Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Announces Jamelle Bouie as 2026-27 Fritz and Claudine Kundrun Fellow

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is pleased to announce the selection of Jamelle Bouie as the 2026-27 Fritz and Claudine Kundrun Fellow at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies (ICJS). The nine-month Kundrun Fellowship—Monticello's most prestigious—enables fellows to devote their time to research and writing on topics directly related to Thomas Jefferson, his times, and his legacy. 

Bouie is a columnist for The New York Times, where he covers history and politics. Before joining The New York Times, Bouie was the chief political correspondent for Slate magazine and previously wrote for The American Prospect and The Daily Beast. His work has appeared in Four Hundred Souls: A Community History of African America, 1619-2019 and The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story.  

“As a preeminent thinker and writer, Jamelle Bouie insists upon the profound importance of understanding American history and its role in our lives and future,” said Dr. Andrew M. Davenport, the Vice President for Research and Saunders Director of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies (ICJS) at Monticello. “Bouie is duly recognized by the historical profession for his commitment to and advocacy for our discipline, and Monticello is proud to welcome him as a yearlong fellow.” 

Bouie is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he earned degrees in political and social thought, and government, in 2009. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism, election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the 2025 Carey McWilliams Award from the American Political Science Association, and the Tikkun Olam Prize for Promoting Public Historical Literacy from the American Historical Association.  

As a Kundrun Fellow, Bouie will join the community of scholars at ICJS conducting and promoting research in the public interest. He plans to use the resources at Monticello to deepen and further his work as a journalist by bringing American history to bear on contemporary American politics. He is working on a larger project on democracy and the American political system.  

Learn more about the International Center for Jefferson Studies and its Fellowship Program here. 

About Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello 

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation was incorporated in 1923 to preserve Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, in Charlottesville, Virginia. As a civic institution, Monticello seeks to increase knowledge and share the ideals Jefferson articulated in the Declaration of Independence through programming and scholarship built upon a foundation of rigorous research.  

Monticello is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a United Nations World Heritage Site, and a Site of Conscience. As a private, nonprofit organization, Monticello receives no ongoing local, state, or federal funding. Visitors and the generosity of donors make Monticello’s twofold mission of preservation and education possible. For information, visit monticello.org.