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David Herbert Donald

October 30, 2023

David Herbert Donald (October 1, 1920 – May 17, 2009) was an American historian, best known for his 1995 biography of Abraham Lincoln. He twice won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography for earlier works; he published more than 30 books on United States political and literary figures and the history of the American South.

David Herbert Donald
BornOctober 1, 1920
Goodman, Mississippi, US
DiedMay 17, 2009(2009-05-17) (aged 88)
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Occupation(s)Historian, Harvard University
Known forTwo Pulitzer Prizes for biography, and 1995 biography of Abraham Lincoln

Early life and education edit

David Herbert Donald was born in Goodman, Mississippi, a town in the center of Holmes County. The county's western border is formed by the Yazoo River and it is part of the Mississippi-Yazoo Delta.

Majoring in history and sociology, Donald earned his bachelor's degree from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.[1] After earning a master's degree in history (1942) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,[2] he earned his PhD in 1946[1] under eminent Lincoln scholar James G. Randall at the same institution. Randall as a mentor influenced Donald's life and career. He encouraged his protégé to write his dissertation on Abraham Lincoln's law partner, William Herndon. Donald adapted and published the dissertation as his first book, Lincoln's Herndon (1948).[1][3]

Career edit

After completing his doctorate, Donald taught at Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University and, from 1973, Harvard University. He also taught at Smith College, the University of North Wales (on a Fulbright grant),[2] Princeton University, University College London and served as Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford University. At Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Harvard he trained dozens of graduate students, including Heather Cox Richardson, Jean H. Baker, William J. Cooper, Jr., Michael Holt, Irwin Unger, Ari Hoogenboom, and Richard R. John.

Donald served as president of the Southern Historical Association. Donald also served on the editorial board for the Papers of Abraham Lincoln.[4]

Donald was the Charles Warren Professor of American History (emeritus from 1991) at Harvard University. He wrote more than thirty books, including well-received biographies of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Wolfe and Charles Sumner. He specialized in the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods, and in the history of the American South.

Legacy and honors edit

Donald received the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography twice, in 1961 for Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War and in 1988 for Look Homeward: A Life of Thomas Wolfe. He also received several honorary degrees.

Donald received the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award in 1997.[5]

Donald was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln (the State's highest honor) by the Governor of Illinois in 2008 in the area of Communications and Education.[6]

In 2000, Donald received The Lincoln Forum's Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement.[7]

Works edit

In his introduction, Carl Sandburg, the poet and Lincoln biographer, hailed Donald's first book as the answer to scholars' prayers: "When is someone going to do the life of Bill Herndon. Isn't it about time? Now the question is out."

David M. Potter, a Civil War scholar, said that Donald's biography of Charles Sumner portrayed "Sumner as a man with acute psychological inadequacies" and exposed Sumner's "facade of pompous rectitude." Donald's evenhanded approach to Sumner, Potter concluded, was a model for biographers working with a difficult subject. "If it does not make Sumner attractive [the book] certainly makes him understandable."[8]

Personal life and death edit

External video
  Q&A interview with Aida Donald, November 18, 2012, C-SPAN

Donald lived in Lincoln, Massachusetts, with his wife Aida DiPace Donald, who is an historian and author.[3] His wife also served as a senior editor and then as editor-in-chief at the Harvard University Press.[9] He died of heart failure in Boston on May 17, 2009.[1] Donald was survived by his wife, his son Bruce Donald and two granddaughters.[3]

Books edit

External video
  Booknotes interview with Donald on Lincoln, December 24, 1995, C-SPAN
  Presentation by Donald on We Are Lincoln Men at the Chicago Public Library, November 18, 2003, C-SPAN
  • Lincoln's Herndon (1948)[10]
  • Divided We Fought: A Pictorial History of the War, 1861—1865 (1952)[11]
  • Editor, Inside Lincoln's Cabinet: The Civil War Diaries of Salmon P. Chase. (1954)[12]
  • Lincoln Reconsidered: Essays on the Civil War Era (1956, 2nd edition 1961, 3rd edition 2001) (ISBN 978-0-679-72310-3).[13]
  • Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War (1960). Pulitzer Prize-winning scholarly biography to 1860.[14]
  • The Civil War and Reconstruction (1961; 2001) (ISBN 978-0-393-97427-0), 2001 edition with Jean H. Baker & Michael F. Holt; 1961 edition with James G. Randall.[15]
  • Editor, Why the North Won the Civil War (1962) (ISBN 978-0-02-031660-2) (revised ed. 1996).[16]
  • Editor with Aida DiPace Donald, Diary of Charles Francis Adams, Volumes 1 and 2, January 1820 - September 1829 (1964), Harvard University Press.[17]
  • The Politics of Reconstruction, 1863-1867 (1965)[18]
  • Charles Sumner and the Rights of Man (1970). Biography after 1860.[19]
  • Look Homeward: A Life of Thomas Wolfe (1987)(ISBN 978-0-316-18952-1).[20]
  • Lincoln (1995) ISBN 978-0-684-80846-8[21]
  • Lincoln at Home: Two Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln's Domestic Life (1999) ISBN 978-0-912308-77-7.[22]
  • We Are Lincoln Men: Abraham Lincoln and His Friends (2003) (ISBN 978-0-7432-5468-7).[23]

