Jon Parrish Peede is the former Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. His previous positions include Publisher of the Virginia Quarterly Review at the University of Virginia, Literature Grants Director at the National Endowment for the Arts, Counselor to NEA Chairman Dana Gioia, Director of the NEA Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience program, Director of Communications at Millsaps College, and Editor at Mercer University Press.
Peede is the editor of a bilingual anthology of contemporary American fiction and co-editor of a collection of essays on Flannery O'Connor. He has published widely in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, books, and encyclopedias.
He completed his B.S. at Vanderbilt University and M.A. at the University of Mississippi. He is currently visiting writer in residence at Mississippi Valley State University. He lives in the Mississippi Delta with his family.
Contact
For any media inquiries, please contact info@JonPeede.com
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In the Media
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jon as he’s meticulously edited my stories, of getting good advice and invaluable recommendations of books I should read, and most of all I’ve had the pleasure of having him become my friend. I’ve put the issues of VQR he presided over among my books, in the bookcase. About literary matters, he sees so clearly that it takes you a while to realize he’s always contextualizing, always looking through a manuscript with x-ray vision, hovering above it to give an overview, and raising an essential question because of what he sees in his peripheral vision. If this makes him sound like a hummingbird, he is, in a way: quick-thinking, fast-moving, fascinating, and inspirational as a person and as an editor.”
"Over the past decade the Virginia Quarterly Review has been America's most innovative literary magazine. Jon combines the experience of a writer, editor, publisher and arts administrator – a unique mix of skills that will help the journal reach an even higher level of excellence."
--DANA GIOIA
-- ANN BEATTIE
At NEH:
“Storyteller, Editor, Chairman: An Interview with Jon Parrish Peede,” Humanities, Summer 2018.
National Public Radio, “Jon Peede, Trump's Nominee To Lead NEH, Makes His Case On Why Agency Should Exist,” March 30, 2018
Inside Higher Education, “Senate Confirms Leader for Humanities Endowment,” April 27, 2018
The New York Times, "Trump Nominates New Chairman for the National Endowment for the Humanities," March 4, 2018
Rhode Island Public Radio, “Head Of NEH Discusses Agency's Future Under Trump,” November 6, 2017
National Humanities Conference, Plenary Address, "The Humanities in Relationship,” November 4, 2017
Associated Press, "Cultural groups urged to seek grants amid budget uncertainty," November 3, 2017
Providence Journal, “National Endowment head tells Rhode Island there is money for arts,” November 3, 2017
Omaha World Herald, “In Omaha, National Endowment for the Humanities official says preserving arts, history is a vital mission,” October 5, 2017
The Dallas Morning News, “Libraries, museums can apply for part of $1 million grant for Harvey recovery,” September 21, 2017
NEH press release, “NEH Announces $39.3 Million for 245 Humanities Projects Nationwide,” August 2, 2017
At VQR:
VQR press release, “VQR Thanks Outgoing Publisher Jon Parrish Peede,” September 28, 2016
UVA Today, “National Endowment for the Arts Grants Awarded to Three U.VA. Arts Disciplines,” December 17, 2013
UVA Today, “University of Virginia Names Publisher, Deputy Editor and Advisory Board for Virginia Quarterly Review,” December 12, 2011
At NEA:
NEA press release, “NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman Congratulates Jon Parrish Peede on Eight Years of Service to the National Endowment for the Arts,” July 8, 2011
Grantmakers in the Arts, “A Generosity of Spirit: Characteristics of an Effective Peer Panel,” Spring 2011
Denver Post, “Bookbeat: Inside the NEA grants in writing,” March 4, 2010
