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Matthew Costello

Matthew Costello is Vice President of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History and Senior Historian for the White House Historical Association. He received his Ph.D. and master’s in American history at Marquette University, and bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has published articles in The Journal of History and Cultures, Essays in History, and White House History Quarterly. His first book, The Property of the Nation: George Washington’s Tomb, Mount Vernon, and the Memory of the First President, was published by University Press of Kansas and was a finalist for the 2020 George Washington Book Prize. He is currently working on a second book that explores how Theodore and Edith Roosevelt, as well as their children, shaped the presidency and White House. Matthew also teaches a course on White House history at American University.

  • Scholarship

    The Slave Quarters at Decatur House

    Nestled in the heart of Washington, D.C., Lafayette Park attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. From school groups to tourists, protesters to foreign dignitaries, many are drawn to the most prominent building on the square—the White House. Yet few fully realize just how much the neighborhood has changed since 1800, when President John Adams first moved into th

  • Scholarship

    “From Indian Village to Vice Presidency”

    On January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris was sworn in as Vice President of the United States of America. As the first woman, first African American, and first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency, Harris’ achievement was historic in several significant ways. However, there was some confusion over whether or not she was the “first vice president of color.” Contem

  • Scholarship

    The Enslaved Households of President James Monroe

    Considered the last “Founding Father” president, James Monroe was born in 1758 into an affluent, slave owning family in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His parents, Spence and Elizabeth Monroe, had aspirations for their eldest son, sending him to Campbelltown Academy. James’ childhood changed dramatically when both of his parents passed away within a span of two years. In 1774, he inherited land and enslav

  • Scholarship

    The Enslaved Households of President Martin Van Buren

    While many tend to think that slavery was strictly a “southern” issue, this system of racial captivity and exploitation existed across the British colonies in a variety of forms during the eighteenth century. It thrived across North America, survived the American Revolution, and persisted through the creation of the Constitution. That said, individual states began adopting policies of gradual emancipation as e

  • Scholarship

    The Origins of the American "First Lady"

    Article 2 Section 1 of the United States Constitution begins with the following: “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.”1 This passage goes on to define the length of the president’s term; how the president will be elected; citizenship and age requirements; presidential succession; compensation; and finally, the presidential oath that all chief execut

  • Scholarship

    An Eisenhower Christmas

    The White House has many holiday traditions, some of which are historic and others more recent. New arrivals to the Executive Mansion often bring unique familial rituals that they celebrate alongside time-tested White House and presidential customs. During the holiday season, the president and first lady participate in public traditions such as receiving a tree for the Blue Room, lighting