James Merrell facts for kids

James Hart Merrell (born in 1953 in Minnesota) is a well-known historian. He used to teach history at Vassar College. Mr. Merrell mostly studies early American history, especially the history of Native American people during the time when America was still a group of colonies. He is one of only five historians who have won the important Bancroft Prize two times!

Learning Journey

James Merrell grew up in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He went to Lawrence University for his first college degree. After that, he studied at Oxford University in England as a special student called a Rhodes Scholar. He earned his highest degree, a Ph.D. (which means Doctor of Philosophy), from Johns Hopkins University in 1982. A Ph.D. is a very advanced degree that shows you are an expert in your field.

His Work as a Historian

Mr. Merrell has worked at several important places that study history. He was a "Fellow" at The Newberry Library in Chicago, which focuses on the history of Native Americans. He was also a Fellow at the Institute of Early American History and Culture in Williamsburg, Virginia. Being a Fellow means he received support to do his research and writing.

He has also received special grants, called fellowships, from groups like the American Council of Learned Societies and the National Endowment for the Humanities. These fellowships help historians pay for their research.

James Merrell taught history at Vassar College starting in 1984. He taught there for many years, except for one year (1998-1999) when he was a professor at Northwestern University.

Awards and Recognitions

James Merrell has won many important awards for his historical research and books.

• He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1991. This is a special award given to people who are doing important work in their fields.
• In 1990, he won the Frederick Jackson Turner Award for his book, The Indians' New World: Catawbas and their Neighbors from European Contact Through the Era of Removal. This book tells the story of the Catawba people and how their lives changed when Europeans arrived.
• He also received the Merle Curti Award from the Organization of American Historians.
• Mr. Merrell has won the famous Bancroft Prize twice! This is a very high honor for historians who write about American history.
  • In 1990, he won for The Indians' New World: Catawbas and Their Neighbors from European Contact through the Era of Removal.
  • In 2000, he won again for his book, Into the American Woods: Negotiators on the Pennsylvania Frontier. This book looks at how Native Americans and European settlers tried to talk and make agreements on the frontier.
• His book, Into the American Woods: Negotiators on the Pennsylvania Frontier, was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for History. This means it was considered one of the very best history books of that year.