Poets & Writers, “NEA Appoints Grants Director as Literature Department Expands,” July 26, 2007
At NEA Operation Homecoming program:
Massachusetts Daily Collegian, “Veterans Writers Project asks veterans to write about experiences,” April 21, 2011
Brattleboro Reformer (VT), “Vermont soldier pens war stories,” August 9, 2009
Wall Street Journal, “Faith and Fiber,” August 9, 2007
Vanderbilt Magazine, “Books and Writers,” Spring 2007
San Diego Union-Tribune, “War Experiences to be detailed at Encinitas reading,” July 25, 2006
Naples Daily News, “Soldiers' online journals under deeper scrutiny,” May 11, 2006
USA Today, “Heartfelt words from lost soldiers reveals hopes, fears,” October 25, 2005
CNN, “Military Bloggers Write about Time on Frontlines in Iraq,” May 28, 2005
USA Today, “Milbloggers' are typing their place in history,” May 12, 2005
NBC Nightly News, “War veterans learn to share their stories,” March 3, 2005
Boston Globe, “Fighting Words,” February 13, 2005
Chicago Tribune, “War through their eyes--and words,” January 23, 2005
Washington Post, “Soldiers' Stories From the Latest War,” April 20, 2004
Events
2017
AWP Conference
February 9
Washington, DC
"Tips and Tricks from the Trenches: Lit Mag Editors Share Funding, Staffing, and Operational Strategies for Survival"
Panelist
2016
VQR Writers' Conference
July 14-18
Charlottesville, VA
Introduction, Rita Dove Keynote Reading
Panelist, "How to Make a Magazine"
Introduction, Major Jackson reading
Writers Center - Leesburg
March 4
Leesburg, VA
Address, "Literary Publishing"
Selected speeches, lectures, panels, events
2022
Common Sense Society
Britannia Fellows
Bowood House, United Kingdom
September 7-9, 2022
Common Sense Society
Carolina Fellowship
Bluffton, SC
August 4, 2022
Speech, “The Southern Literary Tradition”
Common Sense Society
K-12 Teaching Workshops
Boca Raton, FL
July 18-22, 2022
Speech, “The Humanities in Relationship” and "The Unopened Letter"
Mississippi Humanities Council
Gala and award ceremony
Jackson, MS
March 25, 2022
Award introduction, "Bill Ferris: A Man of Parts"
Common Sense Society
Gala and Conference
The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL
January 28, 2022
Panel moderator, "The Future of American Education"
2019
Manchester Community College
Manchester, NH
May 22, 2019
Commencement Address
New Hampshire Humanities and St. Anselm College
Manchester, NH
May 22, 2019
Panel, "The Role of the Public Humanities & The National Endowment for the Humanities in New Hampshire/Rural America"
California State University at Fresno
Fresno, CA
May 17, 2019
College of Arts and Humanities Convocation Address
The Society for Military History
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
May 10, 2019
Luncheon Address, “Why Military History is Essential to the Academy”
American Council of Learned Societies
New York, NY
April 26, 2019
Centennial Luncheon Address
Kansas Stories of the Vietnam War Handover Ceremony
University of Kansas
Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics
Lawrence, KS
April 11, 2019
Remarks
University of Florida
Center for the Humanities and Public Sphere
Gainesville, FL
April 5, 2019
Keynote address, Center Tenth Anniversary Celebration
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
April 2, 2019
Harry C. Howard Jr. Lecture, “The Vanderbilt Tradition and the Individual Talent”
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
March 19, 2019
Hutchins Lecture discussion with Hon. William Ferris, "Stories that Matter: Humanities Leadership and the South"
2018
James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
June 17, 2018
Address, "Why Civic Education Matters"
National Institute of the Social Sciences
Cornell Club, New York, NY
June 12, 2018
Address, "Beauty, Optimism, and the Social Sciences"
American Council of Learned Societies
Philadelphia, PA
April 27, 2018
Luncheon Address
American Alliance of Museums
Museum Advocacy Day
Washington, DC
February 27, 2018
Remarks on NEH funding opportunities
American University
Arts Management Program
Washington, DC
February 4, 2018
Address, "Cultural Leaders in the 21st Century"
