Origins & Early Life

Arthur Meier Schlesinger ( SHLESS-in-jər; February 27, 1888 – October 30, 1965) was an American historian who taught at Harvard University, pioneering social history and urban history. He was a Progressive Era intellectual who stressed material causes (such as economic profit and conflict between businessmen and farmers) and downplayed ideology and values as motivations for historical actors. He was highly influential as a director of PhD dissertations at Harvard for three decades, especially in the fields of social, women's, and immigration history. His son, Arthur M.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Schlesinger Jr. (1917–2007), also taught at Harvard and was a noted historian. Schlesinger's father, Bernhard Schlesinger, was a Prussian Jew, and his mother, Kate (née Feurle), was an Austrian Catholic. The two converted to Protestantism together and emigrated to Xenia, Ohio, in 1872. He was born in Xenia, Ohio, and graduated from Ohio State University in 1910.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

While a student at Ohio State, he was initiated into the Ohio Zeta chapter of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He got his PhD in history at Columbia University, where he was influenced by both Herbert L. Osgood and Charles A. Beard. He taught...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar — Contemporary (Died in 1888) (1888): Second Sultan of Zanzibar, known for building Stone Town's infrastructure.
• Barry Fitzgerald — Contemporary (Born in 1888) (1888): Esteemed Irish actor known for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• C. V. Raman — Contemporary (Born in 1888) (1888): Pioneering physicist renowned for the discovery of the light scattering phenomenon.
• Aamir Khan — Contemporary (Born in 1965) (1965): Iconic Indian actor and filmmaker, known for his dedication to cinematic perfection.
• Albert Schweitzer — Contemporary (Died in 1965) (1965): German polymath renowned for theology, music, and 'Reverence for Life'
• Bashar al-Assad — Contemporary (Born in 1965) (1965): Former President of Syria, known for his authoritarian rule and role in the Syrian Civil War.
• Alan Guth — Shared historical date (02-27 · Born) (1947): Pioneering cosmologist known for developing the theory of cosmic inflation.
• Carlos Manuel de Céspedes — Shared historical date (02-27 · Died) (1874): Cuban revolutionary hero and 'Father of the Homeland' who initiated the Ten Years' War.
• Angelica Kauffman — Shared historical date (10-30 · Born) (1741): Swiss history painter renowned for her successful careers in London and Rome.
• Claude Lévi-Strauss — Shared historical date (10-30 · Died) (2009): Pioneering structuralist anthropologist whose work redefined human culture and myth.
• 1888 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1888
• February 27 (02-27) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 27
• 1965 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1965
• October 30 (10-30) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 30