Dr. David Potter

David M. Potter was born on December 6, 1910, in Augusta, Georgia. He was a graduate of the ARC class of 1928, ranked number one in his class as Valedictorian. In 1932, he graduated from Emory University. In 1940, he earned his Ph.D. in history from Yale.

 

Dr. Potter was an American historian of the South. He was professor of history at Yale from 1942 to 1961. Then, he taught at Stanford from 1961 to 1971. He was an early pioneer in addressing the history of women. At Yale, Dr. Potter earned an international reputation for being one of the most outstanding American historians. He was a prolific writer. Two of his most important works were Lincoln and His Party in the Secession Crisis and People of Plenty. He was an outstanding teacher! He won the Dinkelspiel Award for distinguished teaching in 1968.

 

Dr. Potter won, posthumously, the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for History for The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861. This was an in-depth analysis of the causes of the Civil War. He had many special appointments of high prestige, including: the Harmsworth Professorship at Oxford University, The Walgreen Lectureship at the University of Chicago, and the Commonwealth Fund Lectureship at the University of London.

 

Dr. Potter died on February 18, 1971. He held the presidencies of the two largest organizations of professional historians in the United States. He was known for his integrity, bright wit, and quiet fortitude.