The Organization of American Historians has announced the death, on 29
November 2013, of the historian Michael G. Kammen (25 October 1936 -- 29
November 2013), at the age of 77:

http://www.oah.org/programs/news/oah-mourns-the-passing-of-michael-g-kammen/

Born in Rochester, NY, and raised in Washington, DC, Michael G. Kammen was
educated at George Washington University and at Harvard University, where
he earned his Ph.D. in 1964 under the direction of Bernard Bailyn.  His
dissertation became the basis of his first book, A ROPE OF SAND: THE
COLONIAL AGENTS, BRITISH POLITICS, AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION (Cornell,
1968).  He also wrote COLONIAL NEW YORK: A HISTORY (KTO Press, 1973; Oxford
reprint in paperback) and other studies of 18th-century American
constitutional and political history.

Kammen's first major work of general interest beyond the eighteenth century
was PEOPLE OF PARADOX: AN INQUIRY CONCERNING THE ORIGINS OF AMERICAN
CIVILIZATION (Knopf), which won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for History.  His
succeeding volumes charted his growing interest in the American people's
engagement with their history and with the often challenging study of
historical memory, including A SEASON OF YOUTH; THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND
THE HISTORICAL IMAGINATION (1978); SPHERES OF LIBERTY: CHANGING PERCEPTIONS
OF LIBERTY IN AMERICAN CULTURE (1985); the Parkman Prize-winning A MACHINE
THAT WOULD GO OF ITSELF: THE CONSTITUTION AND AMERICAN CULTURE (1986);
SOVEREIGNTY AND LIBERTY: CONSTITUTIONAL DISCOURSE IN AMERICAN CULTURE
(1988); and MYSTIC CHORDS OF MEMORY: THE TRANSFORMATION OF TRADITION IN
AMERICA CULTURE (1991).  He wrote extensively on these and related issues
in books characterized by immense learning and graceful prose.

I will post further information on Prof. Kammen's life and work in future
postings to H-LAW.  For now, suffice it to say that he was a generous
scholar and colleague and an illuminating investigator of American history
and culture, whose work has often enriched our historical understanding.

Respectfully submitted,

R. B. Bernstein

-- R. B. Bernstein * Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law, New York
Law School * Adjunct Professor of Political Science and History,
Skadden, Arps Honors Program in Legal Studies, City College of New York,
CUNY * Moderator and Member of Editorial Board, H-LAW * Member, Board of
Directors, American Society for Legal History (2011-2014) * Author,
THOMAS JEFFERSON (Oxford, 2003; paperback, 2005) and THE FOUNDING
FATHERS RECONSIDERED (Oxford, 2009; paperback, 2011) *
rbbernstein@gmail.com, rbernstein@nyls.edu, rbernstein@ccny.cuny.edu

 --

Humanities & Social
Sciences Online

Copyright © 1995-2006 - Contact Us
RSS | Validate: XHTML | CSS