William E. Leuchtenburg, a distinguished historian renowned for his expertise on the United States presidency and his scholarship on Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal, has passed away at the remarkable age of 102.
His son, Joshua A. Leuchtenburg, reported that his father died at their home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, although no specific cause of death was disclosed.
A professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina and an author for over 70 years, Leuchtenburg was celebrated for his deep knowledge and accessible writing style. He earned several prestigious honors in the field of history, including the Parkman and Bancroft prizes. Beyond his academic achievements, he served as a political analyst for major networks like CBS and NBC and provided insight for various Ken Burns’ PBS documentaries. In recognition of his contributions to American history writing, he received the Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. Award in 2008.
Among his significant works are “Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal” and “The Perils of Prosperity,” which chronicles the history of the U.S. from World War I to the height of the Great Depression. While he maintained a liberal perspective, his analysis was detailed and nuanced; he did not shy away from highlighting the New Deal’s shortcomings alongside its achievements. His research became a vital resource for emerging historians of FDR, with figures like Jonathan Alter and Geoffrey Ward recognizing him for his impact, the latter dedicating the 2014 book “The Roosevelts” in his honor. Additionally, he was known to generously share his vast knowledge with those who sought his guidance.
Leuchtenburg’s seminal work, “Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal,” published in 1963, had a profound influence on the study of FDR’s presidency. He argued that FDR’s extensive response to the Great Depression was constrained by political considerations, notably his hesitance to confront racial segregation in the South. Leuchtenburg concluded that true economic prosperity was not realized until the U.S. engaged in World War II. Nonetheless, he recognized the New Deal’s transformative impact on the federal government and acknowledged Roosevelt’s innovative approach to leadership, using the radio to cultivate a personal connection with millions of Americans.
Reviewing Leuchtenburg’s book, Charles Poore of The New York Times remarked on the unvarnished depiction of a tumultuous era marked by both triumph and failure. Leuchtenburg’s explorations of Roosevelt reached beyond his presidency. In “In the Shadow of FDR,” originally released in 1983 and periodically updated, he examined how subsequent presidents—from Truman to George W. Bush—navigated the legacy of Roosevelt. He captured moments, such as Harry Truman acknowledging FDR’s influence in the White House and depicting the challenges faced by presidents like Eisenhower and Kennedy due to ongoing comparisons to Roosevelt’s legacy. At the time of his death, he was developing a new edition that was set to include insights on Joe Biden’s administration, who was known to keep a Roosevelt portrait in the Oval Office.
In his 2005 work, “The White House Looks South,” Leuchtenburg explored the complex relationships of Roosevelt, Truman, and Johnson with the Southern states, effectively analyzing how geography shaped their policies. He humorously recounted his own life experiences, such as visits to spring training camps in Florida and participating in marches with Martin Luther King Jr., reflecting on his unique relationship with the South by stating, “In sum, I am in, but not of, the South.”
A respected educator, often referred to as “The Big L,” Leuchtenburg held teaching positions at prestigious institutions, including Smith College, Harvard, and Columbia University, before settling at UNC Chapel Hill in the 1980s. His contributions to the academic community extended to his role as president of the American Historical Association and the Organization of American Historians. He was influential in shaping future historians’ careers, including Allan Brandt and Howard Zinn.
Leuchtenburg was married twice, his latest union being with Jean Anne Leuchtenburg, and he was the father of three children. Born into humble beginnings as the son of a postal clerk in New York City in 1922, his passion for politics sparked at a young age. At only 12, he raised funds by tutoring to finance a trip to Washington, D.C., where he marvelously recounted his “wide-eyed” experience at the White House and the Supreme Court.
His lifelong admiration for Roosevelt began when, at the age of 10, he eagerly followed the radio broadcasts during FDR’s election campaign. The transition to higher education was made possible for him through a New Deal initiative, the National Youth Administration. Leuchtenburg graduated from Cornell University, later obtaining a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Columbia. He initially engaged in political activism and civil rights work before shifting his focus solely to history, publishing his first book, “Flood Control Politics,” in 1953, followed by “The Perils of Prosperity” in 1958.
In his later years, he authored a critical biography of Herbert Hoover, as well as the extensive “The American President: From Teddy Roosevelt to Bill Clinton.” Even as he reached the age of 101, he remained active in his writing, completing “Patriot Presidents,” which was to be the first in an ambitious series he openly acknowledged might stretch his limits.
