Benjamin Woods Labaree
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Woods Labaree (born July 21, 1927) is a leading historian of American colonial history and American maritime history. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut.
professor of history Leonard Woods Labaree
and Elizabeth Mary Calkins, Benjamin Woods Labaree was raised in New Haven, Connecticut, and earned his bachelor's degree at Yale University in 1950, after having served in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1945-46. After graduation from Yale, he went on to Harvard University
, where he earned his Master's Degree in history in 1953 and his Ph.D. in history in 1957.
in New Hampshire from 1950 until 1952 and then at Connecticut College
in New London, Connecticut, in 1957-58. In 1958, he received an appointment at Harvard University
, rising from instructor to assistant professor history and Allston Burr Senior Tutor
. While serving in these appointments, he was also managing editor of the Essex Institute Historical Collections at the Essex Institute
, Salem, Massachusetts, in 1956-60. In 1963, he was appointed dean of Williams College
, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, serving in that role until 1967. Concurrently, he served as an associate professor, then professor of history, 1963–77 and later Ephraim Williams Professor of American History, 1972-77. Between 1977-1989, he was director of the Williams College-Mystic Seaport Program (commonly called Williams-Mystic
) at Mystic Seaport
Museum, Mystic, Connecticut, 1977–89; director, Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College, 1989–92; and professor of history and environmental studies, 1989–92. He retired from Williams College in 1992 as professor emeritus.
Closely associated with Professor Robert G. Albion
of Harvard University, Labaree succeeded him as Director of the Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History
in 1974. His directorship of the Munson Institute culminated with being co-director of the National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Institute for college and university teachers on America and the Sea in 1996.
After retirement from Williams, he was visiting professor at Trinity College (Connecticut)
in 1993, Williams College in 1994, Clark University
in 1997, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
in 1998.
in 1993, and a co-recipient of the John Lyman Book Award by the North American Society for Oceanic History
in 1999. Labaree House at Mystic Seaport
Museum was named in his honor.
Early life and education
Son of the Yale UniversityYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
professor of history Leonard Woods Labaree
Leonard Woods Labaree
Leonard W. Labaree was a distinguished documentary editor, a professor of history at Yale University for more than forty years, an historian of Colonial America, and the founding editor of the multivolume publication of the papers of Benjamin Franklin.-Early life and education:Leonard W...
and Elizabeth Mary Calkins, Benjamin Woods Labaree was raised in New Haven, Connecticut, and earned his bachelor's degree at Yale University in 1950, after having served in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1945-46. After graduation from Yale, he went on to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, where he earned his Master's Degree in history in 1953 and his Ph.D. in history in 1957.
Professional career
Labaree began his teaching career as an instructor in history at Phillips Exeter AcademyPhillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in New Hampshire from 1950 until 1952 and then at Connecticut College
Connecticut College
Connecticut College is a private liberal arts college located in New London, Connecticut.The college was founded in 1911, as Connecticut College for Women, in response to Wesleyan University closing its doors to women...
in New London, Connecticut, in 1957-58. In 1958, he received an appointment at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, rising from instructor to assistant professor history and Allston Burr Senior Tutor
Allston Burr Senior Tutor
The Allston Burr Resident Dean is an assistant Dean of Harvard College and is also the highest-ranking official, other than the Master, of any of Harvard's twelve undergraduate Houses, responsible for the academic and disciplinary well-being of the House's undergraduates...
. While serving in these appointments, he was also managing editor of the Essex Institute Historical Collections at the Essex Institute
Essex Institute
The Essex Institute in Salem, Massachusetts, was "a literary, historical and scientific society." It maintained a museum, library, historic houses; arranged educational programs; and issued numerous scholarly publications...