Association of Art Museum Directors
Midwinter conference
San Antonio, TX
January 30, 2018
Address with Q&A with Anne-Imelda Radice (Director, Folk Art Museum)
2017
Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities
New Orleans Jazz Museum
New Orleans, LA
December 12, 2017
Formal address
National Humanities Conference
Boston, MA
November 4, 2017
Keynote address, "The Humanities in Relationship"
Ashland University, MFA Program
Ashland, OH
July 22, 2017
Panelist, "The Landscape of Publishing in the 21st Century" (Jon Parrish Peede, Kirsten Reach, Dan Bourne)
Visiting Editor Reading
Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) Conference
Washington, DC
February 9, 2017
Panel, "Tips and Tricks from the Trenches: Lit Mag Editors Share Funding, Staffing, and Operational Strategies for Survival"
2016
Miami University, Humanities Center
Oxford, OH
August 17, 2016
Lecture, "How to Apply For and Maximize Your Chances of Winning NEA and NEH Grants"
VQR Writers' Conference
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
July 14-18, 2016
Introduction, Rita Dove keynote reading
Panelist, "How to Make a Magazine"
Introduction, Major Jackson reading
Writers Center - Leesburg
Leesburg, VA
March 4, 2016
Address, "Literary Publishing"
Sierra Nevada College, MFA Program
Incline Village, NV
January 7-8, 2016
Guest editor and manuscript reviewer
Virginia Festival of the Book
Charlottesville, VA
March 18, 2016
Moderator, “On Reading and Living Our Best Lives”
Discussion of the classics by Matt Burriesci, Mark Edmundson, and Michael Pearson
2015
VQR Writers’ Conference
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
August 13, 2015
Panel on poetry. Remarks and moderator. With Kevin McFadden, Brian Turner, and Amy Woolard
August 15, 2015
Panel on Publishing. Remarks and moderator. With Malaika Adero, Jeff Kleinman, and Bethanne Patrick
Introduction. Keynote reading by Ann Beattie
The Future of the Catholic Literary Imagination Conference
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
February 20-21, 2015
Introduction and remarks, Ron Hansen reading. Moderator, Catholic fiction panel with Richard Bausch, Paul Contino, and Mark Eaton
2014
VQR Writers’ Conference
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
August 8, 2014
Conference welcome and introductions. Readings by Richard Bausch, Beth Ann Fennelly and Tom Franklin
August 9, 2014
Introduction. Keynote reading by Richard Bausch
Chesapeake Writers Conference
St. Mary’s College of Maryland
St. Mary’s City, MD
July 2014
Publishing panel. With Mitchell Waters
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
February 20, 2014
Guest lecture on arts policy
2012
Ruskin Art Club
Los Angeles, CA
November 11, 2012
VQR-Ruskin lecture and reading. Remarks and introduction. With Dana Gioia and Victoria Chang
Virginia Film Festival
Charlottesville, VA
November 2, 2012
"Chasing Ice" documentary panel discussion
2011
Pioneer Valley Veterans Writers Project
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
Amherst, MA
April 5, 2011
Panel and discussion. Organized by Veterans Education Project, Mass Veterans Services, and the Daily Hampshire Gazette. With Andrew Carroll, Judy Gagnon, Robert Meagher, and Robert Wilson
Associated Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference
Washington, DC
February 4, 2011
“Advice to Grantmakers from National Endowment for the Arts” panel. With Amy Stolls
2010
Oxford Conference of the Book
Oxford, MS
March 6, 2010
“Teaching Barry Hannah” panel. Formal paper. With Jay Watson, Donald Kartiganer, Daniel E. Williams
2009
Guadalajara International Book Fair
Guadalajara, Mexico
November 2009
Panel on American writers. And Los Angeles-focused bookstore organizer.
Mississippi State University
Starkville, MS
November 13, 2009
"Funding from NEA" Grant workshop and remarks
The Writer’s Center
Bethesda, MD
May 22, 2009
Muse of Fire screening. Remarks and panel moderator. With Operation Homecoming participants.
Newburyport Literary Festival
Newburyport, MA
April 24, 2009
Opening Ceremony. Interview with Julia Alvarez about her work.
