Kennedy Center Board Chairman David Rubenstein Hosts New PBS History Series

You know him as co-founder of The Carlyle Group and chairman of the Boards of Trustees at the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian and Council on Foreign Relations.

Starting July 3, David Rubenstein will host “History with David Rubenstein,” a 10-episode program airing on PBS stations across the country, including WETA in D.C.

“I started interviewing people who are historians at the New York Historical Society a few years ago and ultimately they decided to start a series,” Rubenstein said. “I interview great historians about their books or people who’ve been important figures in history.”

The series kicks off with the late great political commentator and author Cokie Roberts.

“Cokie was a longtime friend,” Rubenstein said. “I interviewed her about her three books that she wrote about women and their role in history. … Although many people think of her as a correspondent and interviewer, she actually was a very gifted writer about history. The fact that she passed away not too long ago makes it much more emotional.”

Episode 2 features presidential scholar and best-selling author Michael Beschloss.

“One of the nation’s best known historians about the presidency,” Rubenstein said. “Michael has been writing about the presidency for his entire career. I interviewed him about the presidents, in particular about the book he has called ‘Presidents of War.'”

Episode 3 features Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.