Historian Winthrop Jordan, 75, author of "White Over Black"; Scholar put race relations in new light

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Winthrop Jordan, 75; scholar put race relations in new light
By Jocelyn Y. Stewart, Times Staff Writer
March 12, 2007

Winthrop Jordan, the historian whose groundbreaking investigation of early American attitudes on race shed light on centuries-old roots, died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, on Feb. 23 at his home in Oxford, Miss. He was 75.

The panel of judges who in 1969 awarded Jordan a National Book Award for his "White Over Black: American Attitudes Toward the Negro, 1550-1812" praised the work as a "rare thing: an original contribution to an important subject."

"In helping us understand today's racial crisis," they added, "Jordan has ideally fulfilled the historian's function of investigating the past in order to enlighten the present."

Research for the book began before Rosa Parks' 1955 refusal to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. Jordan wrote that in conducting his research, he steered clear of reading much of the literature and even newspaper articles of that time.

Though not intended as a commentary on 20th century race relations, ultimately Jordan's work was important to that discussion because it presented racial attitudes not as immutable and intrinsic, but as developments that happened over time and for a reason....

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-jordan12mar12,0,5561518.story?coll=la-home-obituaries

[libnnc]

1. Just used his book last month

Brilliant man, amazing work.

[Maddy McCall]

2. DUers who haven't read White Over Black, please pick it up.

It's one of the top five books on race relations--a must read for anyone who cares about race relations.

Very sad about the passing of Dr. Jordan. :(

[BlueIris]

4. I'm on it, chief. nt

[Blue_Tires]

3. ttt n/t