Winthrop D. Jordan
Winthrop D. Jordan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 November 1931 |
| Died | 23 February 2007 (aged 75) |
| Nationality | American |
| Works | White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550-1812 |
Winthrop Donaldson Jordan (November 11, 1931 – February 23, 2007) was an American historian and professor who specialized in the history of
The work has been described in a review as "one of the most important contributions yet made to the history of racial relationships in early America",[2] and helped to inspire serious scholarly enquiry into interracial relationships in North America, specifically President Thomas Jefferson's relationship with one of his female slaves, Sally Hemings. In 1993, Jordan won a second Bancroft Prize for Tumult and Silence at Second Creek: An Inquiry into a Civil War Slave Conspiracy.[3] In this work, Jordan brought to light details of a previously unstudied slave revolt near Natchez, Mississippi.
Early life and education
Jordan was born in
As a young man, Jordan attended the prestigious Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts before going on to receive an A.B. in social relations from Harvard University in 1953, an M.A. in history from Clark University in 1957, and a Ph.D. in history in 1960 from Brown University, which later recognized him as a distinguished alumnus. Jordan's doctoral dissertation formed the foundation of what became his master work White Over Black.
Career
Jordan's teaching career began in 1955 as a history instructor at
In 1982, Jordan relocated to the University of Mississippi, where he was the William F. Winter Professor of History and Afro-American Studies for more than 20 years. While there he influenced many graduate and undergraduate students.[6]
Marriage and family
He married Phyllis Henry. They had three sons Joshua, Mott, and Eliot Jordan, and later divorced.[7]
With his second marriage in 1982 to attorney and author Cora Miner Reilly (d. January 10, 2011), Winthrop Jordan became the stepfather of Stephen, Michael, and Mary Beth Reilly. He and Cora Jordan helped to found the first official
A few years after his 2004 retirement, Jordan died in his
Legacy and honors
- In 2005, some of Jordan's former students published a collection of essays inspired by his influence, entitled Affect and Power: Essays on Sex, Slavery, Race, and Religion.[9]
- 2007, his former students established the Winthrop Jordan Memorial Research Fund "to further Professor Jordan's legacy of teaching, scholarship, and philanthropy by supporting graduate student research in slavery, race, religion, and sexuality."[10]
References
- ^ "National Book Awards – 1969". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-03-17.
- ^ "White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550–1812".
- ^ Jordan, Winthrop D. Tumult and Silence at Second Creek: An Inquiry Into a Civil War Slave Conspiracy (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1993)
- ^ Jordan, Winthrop D. “American Chiaroscuro: The Status and Definition of Mulattoes in the British Colonies,” The William and Mary Quarterly, 3rd Series, Vol. 19, No. 2 (April 1962), pp. 183-200 (reprint)
- ^ Annette Gordon-Reed, Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy, University of Virginia Press, 1998 edition (with preface on DNA results)
- ^ “Winthrop D. Jordan", History Doyens, History News Network, July 2, 2006
- ^ "Winthrop Jordan: UM Mourns Death of Renowned Historian", History News Network, 24 February 2007, accessed 12 March 2011
- ^ "Winthrop Jordan", New York Times, March 8, 2007, p. 14
- ^ David Libby, Paul Spickard, and Susan Ditto, eds. Affect and Power: Essays on Sex, Slavery, Race, and Religion in Appreciation of Winthrop D. Jordan (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2006).
- ^ "Annual Giving", The University of Mississippi
External links
- "Winthrop Jordan Fund", University of Mississippi
- "Winthrop Jordan", Bancroft Prize Winners, Columbia University
- Appearances on C-SPAN
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