Origins & Early Life

Elizabeth Lewisohn Eisenstein (October 11, 1923 – January 31, 2016) was an American historian of the French Revolution and early 19th-century France. She is well known for her work on the history of early printing, writing on the transition in media between the era of 'manuscript culture' and that of 'print culture', as well as the role of the printing press in effecting broad cultural change in Western civilization. Eisenstein was educated at Vassar College where she received her A.B., then went on to Radcliffe College for her M.A. and Ph.D.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

It was there she studied under Crane Brinton. She reported that in the early 1950s she was not able to find a position in a university history department, not even part-time work. In 1957, after she had obtained her PhD, she and her husband moved to Washington, D.C. where she applied to multiple institutions for teaching positions, including Georgetown, George Washington University, Howard, and the University of Maryland. She eventually found a part-time position at American University.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

She taught as an adjunct professor at American University from 1959 to 1974, then the University of Michigan, where she was the Alice Freeman Palmer...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• André Gorz — Contemporary (Born in 1923) (1923): Austrian-French philosopher known for critiques of work and political ecology.
• Bernard Bosanquet (philosopher) — Contemporary (Died in 1923) (1923): Influential English philosopher and political theorist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Abbas Kiarostami — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Andrew Grove — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Visionary engineer and CEO who drove Intel to global semiconductor dominance.
• Andrzej Żuławski — Contemporary (Died in 2016) (2016): Pioneering Polish film director, celebrated for intense art-house cinema.
• Amitabh Bachchan — Shared historical date (10-11 · Born) (1942): Iconic figure of Hindi cinema, celebrated for versatility and enduring stardom.
• Angela Lansbury — Shared historical date (10-11 · Died) (2022): Iconic British-American actress and singer with an 80-year career.
• A. A. Milne — Shared historical date (01-31 · Died) (1956): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Amy Jackson — Shared historical date (01-31 · Born) (1992): British actress and model celebrated for her versatile roles in Indian cinema.
• 1923 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1923
• October 11 (10-11) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 11
• 2016 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2016
• January 31 (01-31) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on January 31