Origins & Early Life

Ronald Chernow (; born March 3, 1949) is an American writer, journalist, and biographer. He has written bestselling historical non-fiction biographies. Chernow won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Biography and the 2011 American History Book Prize for his 2010 book Washington: A Life. He is also the recipient of the National Book Award for Nonfiction for his 1990 book The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His biographies of Alexander Hamilton (2004) and of John D. Rockefeller (1998) were both nominated for National Book Critics Circle Awards. His biography of Hamilton inspired the popular Hamilton musical, which Chernow worked on as a historical consultant. For another book, The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family, he was awarded the 1993 George S. Eccles Prize for Excellence in Economic Writing.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

As a freelance journalist, Chernow has written over sixty articles for various national publications. Chernow was born on March 3, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Israel, was the owner of a discount store and creator of a stock brokerage firm; his mother, Ruth, was a bookkeeper. He...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Contemporary (Born in 1949) (1949): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances.
• Alan Menken — Contemporary (Born in 1949) (1949): Award-winning American composer celebrated for Disney film scores and Broadway musicals.
• Alice Bailey — Contemporary (Died in 1949) (1949): American esoteric writer known for neo-theosophical works and pioneering New Age concepts.
• Alexander Graham Bell — Shared historical date (03-03 · Born) (1847): Pioneering inventor credited with patenting the first practical telephone.
• Aurangzeb — Shared historical date (03-03 · Died) (1707): Sixth Mughal Emperor who expanded the empire to its greatest extent.
• Amadeo Giannini — Historical peer (Died in 1949) (1949): Pioneering American banker who founded the Bank of Italy and influenced modern finance.
• Andy Kaufman — Historical peer (Born in 1949) (1949): Pioneering performance artist known for anti-comedy and character work.
• Amy Winehouse — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Iconic British soul artist blending jazz, R&B, and retro sounds.
• Anne McCaffrey — Historical peer (Died in 2011) (2011): Pioneering science fiction author, celebrated for the Dragonriders of Pern.
• Ali Hassan al-Majid — Historical peer (Died in 2010) (2010): Notorious Iraqi military figure, cousin of Saddam Hussein, known for brutal repression.
• 1949 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1949
• March 3 (03-03) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 3