The Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is the executive leader of the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent federal agency created in 1965. The Chair directs the NEH and is the sole position in the agency with the legal authority to make grants and awards. The NEH Chair is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The appointment and term of the Chair are statutorily defined in 20 U.S.C. § 956(b), and the Chair's authority is defined throughout 20 U.S.C. § 956. The National Council on the Humanities, a board of 26 private citizens who are also appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, advises the Chair.

• Barnaby Keeney, 1963–1965, Chair of National Commission on the Humanities
• Henry Allen Moe, 1965–66, Interim Chair
• Barnaby Keeney, 1966–1970
• Wallace Edgerton, Acting Chair, 1970–71
• Ronald Berman, 1971–1977
• Robert Kingston, Acting Chair, 1977
• Joseph Duffey, 1977–81
• William J. Bennett, 1981–85
• John Agresto, Acting Chair, 1985
• Lynne Cheney, 1986–1993
• Jerry L. Martin, Acting Chair, 1993
• Donald Gibson, Acting Chair, 1993
• Sheldon Hackney, 1993–97
• Bruce A. Lehman, Acting Chair, 1997
• William R. Ferris, 1997–2001
• Bruce Cole, 2001–2009^{[1][2][3][4][5]}
• Carole M. Watson, Acting Chair, 2009^[6][7]
• Jim Leach, 2009–2013^[8]
• Carole M. Watson, Acting Chair, 2013–2014^[9]
• William 'Bro' Adams, 2014–2017^[10][11][12]
• Margaret "Peggy" Plympton, Acting Chair, 2017–2018
• Jon Parrish Peede, 2018–2021 ^[13]
• Adam Wolfson, Acting Chair, 2021–2022^[14]
• Shelly Lowe, 2022–Present ^[15]