Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood dies at 92

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood died on June 7 in East Providence, Rhode Island, after being struck by a car in a supermarket parking lot. Authorities confirmed his death in hospital, with Wood’s age listed as 92. Wood’s academic career spanned decades, beginning at Harvard University and the University of Michigan before joining Brown University in 1968. As the Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus, he authored influential works, including *The Radicalism of the American Revolution* (1993), which won the Pulitzer Prize, and *Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815* (2009), a finalist for the same award. His research emphasized the Revolution’s transformative role in shaping American society, arguing it laid the foundation for 19th-century movements against slavery and for women’s rights. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) described his work as ‘profoundly influential,’ noting his ability to capture the turbulence of early America. Wood received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in 2010 for his contributions to understanding the nation’s founding and constitutional drafting. His legacy extends beyond academia, with colleagues and the NEH praising his research skills and accessible insights into Revolutionary-era America. Brown University and Wood’s children, Christopher and Amy, were contacted for comment but did not provide a statement at the time of reporting.