Nicole Penn, a member of the editorial board of American Purpose, is program manager for social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI).
Prior to this role, she served as a research assistant for AEI senior fellow Lynne Cheney, supporting Cheney’s research on the Virginia dynasty during the American Revolution and early Republic. Ms. Penn also previously served as an editorial apprentice at the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture.
Glad to the Brink of Fear
A new biography reveals how Ralph Waldo Emerson gave Americans a vocabulary to understand themselves in an era even more tempestuous than our own.
Uncovering Hidden Lives
Can the lives of America's enslaved ever be recovered? Starting from a line on a ledger, Nicole Penn illuminates the life of Scylla.
What Women Want—and Men Need
Men and women enjoy unprecedented freedom when it comes to society’s views on sex and gender—which might be a problem. Two new books explore the challenges facing the sexes today.
Frederick Douglass' Perfect Pitch
Despite the scorn heaped upon “Founders Chic” after the musical Hamilton, we need more art dedicated to Frederick Douglass’ life and message.
Choking on Our Feeds
Twenty years ago, M.T. Anderson's Feed presaged today's combustable combination of adolescence, desire, and social media.
Teapots and Tempests
With all the discord and divergent experiences in American history, a recognizable and cohesive storyline based in ideals remains.
December 16, 2021: "How Museums Preserve Diverse Memories." A conversation with Sara Bon-Harper and Rob Havers, moderated by Nicole Penn
Join us on December 16, 2021 for a conversation with Sara Bon-Harper and Rob Havers on "How Museums Preserve Diverse Memories." Moderated by Nicole Penn. Sara Bon-Harper is the executive director of James Monroe's Highland in Albemarle County, Virginia, focusing on strategic vision and museum leadership
Jesus and John Wayne
Historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez explores sources of today’s White Christian nationalism.
