Bancroft Prize
2 appearances
Samuel Eliot Morison
サミュエル・エリオット・モリソン
Samyueru Eriotto Morison
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1887-07-09 （Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.）
- Died
- 1976-05-15 （Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.） age 88
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Boston (birthplace) → Cambridge, Massachusetts (Harvard affiliation) → Northeast Harbor, Maine (burial / summer residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Historian, University professor, Maritime historian, Author
- Active Years
- 1912-1976
- Affiliations
- Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Oxford (Harmsworth Professor), American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Philosophical Society
- Memberships
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Philosophical Society, Society of the Cincinnati (honorary member)
- Influenced By
- Samuel Eliot (grandfather, historian), Albert Bushnell Hart
- Influenced
- Later naval and military historians, Namesake honors such as USS Samuel Eliot Morison
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noble and Greenough School | — | — | — | 1897–1901 | United States |
| St. Paul's School | — | — | — | 1901–1903 | United States |
| Harvard University | — | History | Ph.D.（博士） | 1904–1912 (学士・修士・博士) | United States |
| École Libre des Sciences Politiques (Sciences Po) | — | — | — | 1908–1909 | France |
Noble and Greenough School
Period:
1897–1901
Year of Graduation:
1901
Country:
United States
Secondary / preparatory schooling
St. Paul's School
Period:
1901–1903
Year of Graduation:
1903
Country:
United States
Secondary / preparatory schooling
Harvard University
History
Degree:
Ph.D.（博士）
Period:
1904–1912 (学士・修士・博士)
Year of Graduation:
1912
Country:
United States
Received B.A. and M.A. in 1908; Ph.D. in 1912.
École Libre des Sciences Politiques (Sciences Po)
Period:
1908–1909
Year of Graduation:
1909
Country:
France
Study abroad / postgraduate study
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Pulitzer Prize | Admiral of the Ocean Sea | — | Pulitzer Prize Board | 受賞 |
| 1960 | Pulitzer Prize | John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography | — | Pulitzer Prize Board | 受賞 |
| 1949 | Bancroft Prize | The Rising Sun in the Pacific | — | Columbia University / Bancroft Prize | 受賞 |
| 1972 | Bancroft Prize | The European Discovery of America: The Northern Voyages | — | Columbia University / Bancroft Prize | 受賞 |
| 1962 | Balzan Prize | History of United States Naval Operations in World War II | — | International Balzan Prize Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1964 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | — | — | Office of the President of the United States | 受賞 |
| 1961 | Emerson-Thoreau Medal | — | — | American Academy of Arts and Sciences | 受賞 |
| 1938 | Loubat Prize | The Founding of Harvard College (and Harvard College in the Seventeenth Century) | — | Unknown / scholarly organization | 受賞 |
| — | Legion of Merit | — | — | United States | 受賞（軍事功績） |
Pulitzer Prize
1943
Work:
Admiral of the Ocean Sea
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize Board
Result:
受賞
Pulitzer Prize
1960
Work:
John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize Board
Result:
受賞
Bancroft Prize
1949
Work:
The Rising Sun in the Pacific
Organization:
Columbia University / Bancroft Prize
Result:
受賞
Bancroft Prize
1972
Work:
The European Discovery of America: The Northern Voyages
Organization:
Columbia University / Bancroft Prize
Result:
受賞
Balzan Prize
1962
Work:
History of United States Naval Operations in World War II
Organization:
International Balzan Prize Foundation
Result:
受賞
Presidential Medal of Freedom
1964
Organization:
Office of the President of the United States
Result:
受賞
Emerson-Thoreau Medal
1961
Organization:
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Result:
受賞
Loubat Prize
1938
Work:
The Founding of Harvard College (and Harvard College in the Seventeenth Century)
Organization:
Unknown / scholarly organization
Result:
受賞
Legion of Merit
Organization:
United States
Result:
受賞（軍事功績）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Admiral of the Ocean Sea
1942 Biography / Maritime historyA detailed biography of Christopher Columbus based on firsthand maritime research and voyages retracing Columbus's routes.
ExplorationSeafaringField-based historical research
History of United States Naval Operations in World War II
1947 Military history / Naval historyA comprehensive 15-volume history of U.S. naval operations in World War II compiled from on-site research, interviews, and official records.
War historyNaval operationsUse of primary sources
John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography
1959 Biography / Maritime historyA biography of John Paul Jones, emblematic of early American naval history, praised for meticulous research and narrative.
Formation of the navyHistorical examination of heroism
The Oxford History of the American People
1965 General historyA general history of the American people written for a broad audience, balancing scholarly accuracy and readability.
National historyNarrativizing history
Bibliography
- Admiral of the Ocean Sea (1942)
- History of United States Naval Operations in World War II (1947–1962)
- John Paul Jones: A Sailor's Biography (1959)
- The Oxford History of the American People (1965)
- The Maritime History of Massachusetts, 1783–1860 (1921)
- Of Plymouth Plantation (editor, 1952)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Narrative, highly readable proseEmphasis on on-site research and primary sources
- Recurring Motifs
- Seafaring and seamanshipExploration and discoveryNew England regional historyMilitary strategy and biographical portraits
Health
-
Stroke (cause of death)1976Died of a stroke in 1976; ended his long career.
Legacy
Left a large body of influential scholarly and popular works in maritime and American history, winning multiple major awards. Regarded as a key figure in naval history writing, while also criticized for aspects of his treatment of slavery and some wartime accounts.
Museums
- USS Constitution Museum (holds collections / awards named for Morison) Boston (Charlestown Navy Yard)
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- American Philosophical Society
Archives
- Naval History and Heritage Command (Samuel Eliot Morison Naval History Scholarship materials)
- Forest Hill Cemetery (Northeast Harbor, Maine)
In Popular Culture
- The frigate USS Samuel Eliot Morison named in his honor
- Bronze statue on Commonwealth Avenue Mall (Boston)
- Multiple awards and scholarships in his name (e.g., Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature)
Quotes
-
Dream dreams and write them, aye, but live them first.
Source: Inscription on his statue at Commonwealth Avenue Mall (advice to writers)
Trivia
- Reportedly the last professor to arrive at Harvard on horseback.
- Conducted field voyages to retrace Columbus's routes as part of his research.
- Served on active duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve during World War II and was later promoted on the honorary retired list.
- Received numerous honorary degrees and international honors over his career.