Category: Other

Earlier last month, we lost the much-beloved historian David McCullough, known for his narrative history of presidents and pioneers. He had a talent for making his writing leap off the page and bringing historical accounts to life. He is famously known for his triumph, which earned him the Pulitzer Prize in the biography Truman. Additionally, McCullough spent another decade researching the life of the second President of the United States, John Adams, which resulted in another Pulitzer Prize. Both biographies are masterpieces that revolve around the theme of civic virtue. Let’s take a moment to discuss civic virtue. McCullough dedicated a significant portion of both books to outline the importance of civic virtue to both men. Civic virtue, in short, is prioritizing the good of society over oneself. Moreover, Truman and Adams practiced a miniature Republican version of civic virtue, where the emphasis was on the community rather than the state. McCullough’s legacy will be one of elevating history and making it more accessible to the average reader. Here’s an example of a 1991 interview David McCullough did for the book TV Network that focused on the chapter about Citizen Truman.

Yet in centers of learning across North America, the study of the past in general, and of wars in particular, is in spectacular eclipse. History now accounts for a smaller share of undergraduate degrees than at any time since 1950. Whereas in 1970, 6% of American male and 5% of female students were history majors, the respective percentages are now less than 2% and less than 1%, respectively…

The revulsion from war history may derive not so much from students’ unwillingness to explore the violent past, but from academics’ reluctance to teach, or even allow their universities to host such courses. Some dub the subject “warnography,” and the aversion can extend to the study of international relations. Less than half of all history departments now employ a diplomatic historian, against 85% in 1975. As for war, as elderly scholars retire from posts in which they have studied it, many are not replaced: the roles are redefined.   

An eminent historian recently told me of a young man majoring in science at Harvard who wanted to take humanities on history, including the U.S. Civil War. He was offered only one course — which addressed the history of humans and their pets.

Statement from Major League Baseball: pic.twitter.com/0bWS5VTRPu

— MLB (@MLB) March 12, 2020