Stephen J. Whitfield (born 1942) is the Max Richter Professor Emeritus of American Civilization at

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

, where he has taught since receiving his doctorate there in 1972 until 2016. His main interests include 20-century American political and cultural history and American Jewish history.Stephen Whitfield. Max Richter Professor of American Civilization, Emeritus
profile @ Brandeis University"Stephen J. Whitfield"
''Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women'' Stephen Whitfield has also served as a visiting professor at the

Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public university, public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. ...

, the

Catholic University of Louvain The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, Belgium, the University of Paris IV (The Sorbonne) and the

Ludwig-Maximilians University The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich, LMU or LMU Munich; ) is a public research university in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Originally established as the University of Ingolstadt in 1472 by Duke Ludwig IX of Bav ...

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

. Since 1976 Whitfield was associated with the Southern Jewish Historical Society and he published a series of essays on the history of the Jews of Southern United States. He earned the following degrees: Brandeis University, Ph.D. (1972),

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, M.A.,

Tulane University The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it b ...

, B.A.

Personal

Whitfield is the son of Jewish immigrants, a German-born father and Romanian-born mother, who escaped the Europe in 1938, before

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. The parents married in 1940. Stephen was born in 1942 and his only sibling (brother) was born in 1945. The family belonged to the

Reform synagogue Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous rev ...

.Deborah R. Weiner
"“A Sense of Connection to Others”: A Profile of Stephen Whitfield"
''Southern Jewish History'', vol. 7, 2004 -- a detailed essay on Whitfield's research interests

Books

*2020: ''Learning on the Left: Political Profiles of Brandeis University'' *2003: ''Fiddling with

Sholem Aleichem Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich (; May 13, 1916), better known under his pen name Sholem Aleichem (Yiddish language, Yiddish and , also spelled in Yiddish orthography#Reform and standardization, Soviet Yiddish, ; Russian language, Russian and ), ...

: A History of

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

'' *1999, 2001: ''In Search of American Jewish Culture'' *1991, 1996: ''The Culture of the Cold War' *1988, 1991: '' Death in the Delta; The Story of

Emmett Till Emmett Louis Till (July 25, 1941 – August 28, 1955) was an African American youth, who was 14 years old when he was abducted and Lynching in the United States, lynched in Mississippi in 1955 after being accused of offending a white woman, ...

'' *1988, 1996: ''American Space, Jewish Time'' *1984: ''Voices of

Jacob Jacob, later known as Israel, is a Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions. He first appears in the Torah, where he is described in the Book of Genesis as a son of Isaac and Rebecca. Accordingly, alongside his older fraternal twin brother E ...

, Hands of

Esau Esau is the elder son of Isaac in the Hebrew Bible. He is mentioned in the Book of Genesis and by the minor prophet, prophets Obadiah and Malachi. The story of Jacob and Esau reflects the historical relationship between Israel and Edom, aiming ...

: Jews in American Life and Thought'' *1984: ''New World Crossword Dictionary'' *1984: ''A Critical American: The Politics of Dwight Macdonald'' *1980: ''Into the Dark:

Hannah Arendt Hannah Arendt (born Johanna Arendt; 14 October 1906 – 4 December 1975) was a German and American historian and philosopher. She was one of the most influential political theory, political theorists of the twentieth century. Her work ...

and Totalitarianism'' *1974: ''

Scott Nearing Scott Nearing (August 6, 1883 – August 24, 1983) was an American radical economist, educator, writer, political activist, pacifist, vegetarian and advocate of simple living. Biography Early years Nearing was born in Morris Run, Tioga County ...

: Apostle of American Radicalism'' (Whitfield's 1972 Ph.D. thesis)"Whitfield Reflects on Living Through and Teaching American History"
by Julian Cardillo, December 13, 2016, Brandeis University NEws & Events

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitfield, Stephen J. Living people Jewish American historians Brandeis University faculty Brandeis University alumni Yale University alumni Tulane University alumni 1942 births