nash?r=6mmis5

09/03/2026

🐄 Did you know that a cow once grazed on the White House lawn?

In this Retro Report short take, John Bridgeland, the Co-Chair of In Pursuit USA and the founder of More Perfect, recalls how Nellie Taft secured a cow to live on the White House grounds so that her husband, President William Howard Taft, could have fresh milk every day.

The cow, named Pauline, gave birth to a calf named Big Bill, which later went missing during transport. Big Bill’s mythology lived on throughout the Taft administration.

Learn more about the nation’s presidents and first ladies in a documentary special. Watch In Pursuit: Lessons of American Leadership, based on In Pursuit USA by More Perfect, on Oct. 27 at 10/9c (check local listings) on PBS. https://retroreport.org/articles/in-pursuit-lessons-of-american-leadership-premieres-tuesday-october-27-2026-on-pbs/

Teachers, access additional free classroom resources for America’s 250th anniversary on Retro Report’s website today: https://retroreport.org/america-250-resources/

Dr. Colleen Shogan writes about Grace Coolidge and the political power of authenticity in a decade defined by cynicism a...
09/03/2026

Dr. Colleen Shogan writes about Grace Coolidge and the political power of authenticity in a decade defined by cynicism and scandal. Grace never sought public life, but her warmth and openness cut against the reserved image of her husband and the eroded trust left by the Harding administration.

She resumed public White House tours, supported the deaf community as a former teacher at the Clarke School, and let the country see her grief openly after the sudden death of her son Calvin Jr.

Read the full essay here: https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/grace-coolidge-by-colleen-shogan

Jennifer Taylor writes about Florence Harding and the political power of visibility in the first years after women won t...
08/27/2026

Jennifer Taylor writes about Florence Harding and the political power of visibility in the first years after women won the vote. Mrs. Harding became the first future first lady photographed casting a ballot, and she carried that instinct for public presence into the White House.

She opened the residence to citizens, groups, and press, helped shape federal appointments for women, and advocated for incarcerated suffragists and wounded veterans.

Read the full essay:
https://inpursuit.substack.com/p/florence-kling-harding-by-jennifer?r=6mmis5

Address

4400 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington D.C., DC
20016

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when In Pursuit USA posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to In Pursuit USA:

Shortcuts

Share

Category