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Primary sourceBook1920 (manuscript written earlier, published posthumously)

The Autobiography of Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren · 1920 (manuscript written earlier, published posthumously)

A memoir by Martin Van Buren, Jackson's vice president and political ally, published in 1920 with firsthand recollections of his presidency.

A firsthand memoir by Jackson's vice president and political ally, recalling his presidency from within.

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About this source

What it is

This is the autobiography of Martin Van Buren, Jackson's vice president and close political ally, edited by John C. Fitzpatrick and published in 1920 by the American Historical Association. The manuscript had been preserved by Van Buren's family before being placed in the Library of Congress.

Why it matters

Van Buren worked closely with Jackson during his presidency and later served under him, giving him a firsthand view of Jackson's administration and political strategies. As a memoir written by someone who knew Jackson personally, it offers insight into how an ally experienced and remembered his presidency, though published long after both men's deaths.

Look closer

  • Why might a memoir by a close political ally give a different view of Jackson than an outside biographer?
  • What does it mean that this manuscript was kept privately by Van Buren's family before being published?
  • How might Van Buren's own political career have shaped the way he remembered Jackson?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Andrew Jackson and John Tyler on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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