John Monsky is the creator, writer, executive producer, and narrator of the American History
Unbound series. His reverence for historical ephemera is at the core of his productions, with his
meticulous research of flags and other tangible objects driving his narratives that explore
landmark events in our history.
John’s sold-out symphonic lectures for the Carnegie Hall Presents series include: The Vietnam
War: At Home and Abroad (2018), We Chose to Go to the Moon (2019), The Eyes of the World:
From D-Day to VE Day (2021), and November 1918: The Great War & The Great Gatsby
(2023). These works have also been presented at the New-York Historical Society; John F.
Kennedy Center Opera House; Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill, New York; Norton Museum
of Art in West Palm Beach, Florida; Yale University; New York University’s Skirball Center for
the Performing Arts, the New York Stock Exchange, and International House New York City.
In May 2024, to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, The Eyes of the World sold out the
revered Boston Symphony Hall, for an acclaimed performance with the Boston Pops, scheduled
to air on PBS Stations in November 2024 and streamed on the PBS app, as a Veterans Day
tribute.
The American History Unbound series combines live music performed by leading orchestras and
celebrated Broadway actors, photographs, and film from the National Archives, historic
American flags, and material culture to explore watershed moments in American history. The
programs are developed with the New-York Historical Society, Katie Couric Media, and the
American Battle Monuments Commission. American History Unbound is a 501c3
(www.americanhistoryunbound.com).
John has provided historical perspectives and analysis on current events through appearances on
CNN, CBS, NBC and as an op-ed writer for The New York Times. His nationally recognized flag
collection, which he began in boyhood, has been featured in The New Yorker, Art & Antiques
Magazine, among other publications and his research on George Washington has been published
by the Winterthur Portfolio.
In 2019, John was honored by the New-York Historical Society, where he has workshopped
many of his lectures and serves as co-vice chair. He also serves on the board of directors of
Rockefeller University and Yale University Art Gallery.
John graduated from Yale College, summa cum laude, with a degree in history, earning the White
Prize in History and the Deforest Oratory Prize. He later attended Harvard Law School and
worked as a law clerk, before serving as an attorney for the U.S. Senate Congressional
Committee investigating the Iran-Contra affair.
John is a senior partner at Oak Hill Capital, an investment firm. In addition to his corporate
responsibilities, he developed Oak Hill’s partnership with Ownership Works, a groundbreaking
program that brings broad-based equity ownership to employees of private equity-owned
companies.
John lives in New York City with his wife, Jennifer Weis. They have four children—Harrison,
Annabel, Gillian, and Caitlin—and dog Flyer.
