The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

What The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History does

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is a New York-based non-profit educational organization founded in 1994 by Richard Gilder and Lewis E. Lehrman to advance the study and teaching of American history. The Institute operates a comprehensive educational platform serving K-12 educators, high school students, scholars, and history enthusiasts, anchored by one of the largest private archives of American historical documents — the Gilder Lehrman Collection, which includes original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation. The platform is delivered via a conventional technology stack: TalentLMS as the learning management system, Zoom for live programming, and integrations with Kahoot! (interactive civics lessons) and Bookshop.org (affiliate book sales). The product portfolio spans graduate education (an online MA in American History with Gettysburg College), professional development (Teacher Seminars Online at $25/seminar and Self-Paced Courses at $29.99-$39.99), free student-facing content (History U, AP Summer Prep Courses, the Hamilton Education Program with Lin-Manuel Miranda), a subscription archive (Collection Subscriptions), weekly and monthly public programming (Book Breaks, Inside the Vault), the quarterly History Now journal, K-12 Affiliate School membership, and an annual book-prize portfolio (the $50,000 Lincoln Prize plus the George Washington, Frederick Douglass, Military History, and Richard Gilder History Prizes).

The business model blends earned revenue (modest course and seminar fees, collection subscriptions, shop merchandise, affiliate commissions) with philanthropic support from foundations including the National Endowment for the Humanities and family foundations. The customer base is broadly distributed: K-12 teachers across all 50 states approved for PD credit, high school students, Affiliate School member institutions, community college instructors, museum professionals, National Park Service staff, and individual historians/genealogists. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via gilderlehrman.org, supplemented by partner-led in-person residential seminars at historic sites such as Gettysburg and the Nixon Presidential Library, the Gettysburg College MA partnership, and partnerships with the Lincoln Presidential Foundation, the Sixth Floor Museum, and the American Jewish Historical Society. The Institute is funded by grants, individual donations, and corporate sponsors, with only one disclosed funding inflow of $342,000 from the National Cemetery Administration in June 2024. The organization has 11-50 employees and is currently navigating the March 2026 death of co-founder Lewis E. Lehrman.

Name

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Legal name

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Website

https://gilderlehrman.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History is a New York-based non-profit (founded 1994) that operates a comprehensive K-12 American history education platform — including Teacher Seminars, Self-Paced Courses, an MA program with Gettysburg College, the Hamilton Education Program, and one of the largest private archives of American historical documents — serving educators, students, scholars, and history enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 History Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Core Subject Textbooks (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies) (EDAGAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Interdisciplinary/General Education & Study Skills (EDAGABAN), Education & Instructional Practice Reference (Pedagogy, Curriculum Methods for Educators) (EDAGAGAL), Education Research & Pedagogy Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAH), K–12 Core Curriculum Small-Group Tutoring Centers (Math/ELA/Science/Social Studies) (EDANAHAA), Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD)

Keywords

• K-12 history education
• Teacher professional development
• Primary source archives
• American history curriculum
• Online history courses

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs and Professional Development: Revenue from Teacher Seminars Online ($25/seminar), Self-Paced Courses ($39.99 standard, $29.99 for affiliate teachers), AP Summer Prep Courses (free), and Master's degree program fees
2. Publications and Merchandise: Sale of books, GLI publications, gift shop items (clothing, mugs, tote bags, puzzles), gift certificates, and traveling exhibitions
3. Collection Subscriptions: Annual and monthly subscription access to the Gilder Lehrman Collection for viewing and downloading primary source images, targeted at scholars, educators, students, journalists, and genealogists
4. Affiliate Commissions: Affiliate commissions from Bookshop.org sales of books featured on Book Breaks program
5. Grants and Donations: Funding from foundations including National Endowment for the Humanities, individual donors, and corporate sponsors supporting free programming for teachers and students

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Gilder Lehrman Institute provides American history education through teacher professional development seminars (online and in-person), self-paced online courses, an online Master's degree program, AP exam prep, free student courses (History U), and access to one of the largest private collections of American historical primary source documents. It also administers prestigious book prizes, student scholarships, and the Affiliate School Program serving K-12 educators across all 50 states.