Sources edit

  • Paul Goodman, "David Donald's Charles Sumner Reconsidered" in The New England Quarterly, Vol. 37, No. 3. (Sep., 1964), pp. 373–387.online at JSTOR
  • Ari Hoogenboom, "David Herbert Donald: A Celebration," in A Master's Due: Essays in Honor of David Herbert Donald, ed. William J. Cooper, Jr., et al. (Louisiana State University Press, 1985), 1–15.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Famed Lincoln Scholar David Herbert Donald Dies National Public Radio
  2. ^ a b Directory of American Scholars, 6th ed. (Bowker, 1974), Vol. I, p. 160.
  3. ^ a b c Grimes, William. "David Herbert Donald, Writer on Lincoln, Dies at 88", The New York Times, May 19, 2009. Accessed 19 May 2009.
  4. ^ (PDF). Lincoln Editor: Quarterly Newsletter of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln, July–September 2001, p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
  5. ^ "David Herbert Donald, Ph.D. Biography and Interview". www.achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
  6. ^ "Laureates by Year - The Lincoln Academy of Illinois". The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
  7. ^ The Lincoln Forum
  8. ^ Robert Allen Rutland, "David Herbert Donald," in Robert Allen Rutland, ed. Clio's Favorites: Leading Historians of the United States, 1945-2000, University of Missouri Press, 2000, p. 41.
  9. ^ "Q&A with Aida Donald | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
  10. ^ Donald, David Herbert (1989-03-01). Lincoln's Herndon: A Biography. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-80353-6.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Milhollen, Hirst Dillon; Kaplan, Milton; Donald, David Herbert (1956). Divided We Fought: A Pictorial History of the War, 1861-1865. Macmillan.
  12. ^ Chase, Salmon P. (2011-10-01). Inside Lincoln's Cabinet: The Civil War Diaries of Salmon P. Chase. Literary Licensing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-258-10834-2.
  13. ^ Donald, David Herbert (2001-01-01). Lincoln Reconsidered: Essays on the Civil War Era. Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-375-72532-6.
  14. ^ Donald, David Herbert (2009-03-01). Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War. Sourcebooks, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4022-2719-6.
  15. ^ DONALD, J. G. RANDALL, DAVID HERBERT (1969-01-01). THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION. Lexington, Mass., Heath.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Commager, Henry Steele; Donald, David Herbert (1996-11-05). Why the North Won the Civil War. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-82506-9.
  17. ^ "Search Results - Harvard University Press". www.hup.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
  18. ^ Donald, David Herbert (1999-06-01). The Politics of Reconstruction, 1863-1867. iUniverse. ISBN 978-1-58348-441-8.
  19. ^ Donald, David Herbert (1970). Charles Sumner and the rights of man. Knopf.
  20. ^ Donald, David Herbert (1987). Look Homeward: A Life of Thomas Wolfe. Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-18952-1. OCLC 925224109. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  21. ^ Donald, David Herbert (1996-11-05). Lincoln. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-82535-9.
  22. ^ Donald, David Herbert (2003-11-04). Lincoln at Home: Two Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln's Family Life. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-1142-0.
  23. ^ Donald, David Herbert (2003-01-01). "We are Lincoln Men": Abraham Lincoln and His Friends. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-7432-5468-7.

External links edit

  • Appearances on C-SPAN
    • In Depth interview with Donald, June 2, 2002.
  • David Herbert Donald, Daily Telegraph obituary.
  • New York Times obituary May 19, 2009.

