Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities

The Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the executive leader of the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency created in 1965. The Chair directs the NEH and is the sole position in the agency with the legal authority to make grants and awards. The NEH Chair is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The appointment and term of the Chair are statutorily defined in 20 U.S.C. § 956(b), and the Chair's authority is defined throughout 20 U.S.C. § 956. The National Council on the Humanities, a board of 26 private citizens who are also appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, advises the Chair.

Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities of United States Government
Incumbent Michael McDonald (Acting) since March 12, 2025
National Endowment for the Humanities
Style	Mister or Madam
Member of	National Council on the Humanities
Reports to	President of the United States
Seat	Washington, D.C.
Nominator	President of the United States
Term length	4 years Typically changes with the election of a new president.
Constituting instrument	Humanities Act of 1965 (Pub. L. 89–209)
Formation	1966
First holder	Barnaby Keeney
Deputy	Deputy Chair

List of Chairpersons

• Barnaby Keeney, 1963–1965, Chair of National Commission on the Humanities
• Henry Allen Moe, Interim, 1965–66
• Barnaby Keeney, 1966–1970
• Wallace Edgerton, Acting, 1970–71
• Ronald Berman, 1971–1977
• Robert Kingston, Acting, 1977
• Joseph Duffey, 1977–81
• William J. Bennett, 1981–85
• John Agresto, Acting, 1985
• Lynne Cheney, 1986–1993
• Jerry L. Martin, Acting, 1993
• Donald Gibson, Acting, 1993
• Sheldon Hackney, 1993–97
• Bruce A. Lehman, Acting, 1997
• William R. Ferris, 1997–2001
• Bruce Cole, 2001–2009^{[1][2][3][4][5]}
• Carole M. Watson, Acting, 2009^[6][7]
• Jim Leach, 2009–2013^[8]
• Carole M. Watson, Acting, 2013–2014^[9]
• William 'Bro' Adams, 2014–2017^[10][11][12]
• Margaret "Peggy" Plympton, Acting, 2017–2018
• Jon Parrish Peede, 2018–2021 ^[13]
• Adam Wolfson, Acting, 2021–2022^[14]
• Shelly Lowe, 2022–2025^[15]
• Michael McDonald, Acting, 2025–present