Morris, Richard Brandon

Morris, Richard Brandon, 1904–89, American historian, b. New York City. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia in 1930, taught (1927–49) at the College of the City of New York, became a professor at Columbia in 1949, and was made Gouverneur Morris professor of history in 1959. His works in colonial history include Government and Labor in Early America (1946), a pioneering study, and Guide to Sources for Early American History (1600–1800) in New York City (written with Evarts B. Greene, rev. ed. 1953), an invaluable aid to scholars. Also a student of legal history, Morris wrote Studies in the History of American Law (1930) and Fair Trial (1952). Morris is also considered an expert on the American Revolution and wrote The Peacemakers (1965), The American Revolution Reconsidered (1967), and Seven Who Shaped Our Destiny (1973). He edited the Encyclopedia of American History (enl. and upd., 1970) and, with H. S. Commager, was general editor of the "New American Nation Series."