October 30, 2023
david, herbert, donald, october, 1920, 2009, american, historian, best, known, 1995, biography, abraham, lincoln, twice, pulitzer, prize, biography, earlier, works, published, more, than, books, united, states, political, literary, figures, history, american, . David Herbert Donald October 1 1920 May 17 2009 was an American historian best known for his 1995 biography of Abraham Lincoln He twice won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography for earlier works he published more than 30 books on United States political and literary figures and the history of the American South David Herbert DonaldBornOctober 1 1920Goodman Mississippi USDiedMay 17 2009 2009 05 17 aged 88 Boston Massachusetts USOccupation s Historian Harvard UniversityKnown forTwo Pulitzer Prizes for biography and 1995 biography of Abraham Lincoln Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Legacy and honors 4 Works 5 Personal life and death 6 Books 7 Sources 8 References 9 External linksEarly life and education editDavid Herbert Donald was born in Goodman Mississippi a town in the center of Holmes County The county s western border is formed by the Yazoo River and it is part of the Mississippi Yazoo Delta Majoring in history and sociology Donald earned his bachelor s degree from Millsaps College in Jackson Mississippi 1 After earning a master s degree in history 1942 at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign 2 he earned his PhD in 1946 1 under eminent Lincoln scholar James G Randall at the same institution Randall as a mentor influenced Donald s life and career He encouraged his protege to write his dissertation on Abraham Lincoln s law partner William Herndon Donald adapted and published the dissertation as his first book Lincoln s Herndon 1948 1 3 Career editAfter completing his doctorate Donald taught at Columbia University Johns Hopkins University and from 1973 Harvard University He also taught at Smith College the University of North Wales on a Fulbright grant 2 Princeton University University College London and served as Harmsworth Professor of American History at Oxford University At Johns Hopkins Columbia and Harvard he trained dozens of graduate students including Heather Cox Richardson Jean H Baker William J Cooper Jr Michael Holt Irwin Unger Ari Hoogenboom and Richard R John Donald served as president of the Southern Historical Association Donald also served on the editorial board for the Papers of Abraham Lincoln 4 Donald was the Charles Warren Professor of American History emeritus from 1991 at Harvard University He wrote more than thirty books including well received biographies of Abraham Lincoln Thomas Wolfe and Charles Sumner He specialized in the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods and in the history of the American South Legacy and honors editDonald received the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography twice in 1961 for Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War and in 1988 for Look Homeward A Life of Thomas Wolfe He also received several honorary degrees Donald received the American Academy of Achievement s Golden Plate Award in 1997 5 Donald was inducted as a Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois and awarded the Order of Lincoln the State s highest honor by the Governor of Illinois in 2008 in the area of Communications and Education 6 In 2000 Donald received The Lincoln Forum s Richard Nelson Current Award of Achievement 7 Works editIn his introduction Carl Sandburg the poet and Lincoln biographer hailed Donald s first book as the answer to scholars prayers When is someone going to do the life of Bill Herndon Isn t it about time Now the question is out David M Potter a Civil War scholar said that Donald s biography of Charles Sumner portrayed Sumner as a man with acute psychological inadequacies and exposed Sumner s facade of pompous rectitude Donald s evenhanded approach to Sumner Potter concluded was a model for biographers working with a difficult subject If it does not make Sumner attractive the book certainly makes him understandable 8 Personal life and death editExternal video nbsp Q amp A interview with Aida Donald November 18 2012 C SPANDonald lived in Lincoln Massachusetts with his wife Aida DiPace Donald who is an historian and author 3 His wife also served as a senior editor and then as editor in chief at the Harvard University Press 9 He died of heart failure in Boston on May 17 2009 1 Donald was survived by his wife his son Bruce Donald and two granddaughters 3 Books editExternal video nbsp Booknotes interview with Donald on Lincoln December 