, Salem, Massachusetts, in 1956-60. In 1963, he was appointed dean of Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, serving in that role until 1967. Concurrently, he served as an associate professor, then professor of history, 1963–77 and later Ephraim Williams Professor of American History, 1972-77. Between 1977-1989, he was director of the Williams College-Mystic Seaport Program (commonly called Williams-Mystic
Williams-Mystic
Williams-Mystic is the name most commonly used for the Maritime Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport. Based at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, USA, it is an interdisciplinary semester of study for 20 college sophomores, juniors and seniors. Williams College and the Mystic...
) at Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea, in Mystic, Connecticut, is notable both for its collection of sailing ships and boats, and for the re-creation of crafts and fabric of an entire 19th century seafaring village...
Museum, Mystic, Connecticut, 1977–89; director, Center for Environmental Studies at Williams College, 1989–92; and professor of history and environmental studies, 1989–92. He retired from Williams College in 1992 as professor emeritus.
Closely associated with Professor Robert G. Albion
Robert G. Albion
Robert G. Albion was Harvard's first professor of Oceanic History and inspired two generations of maritime historians in the United States...
of Harvard University, Labaree succeeded him as Director of the Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History
Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History
The Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History was established at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, in 1955 to provide graduate-level summer courses in maritime history. The name was later changed to the Munson Institute of Maritime Studies, to include literature and other aspects in the...
in 1974. His directorship of the Munson Institute culminated with being co-director of the National Endowment of the Humanities Summer Institute for college and university teachers on America and the Sea in 1996.
After retirement from Williams, he was visiting professor at Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
in 1993, Williams College in 1994, Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
in 1997, and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in 1998.
Awards
Labaree has been honored with the Citation of Honor by the Society of Colonial Wars in 1978, The Wilbur Cross Award by the Connecticut Humanities Council in 1990, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award of the USS Constitution MuseumUSS Constitution Museum
The USS Constitution Museum "serves as the memory and educational voice of , by collecting, preserving, and interpreting the stories of "Old Ironsides" and the people associated with her."...
in 1993, and a co-recipient of the John Lyman Book Award by the North American Society for Oceanic History
North American Society for Oceanic History
The North American Society for Oceanic History is the national organization in the United States of America for professional historians, underwater archeologists, archivists, librarians, museum specialists and others working in the broad field of maritime history...
in 1999. Labaree House at Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea, in Mystic, Connecticut, is notable both for its collection of sailing ships and boats, and for the re-creation of crafts and fabric of an entire 19th century seafaring village...
Museum was named in his honor.
Published works
- Patriots and Partisans, 1962
- The Boston Tea Party, 1964, 1968
- New England and the Sea, by Robert G. AlbionRobert G. AlbionRobert G. Albion was Harvard's first professor of Oceanic History and inspired two generations of maritime historians in the United States...
, William A. BakerWilliam A. BakerWilliam Avery Baker was a distinguished naval architect of replica historic ships and a maritime historian, who was curator of the Francis Russell Hart Nautical Museum at Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1963-1981.-Early life and education:The son of William Elisha Baker and his wife Margaret...
and Benjamin W. Labaree. Marion V. Brewington, picture editor, 1972
- American Nation-Time: 1607-1789 1972, 1976
- The Atlantic world of Robert G. AlbionRobert G. AlbionRobert G. Albion was Harvard's first professor of Oceanic History and inspired two generations of maritime historians in the United States...
, edited by Benjamin W. Labaree ; with chapters by William A. Baker ... [et al.] and a bibliography of the works of Robert G. Albion by Joan Bentick-Smith; drawings by William A. Baker, 1975.
- Patriots and partisans: the merchants of Newburyport, 1764-1815. 1975
- Empire or independence, 1760-1776: a British-American dialogue on the coming of the American Revolution, edited by Ian R. Christie and Benjamin W. Labaree, 1976
- Colonial MassachusettsMassachusettsThe Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
: a history, 1979
- A supplement (1971–1986) to Robert G. Albion's Naval & Maritime history, an annotated bibliography, fourth edition, 1988
- America and the sea: a maritime history, by Benjamin W. Labaree, William M. Fowler, Jr., John B. Hattendorf, Edward W. Sloan, Jeffrey J. Safford, and Andrew German, 1998