Product overview

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History offers a comprehensive educational platform focused on American history education, comprising multiple interconnected programs and resources. The core offerings include the Master's Degree in American History (in partnership with Gettysburg College), Teacher Seminars Online (professional development for K-12 educators), Self-Paced Courses (80+ courses for educators and students), and History U (free courses for high school students). Supporting programs include Hamilton Education Program (EduHam), Book Breaks (weekly scholar interviews), Inside the Vault (document highlights), AP prep courses, and Citizenship Test resources. The Institute also provides the Gilder Lehrman Collection (subscription archive), Affiliate School Program, History Now journal, Book Prizes, Student Scholarships, and Elementary Curriculum resources. The Shop offers supplementary merchandise including publications, exhibitions, and classroom materials. All programs are tied together through the TalentLMS learning platform and integrate with tools like Kahoot!, Zoom, and Bookshop.org.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hamilton Education Program: A free educational program for students in grades 6-12 that uses primary sources from the founding era to create performance pieces, inspired by the musical Hamilton.
• History U
• Book Breaks
• Inside the Vault
• History Now
• Teacher Seminars Online

Products and services

• Master's Degree in American History An online Master's program in American History offered in partnership with Gettysburg College, designed to give K-12 educators an affordable way to earn a graduate degree while working full time.
• Teacher Seminars Online Online professional development seminars for K-12 educators featuring live lectures by eminent American history professors, Q&A sessions, and pedagogy sessions with master teachers, providing 11 to 17 PD hours per seminar at $25 per seminar.
• Self-Paced Courses Over 80 self-paced online courses drawn from the MA program, allowing study of 500 years of American history with eminent historians, including video lectures, curated reading lists, and quizzes, with standard price $39.99 and Affiliate School Teacher price $29.99.
• Hamilton Education Program (EduHam) Free educational program for students in grades 6-12 that uses primary sources from the founding era to create performance pieces, inspired by the musical Hamilton, including In-Person EduHam in NYC and EduHam Online components.
• Book Breaks A free weekly interview series on Zoom where historians discuss their acclaimed books followed by a Q&A with the audience, held every Sunday at 2:00 pm ET, featuring a Student Competition with $50 gift certificate prizes.
• Inside the Vault A monthly online program highlighting unique primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Collection where curators and scholars discuss historical documents including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Emancipation Proclamation.
• AP Summer Prep Courses Online AP prep courses for high school students (grades 9-12) offered during summer, free for students, with courses in AP African American Studies, AP United States Government and Politics, and AP United States History.
• History U Free self-paced courses in American history for high school students, led by the nation's top historians, including video lectures, primary sources, readings, and certificates of completion across 30 courses.
• Citizenship Test Platform A customized version of the US citizenship exam for classrooms and learners of all ages, including multiple-choice exams at different grade levels, video library with scholar explanations, Kahoot! integration, lesson plans, and citizenship contests.
• Affiliate School Program A program for K-12 schools providing access to lesson plans, classroom resources, professional development, student scholarships, monthly offers of free materials, discounted Self-Paced Course pricing, and exclusive educational resources.
• Gilder Lehrman Collection Subscription Annual and one-month subscriptions providing access to one of the nation's most important archives of American history, allowing subscribers to view and download images from the Collection including unpublished manuscripts, diaries, rare maps, pamphlets, books, newspapers, and photographs.
• Book Prizes Prestigious history book prizes administered by the Institute including the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize ($50,000), George Washington Prize, Frederick Douglass Book Prize, Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize, and Richard Gilder History Prize recognizing outstanding works in American history scholarship.
• Elementary Curriculum Curated suite of resources for elementary school educators covering Colonial America to Reconstruction, including lesson plans, student activity sheets, videos, interactive maps and timelines, and free professional development courses.
• Gilder Lehrman Shop Curated collection of books, classroom resources, historical documents, and exclusive merchandise, including GLI Publications, Self-Paced Courses, Pop-Up Panel Exhibitions, Classroom-Ready PD Modules, Gift Shop items, books via Bookshop.org, and Gift Certificates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 years of professional development approval across all 50 states
