Skip to main content

Primary sourceBook1854–1862 (published 1920)

The Autobiography of Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren · 1854–1862 (published 1920)

Van Buren's own memoir, written in retirement starting in 1854, describing his political career including his partnership with Andrew Jackson.

This is Van Buren's own memoir, written in his own hand about his life and political career.

Ask Martin Van Buren about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Front cover of a dark green cloth-bound book. A gold-stamped rectangular border frames the title reading 'The Autobiography of Martin Van Buren' with the line 'Edited by John C. Fitzpatrick' beneath it.
The Autobiography of Martin Van Buren, written 1854–1862, published 1920. Library of Congress, Martin Van Buren Papers.

About this source

What it is

This is Martin Van Buren's autobiography, which he began writing in 1854 while in retirement and which was not published until 1920. The manuscript is held by the Library of Congress in the Martin Van Buren Papers.

Why it matters

In this memoir, Van Buren gives his own account of major events in his career, including the Albany Regency political machine, the Petticoat affair, and his close political partnership with President Andrew Jackson. As a late-life account written decades after many events, it reveals how Van Buren wanted to be remembered.

Look closer

  • Why might someone wait until old age to write about their own life?
  • How might a memoir written in retirement differ from letters or speeches made at the time of the events?
  • What might Van Buren choose to leave out or emphasize about his career?

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

More Martin Van Buren sources

Meet the AI Martin Van Buren →
Speech

Primary source

Inaugural Address of Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren · 4 March 1837

Black and white daguerreotype portrait of an elderly man with white hair, seated and facing slightly toward the viewer, wearing a dark coat, high white collar, and dark cravat. He has a faint smile. A dark border frames the image and handwritten caption text appears along the bottom.Photograph

Primary source

Daguerreotype Portrait of Martin Van Buren

Mathew Benjamin Brady · c. 1849–1850

Oil portrait of a bald older man with reddish-gray side hair and light eyes, wearing a dark high-collared coat and white collar, against a near-black background. He faces the viewer with a slight smile.Painting

Primary source

Martin Van Buren

Henry Inman · 1837

Brown cloth book cover with a Library of Congress call number label reading E 420 .F88 at top left, and a white Library of Congress barcode label reading 00005023312 with a red dot at lower left.Document

Secondary source

1848 Free Soil and Liberty National Conventions

1848

Handwritten manuscript page in brown ink cursive, numbered 188 at top right, with lines of script about constitutional duty, presidential term limits, and Indian removal policy. Aged cream paper.Speech

Primary source

Message to Congress On Indian Removal

Andrew Jackson · 6 December 1830

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Martin Van Buren now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions