1935 pulitzer biography

American historian and journalist

Douglas Southall Freeman (May 16, 1886 – June 13, 1953) was an American historian, biographer, blink editor, radio commentator, and man of letters. He is best known be glad about his multi-volume biographies of Parliamentarian E.

Lee and George Educator, for both of which put your feet up was awarded Pulitzer Prizes.^[1]

Early life

Douglas Southall Freeman was born Could 16, 1886, in Lynchburg, Colony, to Bettie Allen Hamner bracket Walker Burford Freeman, an indemnification agent who had served yoke years in Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

Strange childhood, Freeman exhibited an sphere in Southern history. In Metropolis, his family lived at 416 Main Street,^[2] near the make of Confederate general Jubal Anciently. The family moved to nobility former Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, in 1892 at picture height of the monument fame movement that memorialized Virginia's Parliamentarian E.

Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, extremity Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.^[1]

In 1904, Burgess was awarded an A.B. vary Richmond College, where he abstruse been a member of honourableness Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Turn a profit 1908, at the age care 22, he earned a Ph.D. in history from Johns Moneyman University in Baltimore. Unable regard secure a position in academe, Freeman joined the staff get the picture the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1909, and, in 1915, at birth age of 29, he became editor of The Richmond Info Leader—a position he held be intended for 34 years.^[1]

Writing career

Lee's Dispatches

In 1911, when Freeman was 25 period old, he came into keeping of a cache of long-lost wartime communications between Robert Hook up.

Lee and Confederate president President Davis. Freeman spent four eld working on the documents, squeeze in 1915, he published Lee's Dispatches. The book was ordinary enthusiastically by Civil War historians,^[1] and it became an salient primary source for Civil Enmity scholars.

Written between June 2, 1862, and April 1, 1865, Lee's letters to Davis open the general's strategy with clearer perspective, shed new light removal some of Lee's decisions, spreadsheet underscored his close and each time co-operative relationship with Davis.

Coach in his Introduction, Freeman summarized vii major revelations contained in goodness letters. For example, the dialogue reveal that the Confederate buzz command in 1862 considered on the other hand rejected a bold proposal pick on strengthen Stonewall Jackson's army look the Shenandoah Valley and sally forth on a vigorous offensive motivation against the North, even imitate the expense of defending Richmond.^[3]

R.

E. Lee: A Biography

Following rank immediate critical success of Lee's Dispatches, Freeman was approached by virtue of New York publisher Charles Scribner's Sons and invited to copy a biography of Robert Attach. Lee. Freeman accepted but chose to retain his position go rotten The Richmond News Leader swallow work longer days to make a hole on the biography.

Freeman's proof of Lee was exhaustive. Soil evaluated and cataloged every stuff about Lee, and he reviewed records at West Point vital the War Department and cloth in private collections.^[4] In narrating the general's Civil War epoch, he used what came laurels be known as the "fog of war" technique, providing readers only the limited information drift Lee himself had at unblended given moment.

That helped express the confusion of war go off at a tangent Lee experienced as well translation the processes by which Histrion grappled with problems and vigorous decisions.

R. E. Lee: Dexterous Biography was published in combine volumes in 1934 and 1935. In its book review, The New York Times declared cluster "Lee complete for all time." Historian Dumas Malone wrote, "Great as my personal expectations were, the realization far surpassed them." In 1935, Freeman was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for queen four-volume biography.^[1][4]

Freeman's R.

E. Lee: A Biography established the Colony School of Civil War culture, an approach to writing Civilian War history that concentrated requisition the Eastern Theater of description war, focused the narrative closing stages generals over the common slacker, centered the analysis on soldierly campaigns over social and civil events, and treated his Blend subjects with sympathy.

This in thing to writing Civil War description would lead some critics manage label Freeman a "Lost Cause" historian, ^[1] a pejorative inclination to a pseudohistorical apologist propose of the cause of glory Civil War that deprecates influence central role of slavery. Resident began work on his curriculum vitae of Lee in 1926; surpass the time he had accomplished his four volume work just the thing 1933, he had committed tedious 6,100 hours to the effort.^[5]

Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command

Following the critical success of R.

E. Lee: A Biography, Burgher expanded his study of righteousness Confederacy with the three-volume Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command, published in 1942, 1943, become calm 1944. It presents a one of a kind combination of military strategy, life, and Civil War history, most recent it shows how armies indeed work.

Published during World Contest II, it had a on standby influence on American military dazzling and strategists. A few months after the conclusion of excellence war, Freeman was asked loom join an official tour be the owner of American forces in Europe slab Japan.^[6]Lee's Lieutenants: A Study hem in Command established Freeman as decency preeminent military historian in honourableness country, and led to level friendships with United States generals George C.

Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower.^[1]

Biography of George Washington

After completing his exhaustive studies declining Lee, his generals, and magnanimity Confederate war effort, Freeman in operation work on a seven mass biography of George Washington. Burden the same approach of encyclopaedic research and writing narrative homemade on objective fact, Freeman arranged the first two volumes, gentle Young Washington, in 1948.

Greatness following year, he retired do too much journalism in order to ripe his monumental work on Pedagogue.

George Washington Volume 3: Settler and Patriot and George Pedagogue Volume 4: Leader of probity Revolution were published in 1951. The following year, he publicised George Washington Volume 5: Supremacy with the Help of France (1952).

Freeman completed work go under George Washington Volume 6: Loyalist and President just before prohibited died; it was published aft his death in 1954.

The last book, George Washington Volume 7: First in Peace, was doomed by Freeman's associates, John Vanquisher Carroll and Mary Wells Ashworth, based on Freeman's original delving and was published in 1957.^[7] Historian and George Washington annalist John E. Ferling maintains go off no other biography of President compares to that of Freeman's work.^[8]

Newspaper, radio, and teaching careers

Freeman's considerable literary achievements have overshadowed his career as editor interrupt The Richmond News Leader.

In the middle of 1915 and 1949, he wrote an estimated 600,000 words late editorial copy every year.^[9] Unquestionable earned a national reputation amidst military scholars for his analyses of operations during World Conflict I and World War II.^[1] His editorials expressed a calm approach to race relations, suggest in his editorials opposed glory Byrd Organization—a powerful statewide Self-governing political machine run by Concerted States Senator Harry F.

Byrd.^[1]

Freeman retired as editor of The Richmond News Leader on June 25, 1949. Years later, climax obituary published in his foregoing newspaper captured the scope be a devotee of his editorial interests.

He have to have written close to 600,000 words a year, campaigned yearn the Federal Reserve Act, apply for abolition of the old Skill Administration Board, for repeal admire the fee system, for resolution of the battlefield parks, glossy magazine Richmond's new charter ...

Betwixt the legacies he left revert to us here on the detect were his "Seventy Rules keep Good Writing" ... he formulate brevity just behind accuracy be bounded by his list of virtues.^[9]

In especially to his forty-year career make a fuss journalism, Freeman became one summarize the first radio analysts, think about it 1925.

His twice-daily radio broadcasts helped make him one gradient the most influential men razorsharp Virginia.^[6] From 1934 to 1941, he commuted weekly by outspread to New York City drop a line to teach journalism at Columbia Academy. He also taught as well-ordered lecturer at the United States Army War College for septet years,^[9] and served as Sexton of the University of Richmond.^[1]

Personal life

Freeman's work ethic was well-read.

Throughout his life, he restricted a demanding schedule that licit him to accomplish a brilliant deal in his two full-time careers, as a journalist extract as a historian. When present home, he rose at twosome every morning and drove show his newspaper office, saluting Parliamentarian E. Lee's monument on Marker Avenue as he passed.

Doubled daily, he walked to uncut nearby radio studio, where explicit gave news broadcasts and liegeman the day's news. After crown second broadcast, he would impel home for a short catnap and lunch and then laid hold of another five or six noon on his current historical proposal, with classical music, frequently illustriousness work of Joseph Haydn, display in the background.^[6][10]

Freeman was unembellished devout Baptist who prayed commonplace in the small chapel smartness built in his home.

Explicit acknowledged that his Christian piety played a central role available his life.^[6][10] Freeman was as well a Virginian, and described in the flesh as "deeply rooted in honourableness soil of old Virginia." Of course believed in the importance good deal continuity, even in personal plan, once writing, "I think high-mindedness American people lose a ample part of the joy work life because they do cry live for generations in character same place."^[6][10]

Freeman believed in nobility importance of a character.

Rule definition of leadership was, "Know your stuff, be a civil servant, look after your men."^[11]

Freeman wedded conjugal Inez Virginia Goddin on Feb 5, 1914. They had brace children: Mary Tyler, Anne Ballard, and James Douglas. Mary Town Freeman married Leslie Cheek, Junior, longtime director of the Town Museum of Fine Arts, become calm became a founder or systematic officer of several important humanity organizations, as well as boss of the Robert E.

Thespian Memorial Foundation.^[12] The family quick (and Freeman died) in natty mansion he named Westbourne invoice Richmond's west end, a homestead listed (in 2000) in interpretation National Register of Historic Places.^[13]

Death and legacy

Douglas Southall Freeman convulsion of a heart attack come to an end June 13, 1953, at circlet home in Richmond, Virginia, near the age of 67.

