Fred Albert Shannon
Encyclopedia
Fred Albert Shannon was an American historian
and a Pulitzer Prize
winner. He had many publications related to the American history, and he won the Pulitzer Prize for History
for The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865
.
, the son of Louis Tecumseh Shannon and Sarah Margaret (Sparks) Shannon. By 1900 his family was living in Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana
.
Shannon completed a B.A degree at the Indiana State Teachers College
and an M.A.
degree at Indiana University in 1918. He worked as a school teacher, and then became professor of history at Iowa Wesleyan College
in 1919. Five years later, he completed a Ph.D.
degree at the University of Iowa
and became assistant professor of history at the Iowa State Teachers College
.
In 1926 he moved to the Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
, where he was associate professor of history for several years. During this time, he also taught at Cornell College
(1924) and Ohio State University
(1929) in the summer session. From 1939 to 1961, he was professor of history at the University of Illinois and served many years as chairman of its history department.
Shannon was married to Edna M. (Jones) Shannon (born November 10, 1891, and died January 2, 1951). They had six children, including Frederick A. Shannon
, M.D., herpetologist.
He was a member of the American Historical Association. He was on the executive committee of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association.
He died on February 4, 1963. He had just begun a semester as a visiting professor at the University of South Carolina
.Brennan (1999), p. 283 He was buried with his wife in Mount Hope Cemetery, Urbana, Illinois
.
In 1928 Shannon wrote a two-volume book The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865
, which covered the history of the Union Army
. He won the Pulitzer Prize for History
for the book in 1929.
Since his death, some of Shannon's writing on Southern slavery has been criticized as being racist.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner. He had many publications related to the American history, and he won the Pulitzer Prize for History
Pulitzer Prize for History
The Pulitzer Prize for History has been awarded since 1917 for a distinguished book upon the history of the United States. Many history books have also been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography...
for The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865
The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865
The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865 is a two-volume book by American historian Fred Albert Shannon. The book is about Union Army history, including recruitment and enlistment during the American Civil War. It was published in 1928, and Shannon won the Pulitzer Prize for...
.
Biography
Shannon was born February 12, 1893, in Sedalia, MissouriSedalia, Missouri
Sedalia is a city located about south of the Missouri River in Pettis County, Missouri. U.S. Highway 50 and U.S. Highway 65 intersect in the city. As of 2006, the city had a total population of 20,669. It is the county seat of Pettis County. The Sedalia Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of...
, the son of Louis Tecumseh Shannon and Sarah Margaret (Sparks) Shannon. By 1900 his family was living in Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana
Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana
Harrison Township is one of eleven townships in Clay County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 2,366.-Geography:Harrison Township covers an area of ; of this is water.-Unincorporated towns:* Barrick Corner* Eel River...
.
Shannon completed a B.A degree at the Indiana State Teachers College
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
and an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree at Indiana University in 1918. He worked as a school teacher, and then became professor of history at Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
in 1919. Five years later, he completed a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
and became assistant professor of history at the Iowa State Teachers College
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
.
In 1926 he moved to the Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, where he was associate professor of history for several years. During this time, he also taught at Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows...
(1924) and Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
(1929) in the summer session. From 1939 to 1961, he was professor of history at the University of Illinois and served many years as chairman of its history department.
Shannon was married to Edna M. (Jones) Shannon (born November 10, 1891, and died January 2, 1951). They had six children, including Frederick A. Shannon
Frederick A. Shannon
Frederick A. Shannon was a U.S. herpetologist and medical doctor.-Biography:He was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the son of Fred Albert Shannon and Edna M. Shannon....
, M.D., herpetologist.
He was a member of the American Historical Association. He was on the executive committee of the Mississippi Valley Historical Association.
He died on February 4, 1963. He had just begun a semester as a visiting professor at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
.Brennan (1999), p. 283 He was buried with his wife in Mount Hope Cemetery, Urbana, Illinois
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
.
Assessment of his work
Shannon edited various publications, and contributed to professional journals. He wrote history from the perspective of an average American. He believed that it was the value of average Americans that shaped the United States, and he had low regard for wealthy Americans.In 1928 Shannon wrote a two-volume book The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865
The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865
The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865 is a two-volume book by American historian Fred Albert Shannon. The book is about Union Army history, including recruitment and enlistment during the American Civil War. It was published in 1928, and Shannon won the Pulitzer Prize for...
, which covered the history of the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. He won the Pulitzer Prize for History
Pulitzer Prize for History
The Pulitzer Prize for History has been awarded since 1917 for a distinguished book upon the history of the United States. Many history books have also been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography...
for the book in 1929.
Since his death, some of Shannon's writing on Southern slavery has been criticized as being racist.
Selected publications
- The Organization and Administration of the Union Army, 1861-1865 (1928)
- The Farmer’s Last Frontier: Agriculture, 1860-1897 (1945)
- American Farmers’ Movements (1957)
- The Centennial Years: A Political and Economic History of America from Late 1870s to the Early 1890s (1967)