24 1995 C SPAN nbsp Presentation by Donald on We Are Lincoln Men at the Chicago Public Library November 18 2003 C SPANLincoln s Herndon 1948 10 Divided We Fought A Pictorial History of the War 1861 1865 1952 11 Editor Inside Lincoln s Cabinet The Civil War Diaries of Salmon P Chase 1954 12 Lincoln Reconsidered Essays on the Civil War Era 1956 2nd edition 1961 3rd edition 2001 ISBN 978 0 679 72310 3 13 Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning scholarly biography to 1860 14 The Civil War and Reconstruction 1961 2001 ISBN 978 0 393 97427 0 2001 edition with Jean H Baker amp Michael F Holt 1961 edition with James G Randall 15 Editor Why the North Won the Civil War 1962 ISBN 978 0 02 031660 2 revised ed 1996 16 Editor with Aida DiPace Donald Diary of Charles Francis Adams Volumes 1 and 2 January 1820 September 1829 1964 Harvard University Press 17 The Politics of Reconstruction 1863 1867 1965 18 Charles Sumner and the Rights of Man 1970 Biography after 1860 19 Look Homeward A Life of Thomas Wolfe 1987 ISBN 978 0 316 18952 1 20 Lincoln 1995 ISBN 978 0 684 80846 8 21 Lincoln at Home Two Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln s Domestic Life 1999 ISBN 978 0 912308 77 7 22 We Are Lincoln Men Abraham Lincoln and His Friends 2003 ISBN 978 0 7432 5468 7 23 Sources editPaul Goodman David Donald s Charles Sumner Reconsidered in The New England Quarterly Vol 37 No 3 Sep 1964 pp 373 387 online at JSTOR Ari Hoogenboom David Herbert Donald A Celebration in A Master s Due Essays in Honor of David Herbert Donald ed William J Cooper Jr et al Louisiana State University Press 1985 1 15 References edit a b c d Famed Lincoln Scholar David Herbert Donald Dies National Public Radio a b Directory of American Scholars 6th ed Bowker 1974 Vol I p 160 a b c Grimes William David Herbert Donald Writer on Lincoln Dies at 88 The New York Times May 19 2009 Accessed 19 May 2009 Meet Our Editorial Board PDF Lincoln Editor Quarterly Newsletter of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln July September 2001 p 3 Archived from the original PDF on 2011 09 28 Retrieved 2011 08 20 David Herbert Donald Ph D Biography and Interview www achievement org American Academy of Achievement Laureates by Year The Lincoln Academy of Illinois The Lincoln Academy of Illinois Retrieved 2016 03 07 The Lincoln Forum Robert Allen Rutland David Herbert Donald in Robert Allen Rutland ed Clio s Favorites Leading Historians of the United States 1945 2000 University of Missouri Press 2000 p 41 Q amp A with Aida Donald C SPAN org www c span org Retrieved 2020 05 19 Donald David Herbert 1989 03 01 Lincoln s Herndon A Biography Da Capo Press ISBN 978 0 306 80353 6 permanent dead link Milhollen Hirst Dillon Kaplan Milton Donald David Herbert 1956 Divided We Fought A Pictorial History of the War 1861 1865 Macmillan Chase Salmon P 2011 10 01 Inside Lincoln s Cabinet The Civil War Diaries of Salmon P Chase Literary Licensing LLC ISBN 978 1 258 10834 2 Donald David Herbert 2001 01 01 Lincoln Reconsidered Essays on the Civil War Era Vintage Books ISBN 978 0 375 72532 6 Donald David Herbert 2009 03 01 Charles Sumner and the Coming of the Civil War Sourcebooks Inc ISBN 978 1 4022 2719 6 DONALD J G RANDALL DAVID HERBERT 1969 01 01 THE CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION Lexington Mass Heath a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Commager Henry Steele Donald David Herbert 1996 11 05 Why the North Won the Civil War Simon and Schuster ISBN 978 0 684 82506 9 Search Results Harvard University Press www hup harvard edu Retrieved 2016 03 25 Donald David Herbert 1999 06 01 The Politics of Reconstruction 1863 1867 iUniverse ISBN 978 1 58348 441 8 Donald David Herbert 1970 Charles Sumner and the rights of man Knopf Donald David Herbert 1987 Look Homeward A Life of Thomas Wolfe Little Brown ISBN 978 0 316 18952 1 OCLC 925224109 Retrieved November 14 2018 Donald David Herbert 1996 11 05 Lincoln Simon and Schuster ISBN 978 0 684 82535 9 Donald David Herbert 2003 11 04 Lincoln at Home Two Glimpses of Abraham Lincoln s Family Life Simon and Schuster ISBN 978 0 7432 1142 0 Donald David Herbert 2003 01 01 We are Lincoln Men Abraham Lincoln and His Friends Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 0 7432 5468 7 External links editAppearances on C SPAN In Depth interview with Donald June 2 2002 David Herbert Donald Daily Telegraph obituary New York Times obituary May 19 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Herbert Donald amp oldid 1175761505, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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