On April 17, 2019, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences announced James Fallows was elected to membership in its 2019 class. The Academy, founded in 1780 by John Adams and John Hancock among others, recognizes the outstanding achievements of individuals in academia, the arts, business, government, and public affairs. The founders believed the new republic should honor exceptionally accomplished individuals and engage them in advancing the public good.

Fallows will be inducted at a ceremony in October 2019 and join the company of previously elected Academy members including Alexander Hamilton, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Robert Frost, and Margaret Mead.