Presidential biographers talked about the challenges faced by three very different presidencies. Topics included Jackson’s search for a broader democracy in the 1830s, Garfield’s post Civil War service, and Coolidge’s struggle during 1920s prohibition. The talk was moderated by Hillel Italie, and participants responded to questions from the audience.

David Greenberg is the author of Calvin Coolidge. Ira Rutkow is the author of James A. Garfield. Sean Wilentz is the author of Andrew Jackson. All three books are part of The American Presidents series published by Times Books. Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., the general editor of the series, attended this event a week before his death.

“Challenges to the Presidency: Jackson, Coolidge and Garfield” was a program in the History and Current Affairs series of the New York Historical Society.