The Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History was established at

Mystic Seaport Mystic Seaport Museum or Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic, Connecticut is the largest maritime museum in the United States. It is notable for its collection of sailing ships and boats and for the re-creation of the craf ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, in 1955 to provide graduate-level summer courses in maritime history. The name was later changed to the Munson Institute of Maritime Studies, to include literature and other aspects in the history of maritime affairs. Mrs. Cora Mallory Munson, widow of Frank C. Munson endowed the Institute, named in memory of her husband, who had been president of the

Munson Steamship Line The Munson Steamship Line, frequently shortened to the Munson Line, was an American steamship company that operated in the Atlantic Ocean primarily between U.S. ports and ports in the Caribbean and South America. The line was founded in 1899 as a f ...

and a major figure in the American shipping industry in the first and second World Wars. The curator of

Edouard A. Stackpole Edouard A. Stackpole (December 7, 1903 – September 2, 1993) was an American journalist, museum curator, whaling historian and writer. Works * 1931 Smuggler's Luck * 1932 You Fight for Treasure! * 1935 Madagascar Jack * 1937 Privateer Ahoy ...

, originated the idea for the institute and turned to Professor Robert G. Albion,

Gardiner Professor of Oceanic History and Affairs The Gardiner Chair of Oceanic History and Affairs was established at Harvard University in 1948. The chair is named in honor of William Howard Gardiner (died, New York City, 21 June 1952), a publicist and advocate of the importance of sea power, wh ...

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

to join with him in creating the Institute and to serve as its first director.Labaree, Benjamin W., 'The Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime Studies,' ''

American Neptune The ''American Neptune: A Quarterly Journal of Maritime History and Arts'' was an academic journal covering American maritime history from its establishment in 1941 until it ceased publication in 2002. History Established by Samuel Eliot Moriso ...

,'' vol. 45 (1945), pp. 441-445. Since its founding, the Munson Institute has been the leading, and often the sole, center for the teaching of maritime history in the United States. Its faculty has included the leading maritime historians in the United States. In 1996, 2006, 2010, 2012, and 2014, the

National Endowment for the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) is an independent federal agency of the U.S. government, established by thNational Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965(), dedicated to supporting research, education, preserv ...

awarded it grants to run summer institutes to teach maritime history to college and university faculty members in a national effort to further develop this field. In 1998, the Munson Institute's faculty produced the first wide-ranging maritime history of the United States, ''America and The Sea: A Maritime History.'' The Institute annually awards the

Hardin Craig Hardin Craig (29 June 1875 – 13 October 1968) was an American Renaissance scholar and professor of English. In his 65-year academic career, he served on the faculties of eight different colleges and universities, published more than 20 books as ...

Memorial Prize for academic excellence.

Directors

# 1955 - 1974 Professor Robert G. Albion # 1974 - 1996 Professor Benjamin Woods Labaree # 1996 - 2001 Professor

John Hattendorf John Brewster Hattendorf, D.Phil., D.Litt., L.H.D., FRHistS, FSNR, (born December 22, 1941) is an American naval historian. He is the author, co-author, editor, or co-editor of more than fifty books, mainly on British and American maritime hi ...

# 2001 - Pres. Dr. Eric Roorda and Dr. Glenn Gordinier

References

External links

Maritime history of the United States Mystic, Connecticut Educational institutions established in 1955 1955 establishments in Connecticut {{Connecticut-university-stub