Gordon Wood, professor emeritus of history, will receive the 2010 National Humanities Medal from President Obama today at the White House. Wood, along with nine other recipients, will be honored in the East Room at 1:45 p.m.
Wood is being recognized for work that "provides insight into the founding of our nation and the drafting of the United States Constitution," according to a White House press release. He has written several books on the period of the American Revolution, winning a Pulitzer Prize and the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize for his book "The Radicalism of the American Revolution" and the Bancroft Prize for "The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787."
The National Humanities Medal annually recognizes up to 12 scholars whose work strengthens "the nation's understanding of humanities," "citizens' engagement with humanities" or "Americans' access to important resources in the humanities," according to the National Endowment for the Humanities website. This year's recipients also include Joyce Carol Oates and Philip Roth.
Wood said in a University press release that he hopes the recognition will bring attention to his field.
"We don't teach history because we want to have history teachers or history professors," he said. "We're teaching history because it enriches lives."
Wood's next project will be editing the letters of John Adams for publication by the Library of America. He could not be reached for further comment late last night.
Winners of the 2010 National Medal of Arts will also be recognized at the ceremony.
