Origins & Early Life

Eric Foner (; born February 7, 1943) is an American historian. He writes extensively on American political history, the history of freedom, the early history of the Republican Party, African American biography, the American Civil War, Reconstruction, and historiography, and has been a member of the faculty at the Columbia University Department of History since 1982. He is the author of several popular textbooks, such as the Give Me Liberty! series for high school classrooms.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

According to the Open Syllabus Project, Foner is the most frequently cited author on college syllabi for history courses. Foner has published several books on the Reconstruction period, starting with Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863–1877 in 1988. His online courses on "The Civil War and Reconstruction", published in 2014, was available from Columbia University on ColumbiaX. In 2011, Foner's The Fiery Trial (2010) won the Pulitzer Prize for History, the Lincoln Prize, and the Bancroft Prize. Foner previously won the Bancroft Prize in 1989 for Reconstruction.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 2000, he was elected president of the American Historical Association. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2018....

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alvy Ray Smith — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering computer scientist and co-founder of Pixar Animation Studios.
• Antonio Inoki — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering Japanese wrestler, martial artist, and political figure.
• Arthur Ashe — Contemporary (Born in 1943) (1943): Pioneering American tennis star, celebrated for his skill and activism.
• Albert Finney — Shared historical date (02-07 · Died) (2019): Esteemed English actor celebrated for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• An Wang — Shared historical date (02-07 · Born) (1920): Pioneering Chinese-American computer engineer and cofounder of Wang Laboratories.
• Barry Manilow — Historical peer (Born in 1943) (1943): Enduring American singer, songwriter, and producer with a six-decade career.
• Beatrix Potter — Historical peer (Died in 1943) (1943): Pioneering author and illustrator celebrated for natural history and children's literature.
• 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament — Historical peer (Born in 1982) (1982): The 44th annual NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
• Alan Ritchson — Historical peer (Born in 1982) (1982): American actor known for roles in Reacher, Titans, and superhero franchises.
• Alfred de Vigny — Historical peer (Died in 1863) (1863): French poet and early Romanticist, known for his plays and novels.
• 1943 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1943
• February 7 (02-07) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 7