David H. Pinkney (1914–1993) was a renowned scholar of French history, author, and emeritus professor of history at the University of Washington, from 1967 until his retirement in 1984. Pinkney, born in Elyria, Ohio, attended

Oberlin College Oberlin College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Oberlin, Ohio. It is the oldest Mixed-sex education, coeducational liberal arts college in the United S ...

and received his doctorate in history from Harvard University in 1941. During World War II, he served in the

Office of Strategic Services The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was the intelligence agency of the United States during World War II. The OSS was formed as an agency of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to coordinate espionage activities behind enemy lines for all branc ...

and the U.S. Navy. After military service, Pinkney began his long teaching career at the University of Missouri. In 1966 he moved to the University of Washington where he taught until his retirement in 1984. Pinkney authored five books and multiple articles on French history, specifically the French Revolution of 1789 and the post-revolution years. Pinkney was one of the co-founders of the

Society for French Historical Studies The Society for French Historical Studies (SFHS) is, along with the Western Society for French History (WSFH), one of the two primary historical societies devoted to the study of French history headquartered in the United States. The SFHS edits th ...

and held many positions within the society over the years, including president from 1975–1976, as well as member of the Executive Board for twenty-seven years. From 1966 to 1975 he was editor-in-chief for the journal of French Historical Studies. Pinkney received international acclaim for his contributions to French history and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nantes. He was elected president of the American Historical Association in 1980 and participated in drafting a new constitution for the organization. He was chosen as fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1984. The David H. Pinkney prize for best French history book by an American or Canadian professor is awarded yearly through the Society for French Historical Studies.

Bibliography

*"Two Thousand Years of Paris," ''The Journal of Modern History'' Vol. 23, No. 3, September 1951 *"Napoleon III's Transformation of Paris: The Origins and Development of the Idea," ''The Journal of Modern History'' Vol. 27, No. 2, June 1955 *Napoleon III and the Rebuilding of Paris (1958) *A Festschrift for Frederick B. Artz (1964) *The French Revolution of 1830 (1972) *Napoleon, Historical Enigma (1978) *Decisive Years in France, 1840–1847 (1986)

References

Oberlin College alumni Harvard University alumni University of Missouri faculty University of Washington faculty 1993 deaths 1914 births 20th-century American historians 20th-century American male writers Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences American male non-fiction writers United States Navy personnel of World War II {{US-historian-stub