Professor Emeritus William Leuchtenburg dies at 102
The noted historian and expert on President Franklin D. Roosevelt taught at Carolina for 20 years.
William Leuchtenburg, a professor emeritus of history and one of the country’s most eminent historians, died Jan. 28. He was 102.
“What was striking about Bill Leuchtenburg was that he believed history is an essential part of our democratic culture, democratic society,” said Lloyd Kramer, professor emeritus of history, former history department chair and former director of Carolina Public Humanities, “and his commitment to democracy — to public life — took the form of deep engagement with historical knowledge. He wanted people to understand that historical knowledge is essential for a democratic public life.”
Born Sept. 28, 1922, in New York, Leuchtenburg earned a bachelor’s degree at Cornell University in 1943 and a doctoral degree at Columbia University in 1951, focusing on modern American history.
He taught at Columbia from 1952 to 1982, where he developed a national reputation as a leading expert on the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. His classic book on this subject, “Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932–1940,” which was published in 1963, received the prestigious Bancroft Prize and the Francis Parkman Prize.
He published numerous articles, monographs and textbooks at Columbia, establishing himself as a leading expert on America’s political history. The Society of American Historians selected Leuchtenburg as the first recipient of the Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Award for distinguished writing in American history of enduring public significance.
In 1982, Leuchtenburg became a faculty member at Carolina, where he continued to pursue historical research and writing. This led to several highly acclaimed books, including: “In the Shadow of FDR” (1989); “The Supreme Court Reborn” (1996); and “The American President: From Teddy Roosevelt to Bill Clinton” (2015).
In 2007, Gov. Mike Easley bestowed on Leuchtenburg the North Carolina Award for Literature.
Leuchtenburg’s last book, “Patriot Presidents: From George Washington to John Quincy Adams,” was published just six months ago.
After teaching at UNC-Chapel Hill for 20 years, Leuchtenburg retired as the William Rand Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor in 2002. He continued to serve on the UNC Press Board of Governors and perform other service for the University. For his exemplary contributions to the understanding of U.S. history, he received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2021.
“We are fortunate that Bill shared his vast knowledge and wisdom on presidential history with the Carolina community,” said UNC College of Arts and Sciences Dean Jim White. “We are grateful for his words, for his teaching and for his service.”
Two years ago, more than 150 friends and family celebrated Leuchtenburg’s 100th birthday with him at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill.
“I remember Bill as simply a good man whose hearty laughter and thoughtful conversations always enriched whatever group he joined,” said Kramer, a friend of Leuchtenburg’s.
Leuchtenburg also served as a visiting professor at Harvard, Cornell, William and Mary and other American universities, and he held the Harmsworth chair at Oxford University. He served as president of the Society of American Historians from 1978 to 1981, the Organization of American Historians from 1985 to 1986 and the American Historical Association in 1991.
He also was deeply engaged with public debate on contemporary issues and appeared on countless TV and radio shows, wrote articles for newspapers and gave interviews to reporters. He served as a presidential election analyst for NBC on several occasions.
Leuchtenburg also collaborated with Ken Burns on many documentary films, including the 1994 miniseries on baseball, one of Leuchtenburg’s passions, and “The Roosevelts.”
