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Historian Gordon Wood Dies After Parking Lot Accident
8 Jun
Summary
- Eminent historian Gordon S. Wood died at age 92.
- He was struck by a car in a supermarket parking lot.
- Wood's works defined the narrative of America's early independence.
Eminent historian Gordon S. Wood, whose prolific scholarship defined the narrative of America's early independence, died Sunday at 92. He was struck by a car in a supermarket parking lot in East Providence, Rhode Island.
Wood's seminal works, such as "The Creation of the American Republic" (1970) and "The Radicalism of the American Revolution" (1993), earned him prestigious awards like the Bancroft Prize and the Pulitzer Prize. His scholarship became essential for understanding the U.S. formation and the revolution's legacy.
His interpretations, while influential, also drew criticism from younger academics who argued he minimized the roles of marginalized groups. Wood, however, positioned himself between traditional "great man" histories and more egalitarian approaches, emphasizing honest inquiry over moral judgment.
"We all want justice, but not at the expense of truth," Wood once wrote, reflecting on historical interpretation. His work, including "Empire of Liberty," explored profound societal transformations, impacting how historians view the nation's founding era.
