History of Allan Lichtman in Timeline
Allan Jay Lichtman is an American historian who has been teaching at American University in Washington, D.C. since 1973.
April 4, 1947: Birth of Allan Lichtman
Allan Jay Lichtman was born on April 4, 1947, in the Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City.
1967: Graduation from Brandeis University
In 1967, Allan Lichtman earned his B.A. in history from Brandeis University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. During his time at Brandeis, he was also actively involved in athletics, participating in track and wrestling.
1973: Completion of Ph.D. at Harvard University
Allan Lichtman received his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University in 1973, marking a significant milestone in his academic journey.
1973: Start of Teaching Career at American University
In 1973, Allan Lichtman began his long tenure at American University in Washington, D.C., where he would go on to become a renowned historian.
1973: Start of Teaching Career and Rise at American University
In 1973, Allan Lichtman began teaching at American University, where he would eventually chair the history department.
1980: Development of the "Keys" System for Predicting Presidential Elections
Culminating in his books "The Thirteen Keys to the Presidency" and "The Keys to the White House," Lichtman's "Keys" system, based on thirteen historical factors, was designed to predict the winner of the popular vote in U.S. presidential elections. This system, rooted in statistical analysis and inspired by the work of geophysicist Vladimir Keilis-Borok, used data from 1860 to 1980 to identify key trends and patterns.
1981: Creation of the Keys to the White House Model
In 1981, Allan Lichtman, in collaboration with Soviet seismologist Vladimir Keilis-Borok, created the Keys to the White House model, a system using 13 true/false criteria to predict the outcome of U.S. presidential elections.
1984: Commencement of Accurate Predictions with the "Keys" System
Beginning in 1984, Lichtman's "Keys" system accurately predicted the popular vote winner in every U.S. presidential election until 2012, solidifying its reputation as a reliable forecasting tool.
1984: First Successful Prediction with the Keys Model
The year 1984 marked the beginning of a string of accurate predictions by Allan Lichtman using his Keys to the White House model, accurately forecasting the winner of every U.S. presidential election since then, with the exception of 2000 and 2016.
1992: Receipt of Outstanding Scholar/Teacher Award
In 1992, Allan Lichtman received American University's highest faculty honor, the Outstanding Scholar/Teacher award, a testament to his exceptional contributions to both research and teaching.
1993: Recognition as Scholar/Professor of the Year
Allan Lichtman's contributions to American University were formally acknowledged in 1993 when he was honored as Scholar/Professor of the Year.
2000: Accurate Prediction of the Popular Vote Winner
In the 2000 U.S. presidential election, Lichtman's "Keys" system correctly predicted that Al Gore would win the popular vote.
2000: Expert Witness Testimony and Investigation into Voting Irregularities
Following the 2000 U.S. presidential election, Lichtman provided his expertise as part of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' investigation into voting irregularities in Florida. His statistical analysis of the voting patterns revealed significant racial disparities in ballot rejection rates.
2000: Prediction of the Popular Vote in the 2000 Election
Despite the Keys model's prediction, George W. Bush won the 2000 presidential election. However, Lichtman accurately predicted that Al Gore would win the popular vote, showcasing his model's nuanced approach.
2006: U.S. Senate Candidacy
Allan Lichtman ran for a U.S. Senate seat from Maryland, ultimately finishing sixth in the Democratic primary.
2006: Candidacy for U.S. Senate and Confrontation with Authorities
In 2006, Lichtman ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. After being excluded from a televised debate, he and his wife were arrested during a protest outside the studio but were later acquitted of all charges.
2011: Appointment as Distinguished Professor of History
Allan Lichtman's long and distinguished career at American University was further recognized in 2011 when he was honored with the title of Distinguished Professor of History.
October 2012: Financial Repercussions of Senate Campaign
As of October 2012, Lichtman was still grappling with the financial burden of a mortgage he had taken out to support his 2006 Senate campaign.
2012: Continued Success of the "Keys" System in Predicting Elections
Lichtman's "Keys" system maintained its accuracy in predicting the popular vote winner in U.S. presidential elections up until 2012, further demonstrating its effectiveness.
2016: Prediction of Donald Trump's Victory
In 2016, Lichtman's Keys model predicted that Donald Trump would win the presidential election, despite Trump's loss in the popular vote.
April 2017: Publication of "The Case for Impeachment"
In April 2017, Allan Lichtman published his book, "The Case for Impeachment," in which he presented a comprehensive analysis of the grounds for impeaching President Donald Trump.
2017: Publication of "The Case for Impeachment"
Lichtman authored "The Case for Impeachment," presenting arguments for the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
December 18, 2019: Impeachment of Donald Trump by the U.S. House of Representatives
On December 18, 2019, President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives, a significant event that aligned with the arguments presented in Lichtman's book "The Case for Impeachment."
February 5, 2020: Acquittal of Donald Trump by the U.S. Senate
Despite his impeachment by the House, the U.S. Senate acquitted President Donald Trump on February 5, 2020, demonstrating the complexities of the impeachment process.
2020: Publication of "Repeal the Second Amendment"
In 2020, Lichtman released his book "Repeal the Second Amendment," in which he argued that repealing the Second Amendment was the only effective way to address gun violence in the United States.
2020: Accurate Prediction of Joe Biden's Victory
In the 2020 presidential election, Lichtman accurately predicted Democrat Joe Biden's victory over Republican Donald Trump.
2023: Launch of "Lichtman Live" YouTube Series
In 2023, Lichtman, joined by his son Sam, started hosting a weekly live stream called "Lichtman Live" on his YouTube channel. During these streams, they discussed current political events, the "Keys" system, and occasionally sports.