Benjamin Arthur Quarles (January 23, 1904 – November 16, 1996) was an American historian, administrator, educator, and writer, whose scholarship centered on black American social and political history. Major books by Quarles include The Negro in the Civil War (1953), The Negro in the American Revolution (1961), Lincoln and the Negro (1962), and Black Abolitionists (1969). He demonstrated that blacks were active participants in major conflicts and issues of American history. His books were narrative accounts of critical wartime periods that focused on how blacks interacted with their white allies and emphasized blacks' acting as vital agents of change rather than receiving favors from whites.[1]
Quarles was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1904. His parents were Margaret (O'Brien), a homemaker, and Arthur Benedict Quarles, a subway porter.[2] As a boy, Benjamin went to local public schools.
He returned to Shaw, working as an instructor of history (1935–39). He next taught at Dillard University (1939–1953) in New Orleans, Louisiana. There he became a full professor and also served as dean. His last appointment was as professor of history and chair of the department at Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland (1953–1974). At Morgan, Quarles reached near-legendary status as the long-time head of the History Department. He was a revered teacher and counselor, an intellectual and professional mentor for two generations of African-American scholars. Many of his books became required reading in the African-American history courses that were developed in American universities during the 1960s. This movement was inspired both by the civil rights movement and increasing scholarly interest in the history of minorities and women. After Quarles's official retirement in 1969, he was awarded professor emeritus status and kept teaching for several years.
Quarles was an active member of many political and historical organizations, such as Project Advisory Committee on Black Congress Members, the committee to oversee the founding of the Amistad Center at Tulane University, the Department of the Army Historical Advisory Committee, and the American Council of Learned Societies. He was one of the few men in the profession who openly supported the founding of the Association of Black Women Historians.
Author
A prolific writer, Benjamin Quarles published 10 books, 23 articles, and hundreds of shorter pieces of various sorts. In his writings, he focused on exploring in detail the contributions made by the black soldiers and abolitionists of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and the American Civil War (1861–1865). His essays in the Mississippi Valley Historical Review in 1945 and 1959 were the first from a Black historian to be published in a major historical journal.
1988: Publishes Black Mosaic: Essays in Afro-American History and Historiography. Received American Historical Association's Senior Historian Scholarly Distinction Award.
1988: Morgan State University dedicated The Benjamin A. Quarles African-American Studies Room in the university library, as a repository for his books, manuscripts, and memorabilia.
Dr. Benjamin Quarles Place, a short downtown residential street just west of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Baltimore is named after Quarles.
References
^August Meier, "Benjamin Quarles and the Historiography of Black America", Civil War History, June 1980, Vol. 26, #2, pp. 101–116.
^The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, Volume 4: 1994–1996, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001.
^"Chronology of the Life & Career of Benjamin Arthur Quarles", Chickenbones: A Journal for Literary & Artistic African-American Themes.
^McCardell, Paul (February 1, 2007). "Benjamin A. Quarles". The Baltimore Sun.
External links
"Quarles, Benjamin A. (1904-1996)", BlackPast.org. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
, The African American Registry. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
"Benjamin A. Quarles, January 23, 1904–November 16, 1996", specialist in African American history, and a mentor, a respected teacher who received many honors - reprinted from a tribute – Obituary]. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
April 24, 2023
benjamin, arthur, quarles, january, 1904, november, 1996, american, historian, administrator, educator, writer, whose, scholarship, centered, black, american, social, political, history, major, books, quarles, include, negro, civil, 1953, negro, american, revo. Benjamin Arthur Quarles January 23 1904 November 16 1996 was an American historian administrator educator and writer whose scholarship centered on black American social and political history Major books by Quarles include The Negro in the Civil War 1953 The Negro in the American Revolution 1961 Lincoln and the Negro 1962 and Black Abolitionists 1969 He demonstrated that blacks were active participants in major conflicts and issues of American history His books were narrative accounts of critical wartime periods that focused on how blacks interacted with their white allies and emphasized blacks acting as vital agents of change rather than receiving favors from whites 1 Benjamin Arthur QuarlesBornJanuary 23 1904Boston Massachusetts U S DiedNovember 16 1996 1996 11 16 aged 92 