Reihan Salam
A sharp, policy-minded writer who became the young president of a major conservative think tank, reshaping its intellectual direction.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American journalist·Birthday: December 29·Generation X
Biography
Reihan Salam, born in 1979 to Bangladeshi immigrants in Brooklyn, carved a distinct path as a political thinker who often challenged orthodoxies within the American right. His career began in the world of magazines and digital media, where he built a reputation as a nuanced columnist for Slate and The Atlantic, and later as executive editor of National Review. Salam's focus has consistently been on the future of the Republican party, demographic shifts, and policies aimed at working-class Americans, themes explored in his co-authored book 'Grand New Party.' In 2019, his trajectory shifted from commentator to institutional leader when he was named president of the Manhattan Institute, a role that placed him at the helm of one of the country's most influential policy research organizations. There, he has pushed for a conservatism that is empirically grounded and attentive to urban and social complexities, making him a distinctive voice in an era of political polarization.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Reihan was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Reihan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Reihan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Appointed president of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research in 2019, becoming one of the youngest leaders of a major think tank.
- Co-authored the 2008 book 'Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream.'
- Served as the executive editor of National Review, a cornerstone publication of American conservatism.
- Was a political fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, engaging with students and scholars.
Did You Know?
His mother was a nurse and his father a psychiatrist, both of whom immigrated from Bangladesh.
He is a graduate of Harvard University.
Early in his career, he worked as a research associate at the Council on Foreign Relations.
“The great challenge for the right is to demonstrate that it has something to offer people who are not rich, who are not native-born, and who are not white.”
