ALI member Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, is launching a new 12-part podcast series titled Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness. Produced in partnership with PRX, the series explores how the founders of the United States viewed personal growth and virtue as essential to the common good.
Hosted by Rosen and inspired by his New York Times bestselling book The Pursuit of Happiness, the podcast debuts September 8, with new episodes released weekly. The series features conversations with leading historians, scholars, and cultural figures—including Ken Burns, who reflects on the influence of the founders in his own life.
Rosen, who also composed music for the podcast, aims to shed light on the classical virtues that guided figures like Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and others. “Learning about the founders’ understanding of the pursuit of happiness as being good, not feeling good, changed my life,” Rosen said. “I hope it will inspire listeners as well.”
Pursuit is part of the National Constitution Center’s “America at 250” initiative and is available on all major podcast platforms.