April 25, 2009
Operation Homecoming and wartime writing panel. Remarks and moderator. With Richard Bausch and Marilyn Nelson
International Arts Movement Conference
New York, NY
February 27, 2009
Operation Homecoming Session: Writing about the Wartime Experience
Associated Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) Conference
Chicago, IL
February 12, 2009
“Applying for a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship: Helpful Hints for Writers and Translators” panel. With Amy Stolls and Catherine Vass
2008
Arts Council of Northern Ireland–NEA Literary Reading
Queen’s University Belfast
Belfast, Northern Ireland
October 18, 2008
Remarks about New North and New Voices anthologies partnership. Reading by Natasha Trethewey and H. L. Hix. With Philip Hammond, editor Chris Agee, Gearóid Mac Lochlainn, and Alan Gillis. (Online at Seamus Heaney Centre Digital Archive)
2007
Universidad Regiomontana, School of Education
Monterrey, Mexico
November 28, 2007
Speech on the short story in American literature
Question and answer session with Ron Hansen regarding Lo que cuenta el vecino
Museo de Historia
Monterrey, Mexico
November 29, 2007
Speech on the short story in American literature
Question and answer session with Ron Hansen regarding Lo que cuenta el vecino
Casa de la Cultura, Centro de Escritores workshop
Monterrey, Mexico
November 29, 2007
Speech on the short story in American literature
Question and answer session with Ron Hansen regarding Lo que cuenta el vecino
Operation Homecoming: Veterans’ Day Event
Wichita, KS
November 11, 2007
Muse of Fire film screening and Operation Homecoming discussion with Andrew Carroll, U.S. Army Captain Ryan Kelly, U.S. Army Specialist Kristina Kolodziejsk. Remarks by Congressman Todd Tiahrt
Bagram Airfield (U.S. Armed Forces)
Bagram, Afghanistan
May 2007
Operation Homecoming workshops. With Andrew Carroll
Manas Air Base (U.S. Armed Forces)
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
May 2007
Operation Homecoming workshops. With Andrew Carroll
2006
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
November 29, 2006
Operation Homecoming and wartime writing panel. Remarks and moderator. With Sandi Austin, Richard Bausch, Kathleen Toomey Jabs, and Ryan Kelly
Miami Book Fair International
Miami, FL
November 19, 2006
Operation Homecoming and wartime writing discussion and book signing
Fort Carson (U.S. Army)
Fort Carson, CO
November 15, 2006
Operation Homecoming and wartime writing discussion and book signing. With Jeff Shaara
The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum
Boston, MA
November 11, 2006
Veterans’ Day Event. Remarks and panel discussion and book signing with Andrew Carroll and U.S. troops
Southern Festival of the Book
Memphis, TN
October 13, 2006
Operation Homecoming and wartime writing discussion and book signing. With Richard Bausch
Fall for the Book Festival
Fairfax, VA
October 1, 2006
Operation Homecoming and wartime writing discussion and book signing
Encinitas Celebrates Veterans
Encinitas, CA
September 22, 2006
Remarks and book signing with reading by Andrew Carroll and U.S. troops
2005
RAF Mildenhall (U.S. Air Force)
Mildenhall, England
July 23, 2005
Beyond Glory play. Remarks and writing workshop. With Stephen Lang
Naval Support Activity Bahrain; Fifth Fleet at Sea
Kingdom of Bahrain;
Persian Gulf
Summer 2005
Operation Homecoming writing workshops with Jeff Shaara. Beyond Glory one-man play by Stephen Lang
Oxford Conference of the Book
Oxford, MS
April 7-9, 2005
Panelist, "The Endangered Species: Readers Today and Tomorrow."
Camp Pendleton (U.S. Marine Corps)
Camp Pendleton, CA
February 24-25, 2005
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Tobias Wolff and Victor Davis Hanson
MacDill Air Force Base
Tampa, FL
February 10-11, 2005
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Joe Haldeman and Judith Ortiz Cofer
Cannon Air Force Base
Clovis, NM
January 18-19, 2005
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Richard Currey and Dan Rifenburgh
Hurlburt Field (U.S. Air Force)
Pensacola, FL
January 11-12, 2005
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Barry Hannah and Wyatt Prunty
2004
Naval Air Station North Island at Coronado
San Diego, CA
December 8-9, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Mark Bowden and Lawrence Christon
Offutt Air Force Base
Bellevue, NE
November 22-23, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event, workshop remarks, workshop co-leader. With Stephen Lang and Larry Smith
Norfolk Naval Station
Norfolk, VA
September 21-22, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Tom Clancy and Marilyn Nelson
Fort Richardson (U.S. Army)
Anchorage, AK
September 13-15, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Jeff Shaara and Evan Wallach
Elmendorf Air Force Base (held at Fort Richardson)
Anchorage, AK
September 13-15, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Jeff Shaara and Evan Wallach
Caserma Ederle (U.S. Army)
Vicenza, Italy
August 31-September 1, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Richard Bausch and E. Ethelbert Miller
Camp Lejeune (U.S. Marine Corps)
Jacksonville, NC
July 28-30, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Bobbie Ann Mason, Andrew Hudgins, and Erin McGraw
Fort Drum (U.S. Army)
Watertown, NY
June 3-5, 2004
Operation Homecoming program. Event and workshop remarks. With Richard Bausch and McKay Jenkins
Contact
For any media inquiries, please contact info@JonPeede.com
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