William Morgan Fowler Jr. (born July 25, 1944) is a professor of history at

Northeastern University, Boston Northeastern University (NU) is a private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in Charlotte, North C ...

and an author. He served as Director of the

Massachusetts Historical Society The Massachusetts Historical Society is a major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history. The Massachusetts Historical Society was established in 1791 and is located at 1154 Boylston Street in Bost ...

from 1998 through 2005.

Early life and education

Born in Tarpon Springs, Florida, the son of William Fowler, a U.S. Postal Service employee, and his wife Eleanor, he grew up in Wakefield, Massachusetts, and attended Wakefield High School and

, graduating

magna cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some So ...

in 1966. He went on to the University of Notre Dame, where he earned his M.A. in 1969 and his PhD in 1971. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1970 to 1984, reaching the grade of Captain. In August 1968, he married Marilyn Nicole Noble, an elementary school teacher, and together they had two children.

Academic career

Fowler was appointed an assistant professor in 1971 at

Northeastern University Northeastern University (NU) is a private university, private research university with its main campus in Boston. Established in 1898, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs on its main campus as well as satellite campuses in ...

, promoted to associate professor in 1977, and full professor in 1980. In addition, he served as acting dean of the college of arts and sciences in 1977, vice provost, 1989–1991, and department chair in 1993–1997, before leaving to become the director of the

. He returned to Northeastern on January 1, 2006, after eight years at the society. When he announced that he would leave the President of the Society, Amalie M. Kass, honored him for the positive changes that he accomplished during his tenure. Kass stated, "Bill Fowler brought our Society into a leadership role in the cultural and intellectual life of Boston, the state, and even the nation ��Dr. Fowler has kept this mission at the forefront of his work and we intend to go forward in that spirit."Massachusetts Historical Society press release
retrieved May 16, 2006 Fowler also teaches at the Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History at Mystic Seaport Museum and has lectured at the Smithsonian Institution, the United States Naval War College, St. John's Preparatory School, and the Sea Education Association. He is a trustee of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Association, The Paul Revere Memorial Association, and the Old North Church Foundation. He is also a member of the Massachusetts State Archives Advisory Commission and an honorary member of the

Boston Marine Society The Boston Marine Society (established 1742) is a charitable organization in Boston, Massachusetts, formed "to 'make navigation more safe' and to relieve members and their families in poverty or other 'adverse accidents in life.'" Membership general ...

,and the Society of the Cincinnati as well as a consulting editor to ''

The New England Quarterly ''The New England Quarterly'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal consisting of articles on New England's cultural, literary, political, and social history. The journal contains essays, interpretations of traditional texts, essay reviews and book r ...

''.

Honors and awards

* Samuel Eliot Morison Distinguished Service Award,

USS Constitution Museum The USS Constitution Museum is located in the Charlestown Navy Yard, which is part of the Boston National Historical Park in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The museum is situated near the ship at the end of Boston's Freedom Trail. The ...

, 1985. * Northeastern University Outstanding Alumnus Award, 1994. * Honorary degree

L.H.D. The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society. The criteria for awarding the degree differ ...

, Northeastern University, 2000. * Bay State Historical League Ayer Award

Published works

* '' William Ellery: A Rhode Island Politico and Lord of Admiralty'' (1973) * ''Rebels Under Sail: The American Navy during the Revolution'' (1976) * ''The American Revolution: Changing Perspectives'', edited by

Wallace Coyle Wallace may refer to: People * Clan Wallace in Scotland * Wallace (given name) * Wallace (surname) * Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back * Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name Wa ...

and William M. Fowler Jr. (1979) * ''The Baron of Beacon Hill: A Biography of John Hancock'' (1980) * ''Jack Tars and Commodores: The American Navy, 1783–1815'' (1984) * ''Under Two Flags: The Navy in the Civil War'' (1990) * '' Silas Talbot Captain of the Old Ironsides'' (1995) * '' Samuel Adams: Radical Puritan'' (1997) * ''America and The Sea: A Maritime History'' by

Benjamin W. Labaree Benjamin Woods Labaree (July 21, 1927 – August 30, 2021) was a leading historian of American colonial history and American maritime history. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut. Early life and education Son of the Yale University professor ...

, William M. Fowler Jr.,

John B. 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 ...

Edward W. Sloan Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sax ...

Jeffrey J. Safford Jeffrey Jaeger Safford was a professor emeritus of history at Montana State University-Bozeman and prominent proponent of historic preservation in Montana. Early life and education Jeffrey Jaeger Safford was born in Greenwich Village, New Yor ...

, and

Andrew German Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

, (1998) * ''Empires at War: The French and Indian War and the Struggle for North America, 1754–1763'' (2005) * ''America and The Sea: Treasures from the collection of Mystic Seaport'' (co-author) (2005) * ''An American Crisis:

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

and the Dangerous Two Years After Yorktown, 1781–1783'' (2011) * ''Steam Titans: Cunard, Collins, and the Epic Battle for Commerce on the North Atlantic'' (2017)

References

* ''Contemporary Authors''

External links

Homepage at Northeastern University
* Th

are located in the Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, William M. Northeastern University faculty Northeastern University alumni University of Notre Dame alumni Living people American maritime historians American naval historians American male non-fiction writers Historians of New England Frank C. Munson Institute of American Maritime History faculty United States Army officers 1944 births People from Wakefield, Massachusetts Historians from Massachusetts Military personnel from Massachusetts