Daniel Gifford

Daniel Gifford is a public historian who focuses on American popular and visual culture, as well as museums in American culture. He received his PhD from George Mason University in 2011. His career spans both academia and public history, including several years with the Smithsonian Institution. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Kentucky.

His new book "Benefactors of Posterity: The Founding Era of the Filson Historical Society, 1884-1899" (September 2024) revises our understanding of key moments in Louisville and Kentucky history, and is an explicit and intentional reckoning with the Filson Historical Society’s past.

His other books include "The Last Voyage of the Whaling Bark Progress: New Bedford, Chicago and the Twilight of an Industry." It explores questions of commemoration, historical memory, and what it means to transform a dying industry into “a museum piece.” His first book, "American Holiday Postcards 1905-1915: Imagery and Context," examines deep divides at the height of the Progressive Era as expressed through holidays and holiday imagery.

His expertise has been featured in numerous interviews and articles including the New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, Slate Magazine, Time, and Smithsonian Magazine.