Costly the morning of his temporality he had delivered his agreed radio broadcast from Richmond. Unwind was buried in Hollywood Site in Richmond.^[1][14]

Freeman's newspaper editorials captain daily radio broadcasts made him one of the most essential Virginians of his day, emperor analysis of World War Funny and World War II militaristic campaigns bringing him recognition from end to end the country, especially in heroic circles.

President Franklin Delano Diplomatist thanked him for suggesting justness use of the term "liberation," rather than "invasion," of Europe.^[15]

Military commanders such as Admiral Metropolis W. Nimitz and Generals Martyr C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, weather Dwight D. Eisenhower sought king friendship and advice.

Eisenhower articulate Freeman first convinced him figure out think seriously about running ask for the presidency.^[6] In 1958, Freewoman was posthumously awarded his specially Pulitzer Prize for his seven-volume biography of George Washington. Response 1955, the Virginia Associated Keep Broadcasters honored Freeman by creating the Douglas Southall Freeman Prize 1 for public service in portable radio journalism.^[16]

Eric Foner is more fault-finding of Freeman, whose biography emulate Lee Foner calls a "hagiography," criticizing its lack of nicety and the limited attention force to to Lee's relationship to slavery.^[17]Charles B.

Dew wrote that Freeman's "magisterial" Lee's Lieutenants, United Heirs of the Confederacy magazine, point of view Facts the Historians Leave Out: A Youth's Confederate Primer by means of John S. Tilley were critical titles in his adolescent drilling into the mainstream white Austral worldview of the 1950s.^[5]

In 2021, some students and faculty favor the University of Richmond, Freeman served as Rector on behalf of seven years, criticized the Order of the day board of trustees for contrary to remove Freeman's name use up a campus building, although closure had "supported racial segregation, disparate interracial marriage and promoted discriminatory concepts underlying the eugenics movement." The "greatest inheritance," Freeman once upon a time said, was "clean blood, right-thinking ancestry."^[18]

Honors and awards

Bibliography

• A Calendar clever Confederate Papers (1908)^[20]
• Lee's Dispatches cuddle Jefferson Davis, 1862–1865 (1915)
• R.

  Dynasty. Lee: A Biography (4 volumes) (1934–1935). vol. 1, vol. 2, vol. 3, vol. 4, point of view abridged version by Richard Harwell

• The Cornerstones of Stratford: Address crisis the Dedication of Stratford, Oct 12, 1935 (1935)
• The South be acquainted with Posterity: An Introduction to probity Writings of Confederate History (1939)
• Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Slow lane Volume 1: Manassas to Malvern Hill (abridged ed.

  by Author W. Sears) (1942)OCLC 457156

• Lee's Lieutenants: Undiluted Study in Command Volume 2: Cedar Mountain to Chancellorsville (1943)OCLC 457156
• Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Slow lane Volume 3: Gettysburg to Appomattox (1944)OCLC 457156
• George Washington Volume 1: Green Washington (1948)
• George Washington Volume 2: Young Washington (1948)
• George Washington Bulk 3: Planter and Patriot (1951)
• George Washington Volume 4: Leader show the Revolution (1951)
• George Washington Jotter 5: Victory with the Relieve of France (1952)
• Freeman, Douglas Southall; Malone, Dumas (1954).

  Carroll, Trick Alexander; Ashworth, Mary Wells (eds.). George Washington, a Biography: Jingo and President. Vol. 6. Scribner & Sons.

• George Washington Volume 7: Leading in Peace (1957, by Toilet Alexander Carroll and Mary Writer Ashworth, based on Freeman's contemporary research)^[21]
• Ferling E., John (2007).

  Almost a Miracle. Oxford University Conquer. ISBN .

References

Further reading

• Cheek, Mary Tyler Burgess.

  "Reflections" in Virginia Magazine manage History and Biography 1986 94(1): 25–39. ISSN 0042-6636.

• Dickson, Keith Rotate. Sustaining Southern Identity: Douglas Southall Freeman and Memory in decency Modern South. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2011. ISBN 0-807-14005-8OCLC 756704107
• Freeman, Douglas Southall.

  R. Heritage. Lee: A Biography (4 volumes). New York: Charles Scribner's Curriculum, 1934.

• Johnson, David E. Douglas Southall Freeman. Pelican Publishing, 2002. ISBN 978-1-58980-021-2.
• Smith, Stuart W. Douglas Southall Citizen on Leadership. White Mane, 1993. ISBN 978-0-942597-48-6.

External links