Winthrop Jordan

Winthrop Jordan is an American historian, literary scholar, and one of the most influential figures in post-World War II historiography. Raised in Mississippi, Jordan was a student of philosophy and a teacher of English and history, taking part in the civil rights movement in his home state and ultimately becoming a professor of history at the University of California at Berkeley. Jordan is best known for his groundbreaking work, which combined the perspective of the African-American experience with the broader view of the American and international histories.

Jordan’s most famous book, White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550-1812 (1968) is widely regarded as one of the most important books ever written on the history of race relations in the United States, and it won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize in history. Inspired by earlier historians such as Walter White and W.E.B. Du Bois, this work explored the complicated nature of race and culture in America. Using methods such as public opinion polls, literary analysis, and anthropological research, Jordan argued that the ideas and values of the American people had created a racial hierarchy that was ultimately based on power and privilege.

Jordan’s other seminal works include Trouble They Seen: Black People Tell the Story of Reconstruction (1976), a book which explored the experiences of African-Americans after the American Civil War. In this work, Jordan argued that Reconstruction had not been an attempt to improve the lives of former slaves, but rather a white attempt to reassert their political control of the South. He also examined how Reconstruction ultimately proved a disappointment to African-Americans, and how they were unable to capitalize on their newfound freedom.

Jordan’s research and writing also had a major impact on the field of literary studies. In his book, The American Inception: The Protestant Reformation and the Evolution of American Consciousness (1999), Jordan argued that the evolution of American culture, religion, and politics had been deeply influenced by Protestant Reformation. He also contended that the Reformation had caused a shift in the way people thought about religion, freedom, and the individual’s role in society.

The impact of Jordan’s work cannot be overstated. Through his research and writing, he helped to shape the way in which Americans think about race, culture, and their history. He was an important figure in the field of historiography, and his writings continue to inform scholarship and public discourse today.