Nancy Lyman Roelker
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Nancy Lyman Roelker (June 15, 1915 - November 27, 1993) was an American historian and educator whose focus was 16th-century French history. Her devotion to mentoring graduate students was recognized with the American Historical Association creating the Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award.


Early life and education

Nancy Lyman Roelker was one of two daughters born in
Warwick, Rhode Island Warwick ( or ) is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States, and is the third-largest city in the state, with a population of 82,823 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Warwick is located approximately south of downtown Pr ...
, to William Greene Roelker, and Anna (Koues) Roelker. William Greene Roelker's family line traces all the way back to the earliest settlers in Rhode Island, and includes numbers of prominent community leaders and governors. When he died suddenly in 1953 he was Director of the Rhode Island Historical Society where he greatly expanded its holdings. Nancy Roelker received her A.B. from
Radcliffe College Radcliffe College was a Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that was founded in 1879. In 1999, it was fully incorporated into Harvard Colle ...
in 1936, where she was a member of
Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...
. Like her father, Roelker received her A.M. from
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
, in 1937, and 16 years later, her Ph.D. also at Harvard, in 1953. Between her master’s degree and her Ph.D Roelker studied with
Alfred North Whitehead Alfred North Whitehead (15 February 1861 – 30 December 1947) was an English mathematician and philosopher. He created the philosophical school known as process philosophy, which has been applied in a wide variety of disciplines, inclu ...
and in 1940 presented a dissertation she had completed in two years, ''An Application Of Whitehead’s Concepts Of Conformity and Novelty to the Philosophy of History''. Because the faculty did not believe she could have done it, they refused to accept it and delayed her doctoral progress.


Career

She taught European history from 1937 to 1941 at
Concord Academy Concord Academy (also known as CA) is a coeducational, Independent school, independent University-preparatory school, college-preparatory school for boarding and day students in Concord, Massachusetts. CA educates approximately 400 students in ...
in
Concord, Massachusetts Concord () is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the town population was 18,491. The United States Census Bureau considers Concord part of Greater Boston. The town center is n ...
, and from 1941 to 1963 at Winsor School in Boston, Massachusetts. Soon after she transitioned to university teaching, her career expanded. Starting as an assistant professor at
Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, with additional facilities in Boston and Grafton, as well as Talloires, France. Tufts also has several Doctor of Physical Therapy p ...
in Medford, Massachusetts in 1963, she was promoted to associate professor in 1965 and full professor in 1969. In 1971 Roelker became professor of European history at
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
and continued until her retirement in 1980.


Later life

Though Nancy Roelker did not formally teach at Rhode Island’s
Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
, in her retirement she pursued opportunities to mentor graduate students there. Her personal and academic papers are part of the John Hays Library Special Collections. Roelker died in her family's ancestral home
East Greenwich, Rhode Island East Greenwich is a New England town, town and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, Kent County, Rhode Island. The population was 14,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within ...
, in late 1993. She was 78.


Books

* ''The Paris of Henry of Navarre, as Seen by Pierre de l'Etoile'' (1958) * *


Awards and recognition

In 1960 and 1970 she received research grants from the
American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...
. In 1964 she was elected to the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (The Academy) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and other ...
. In 1965–66 she was a
Guggenheim Fellow Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated d ...
. In 1970 she received the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the Radcliffe Graduate Society. In 1985 she was awarded the Gold Medal of Paris for contributions to that city’s history.


Legacy

After her death in 1993, two organizations established awards in Roelker’s name: *The Nancy Lyman Roelker Mentorship Award through the
American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world, claiming over 10,000 members. Founded in 1884, AHA works to protect academic free ...
gives recognition annually to educators who excel in mentoring. *The Nancy Lyman Roelker Prize through the Sixteenth Century Society.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roelker, Nancy Lyman 1915 births 1993 deaths 20th-century American women academics 20th-century American academics 20th-century American historians People from Warwick, Rhode Island Radcliffe College alumni Harvard University alumni American women historians Historians from Rhode Island