Jake Lundberg Brings Historical Rigor to The Atlantic’s Culture Coverage

Jake Lundberg, a staff writer at The Atlantic, draws on his background as a teaching professor of history at the University of Notre Dame to examine pivotal moments in American culture and politics.

Lundberg's work at The Atlantic spans historical narratives and contemporary analysis. Recent pieces include examinations of how Black soldiers transformed the meaning of the Civil War, the persistence of gerrymandering as a political practice dating to the nation's founding, and the cultural significance of historical monuments and their relationship to national memory.

His approach reflects a historian's attention to primary sources and long-form context. An article on the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" explored the song's enduring cultural power, while a piece on the American office examined how 19th-century workers moved into clerical positions to establish themselves professionally. Another article traced how New York City's history illuminates broader patterns in American development.

Lundberg has also investigated the erasure of historical ideals, examining an anti-slavery memorial and how quickly national values can deteriorate in public memory. He has written about literary history as well, including a piece on Raymond Chandler's disputes with Atlantic copy editors over grammar and editorial choices.

His work appears regularly in The Atlantic's Ideas section, where he connects historical events—from the centennial celebrations of 1876 to contemporary political practices—to current debates. The combination of academic training and magazine journalism positions him to translate historical scholarship for a general readership interested in understanding how the past informs present-day challenges.