Nevins, Allen

Nevins, (Joseph) Allen (1890–1971) historian, journalist; born in Camp Point, Ill. He attended the University of Illinois (M.A. English, 1913); began his professional career as a journalist in New York City; taught history at Columbia University (1928–58); and was senior research associate at Huntington Library (1958–71). He twice took time out to serve as a U.S. foreign officer (1943–46; 1965). His numerous awards include Pulitzer Prizes in 1932 and 1937 for Grover Cleveland: A Study in Courage and Hamilton Fish: The Inner History of the Grant Administration. Known for his ground-breaking books on the Civil War, he founded Columbia's Oral History Project (1948) and was a founder of American Heritage magazine.