Letters from an American
Nightly historical context for today's political events from historian Heather Cox Richardson.
Best for
Politically engaged readers who want current events explained through the lens of American history by a credentialed scholar
Why we recommend it
- Written by a Boston College history professor with decades of academic expertise
- The most-subscribed individual creator on Substack with over 2.8 million subscribers
- Nightly publishing cadence provides consistent, timely historical context
Letters from an American is a daily political history newsletter by Heather Cox Richardson, a Boston College history professor, that places each day's political news in the context of broader patterns from American history. Launched on September 15, 2019, initially as Facebook posts covering the Trump impeachment inquiry, the newsletter migrated to Substack and has grown to over 2.8 million subscribers, making Richardson the most-subscribed individual creator on the platform.
Richardson's rapid growth was fueled by the 2020 election and pandemic lockdowns, which created a massive audience hungry for informed political analysis. Within a year of launching, she became Substack's most successful individual paid author, generating subscription revenue estimated to exceed $1 million annually. She was named to the 2025 TIME100 Creators List, cementing her status as one of the most influential voices in digital media.
What distinguishes Letters from an American from other political newsletters is Richardson's ability to draw on decades of academic expertise rather than offering hot takes or partisan commentary. Each nightly letter connects the day's headlines to historical precedents, whether from Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, or the Cold War, giving readers a framework for understanding current events that goes far deeper than the typical news cycle analysis. Her consistent publishing schedule and accessible writing style have built an extraordinarily loyal audience.