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lincoln Presidential FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2025Collaborative partnership to host a seminar at Lincoln's Springfield home focusing on Lincoln's legacy and perspectives on emancipation, civil liberties, and equality. The event will take place July 19-24, 2026.
• Gettysburg CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Master's degree program in American History - an affordable online MA for K-12 educators. The program allows teachers to earn graduate degrees while working full time, with courses drawn from the Institute's curriculum and Gettysburg College hosting commencement ceremonies.
• The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey PlazaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'A Photographic History of the United States' Teacher Seminar Online. Museum provides special live sessions and resources as part of the professional development program.
• American Jewish Historical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'The History of American Jewish Life, from the Colonial Period to the Twenty-First Century' Teacher Seminar. Society provides special live sessions and historical resources.
• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint participation in the 'Spain and the Birth of American Democracy' symposium highlighting Spain's contributions to American independence. Part of DAR's America 250 events launching.
• Queen Sofía Spanish Institute (QSSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresided over by Queen Sofía, the symposium 'Spain and the Birth of American Democracy' was held in Washington, D.C. featuring international experts and scholars on Spain's contributions to American independence.
• Fundación Ramón ArecesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsor of the 'Spain and the Birth of American Democracy' symposium alongside QSSI and DAR, supporting international historical education initiatives.
• Richard Nixon Presidential LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for weeklong in-person Teacher Seminar on the Declaration of Independence and founding of the United States (July 26-31, 2026) led by Denver Brunsman of George Washington University.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stanford History Education Group (SHEG): Stanford-based K-12 history curriculum and teacher professional development organization. Directly comparable mission: produce evidence-based history curriculum, lesson plans, and assessments for K-12 classrooms, with strong teacher PD programs.
• Ashbrook Center: Non-profit focused on American history and civics education for K-12 teachers and students. Directly comparable through teacher PD programs (Ashbrook's Teaching American History programs), primary document resources, and curricular materials for American history/civics instruction.
• National Constitution Center: Non-profit chartered by Congress to educate about the U.S. Constitution. Directly comparable through K-12 civics/history education programs, teacher PD, and primary source-based curriculum. Operates as a non-profit with similar funding model (donations, grants, fees).
• Colonial Williamsburg: Living history museum with major K-12 educational programming. Directly comparable through teacher PD at historic sites, student programs (field trips/EduHam-style experiences), and primary source-based American history curriculum. Non-profit with similar donor-driven model.
• Mount Vernon: George Washington's estate with substantial K-12 education programming. Comparable through teacher PD seminars at historic site, student distance learning programs, primary source curriculum, and George Washington Prize competition. Non-profit with donation/grants revenue model.
• The National WWII Museum: New Orleans-based museum with extensive K-12 history education programming. Comparable through teacher PD at historic site, student distance learning, and primary source curriculum. Non-profit with similar fee-for-PD, donation, and grant revenue model.
• Ford's Theatre: Historic site with Abraham Lincoln-focused K-12 education programming. Comparable through teacher PD (Lincoln-related seminars), student programs, and primary source curriculum. Non-profit with similar donation/grant funding model and limited staff.

Broad incumbents

• Smithsonian National Museum of American History: Federal institution with extensive K-12 American history education programming. Comparable through teacher PD, primary source-based curriculum, and digital educational resources, but operates at much larger scale as a federally funded Smithsonian museum.
• National Archives: Federal institution housing the founding documents GLI's Collection parallels. Comparable through K-12 civic education, primary source-based curriculum (DocsTeach), and teacher PD programs. Federal agency with broader civic/governmental mandate.

Emerging players

• Choices Program (Brown University): Brown University-based K-12 history curriculum program. Comparable through history curriculum for secondary schools, teacher PD, and primary source teaching materials, though narrower scope (mostly international history) and university-based rather than independent non-profit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Gilder_Lehrman
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/gilderlehrman
• Facebookfacebook.com/gilderlehrman
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-gilder-lehrman-institute-of-american-history/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/gilderlehrman
• Pinterestpinterest.com/gilderlehrman

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History