Max Peterson (he/his) is an oral historian and oral history educator, who is passionate about African American history and facilitating intergenerational engagement and collaboration. Though born and raised in New Hampshire, Peterson has lived in Washington, DC, since 2017. He is the Oral History Assistant for the Oral History Initiative at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, providing research and administrative support for the Initiative. He also co-teaches a high school history class for DC students called Real World History. In this capacity, Peterson manages a growing student oral history project held at the People’s Archive of the DC Public Library.

Peterson holds a BA in history and African American studies from Boston University and an MA in Oral History from Columbia University. His OHMA thesis, “Real World History: Intergenerational Learning & Student Oral Histories of the Great Migration,” won the 2022 Brodsky Award for Excellence in Education.