Baltimore Maryland U S OccupationHistory professorNationalityAmericanEducationB A M A PhDAlma materShaw UniversityUniversity of Wisconsin MadisonNotable worksThe Negro in the Making of AmericaNotable awardsRosenwald Fellowship 1938 1945 Carnegie Corporation Advancement Teaching Fellowship 1944 Social Science Research Council Fellowship 1957 Guggenheim Fellowship 1959 Smithsonian Institution s National Museum of American History Lifetime Achievement Award 1996 SpouseVera Bullock 1951 Ruth Brett 1996 ChildrenPamela Quarles Roberta Quarles Contents 1 Background 2 Author 3 Legacy and honors 4 References 5 External linksBackground EditQuarles was born in Boston Massachusetts in 1904 His parents were Margaret O Brien a homemaker and Arthur Benedict Quarles a subway porter 2 As a boy Benjamin went to local public schools In his twenties Quarles enrolled at Shaw University the first historically black college in the South in Raleigh North Carolina and received his B A degree in 1931 He earned his M A degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison in 1933 and Ph D from there in 1940 Initially he faced resistance for wanting to write Black history but finally received support for his goal He learned his writing style from Professor William B Hesseltine 3 He returned to Shaw working as an instructor of history 1935 39 He next taught at Dillard University 1939 1953 in New Orleans Louisiana There he became a full professor and also served as dean His last appointment was as professor of history and chair of the department at Morgan State University Baltimore Maryland 1953 1974 At Morgan Quarles reached near legendary status as the long time head of the History Department He was a revered teacher and counselor an intellectual and professional mentor for two generations of African American scholars Many of his books became required reading in the African American history courses that were developed in American universities during the 1960s This movement was inspired both by the civil rights movement and increasing scholarly interest in the history of minorities and women After Quarles s official retirement in 1969 he was awarded professor emeritus status and kept teaching for several years Quarles was an active member of many political and historical organizations such as Project Advisory Committee on Black Congress Members the committee to oversee the founding of the Amistad Center at Tulane University the Department of the Army Historical Advisory Committee and the American Council of Learned Societies He was one of the few men in the profession who openly supported the founding of the Association of Black Women Historians Author EditA prolific writer Benjamin Quarles published 10 books 23 articles and hundreds of shorter pieces of various sorts In his writings he focused on exploring in detail the contributions made by the black soldiers and abolitionists of the American Revolutionary War 1775 1783 and the American Civil War 1861 1865 His essays in the Mississippi Valley Historical Review in 1945 and 1959 were the first from a Black historian to be published in a major historical journal His books include Frederick Douglass 1948 published dissertation The Negro in the Civil War 1953 The Negro in the American Revolution 1961 Lincoln and the Negro 1962 The Negro in the Making of America 3rd edition revised updated and expanded 1987 1964 Frederick Douglass edited by Benjamin Quarles 1968 Great Lives Observed Black Abolitionists 1969 Blacks on John Brown 1972 Allies for Freedom Blacks and John Brown 1974 Black Mosaic Essays in Afro American History and Historiography 1988 Legacy and honors EditQuarles died in 1996 of a heart attack at the age of 92 4 1988 Publishes Black Mosaic Essays in Afro American History and Historiography Received American Historical Association s Senior Historian Scholarly Distinction Award 1988 Morgan State University dedicated The Benjamin A Quarles African American Studies Room in the university library as a repository for his books manuscripts and memorabilia 1996 Receives the Smithsonian Institution s National Museum of American History Lifetime Achievement Award 2013 Quarles was inducted into the Great Blacks in Wax Museum Inc in Baltimore Dr Benjamin Quarles Place a short downtown residential street just west of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in Baltimore is named after Quarles References Edit August Meier Benjamin Quarles and the Historiography of Black America Civil War History June 1980 Vol 26 2 pp 101 116 The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives Volume 4 1994 1996 Charles Scribner s Sons 2001 Chronology of the Life amp Career of Benjamin Arthur Quarles Chickenbones A Journal for Literary amp Artistic African American Themes McCardell Paul February 1 2007 Benjamin A Quarles The Baltimore Sun External links Edit Quarles Benjamin A 1904 1996 BlackPast org Retrieved 2007 04 15 Dedicated historian Benjamin Quarles The African American Registry Retrieved 2007 04 15 Benjamin A Quarles January 23 1904 November 16 1996 specialist in African American history and a mentor a respected teacher who received many honors reprinted from a tribute Obituary Retrieved 2007 04 15 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Benjamin Arthur Quarles amp oldid 1125333510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
