# Drew Gilpin Faust

> American historian and board member, director at Goldman Sachs

**Wikidata**: [Q49128](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q49128)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Gilpin_Faust)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/drew-gilpin-faust

## Summary
Drew Gilpin Faust is an American historian and board member, serving as a director at Goldman Sachs. She is best known for her scholarship on the American Civil War and women's history, and for her leadership roles in academia, including her tenure as President of Harvard University. Faust's work has significantly advanced the understanding of 19th-century America and the experiences of women throughout history.

## Biography
- **Born**: September 18, 1947, in New York City, United States
- **Nationality**: American
- **Education**: 
  - Bachelor's degree, Bryn Mawr College
  - Master's degree and Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
- **Known for**: Contributions to the history of the American Civil War and women's history; leadership at Harvard University
- **Employer(s)**: 
  - Harvard University (President, 2007–2018)
  - University of Pennsylvania (faculty member)
  - Radcliffe College (faculty member)
- **Field(s)**: American history, women's history, Civil War studies

## Contributions
- Authored seminal works such as *The Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War* (2008), which redefined historical perspectives on mortality in the Civil War era.
- Served as the first female President of Harvard University (2007–2018), driving institutional growth and diversification.
- Contributed to the development of women's history as a distinct academic field through research and advocacy.
- Received prestigious awards, including the Bancroft Prize, Francis Parkman Prize, and the American History Book Prize, recognizing her scholarly impact.

## FAQs
**What are Drew Gilpin Faust's most notable academic works?**  
Faust's key publications include *The Republic of Suffering* (2008), *This Great Struggle: America and the Civil War* (2011), and *Mothers of Invention: Women of the Slaveholding South in the American Civil War* (1996), which explore themes of mortality, gender, and societal transformation during the Civil War.

**What leadership roles has Faust held in academia?**  
Faust served as President of Harvard University from 2007 to 2018, becoming the institution's first female president. She previously held faculty positions at the University of Pennsylvania and Radcliffe College.

**What awards has Faust received for her scholarship?**  
Faust has been honored with the Bancroft Prize, Francis Parkman Prize, American History Book Prize, and the Time 100 recognition, among others, for her contributions to historical scholarship and academic leadership.

**How has Faust influenced the field of women's history?**  
Through her research and advocacy, Faust has helped establish women's history as a critical academic discipline, emphasizing the roles and experiences of women in shaping historical narratives, particularly in the context of the American Civil War and the antebellum South.

## Why They Matter
Drew Gilpin Faust's work has reshaped historical understanding of the American Civil War by integrating the experiences of women and the societal impact of death and mourning. Her leadership at Harvard University modernized the institution, promoting diversity and innovation. Without her contributions, the academic landscape of American history and women's studies would lack critical depth, and Harvard's evolution in the 21st century would have followed a different trajectory.

## Notable For
- First female President of Harvard University (2007–2018)
- Bancroft Prize and Francis Parkman Prize laureate
- Author of *The Republic of Suffering*, a landmark study of Civil War mortality
- Leader in the development of women's history as an academic field
- Recipient of honorary doctorates from Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Peking University
- Named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people (2007)

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Drew Gilpin Faust was born on September 18, 1947, in New York City. She earned her bachelor's degree from Bryn Mawr College and went on to complete her master's and doctoral degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in American history.

### Academic Career
Faust began her academic career as a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania and later at Radcliffe College. Her scholarship focused on the American Civil War and the experiences of women in the antebellum and wartime South. Key works such as *Mothers of Invention* (1996) and *The Republic of Suffering* (2008) established her as a leading voice in these fields.

### Leadership at Harvard University
In 2007, Faust became the first female President of Harvard University, a position she held until 2018. During her tenure, she oversaw significant institutional initiatives, including the expansion of financial aid, the launch of the Harvard Innovation Labs, and efforts to address historical injustices, such as the acknowledgment of Harvard's ties to slavery.

### Scholarly Contributions
Faust's research has emphasized the human and social dimensions of the Civil War, particularly the role of women and the cultural impact of widespread mortality. Her work has been recognized with major awards, including the Bancroft Prize (2009) for *The Republic of Suffering* and the Francis Parkman Prize (2009).

### Awards and Honors
Faust's accolades reflect her dual impact as a scholar and leader. She was named a Guggenheim Fellow (1981), received the Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities (2011), and was honored with the Radcliffe Medal (2018). She also delivered the Dedication Day Address at Gettysburg National Cemetery in 2013.

### Legacy
Faust's legacy extends beyond her writings to her transformative leadership in higher education. By championing inclusivity and innovation at Harvard, she set a precedent for academic institutions globally. Her integration of women's experiences into mainstream historical narratives has permanently altered the field of American history, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the past.

## References

1. [Drew Gilpin Faust (1947- ). Virginia Women in History](http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/vawomen/2009/honoree.asp?bio=5)
2. [Drew Gilpin Faust Athenæum AuthorFebruary, 2011. Boston Athenæum](http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/node/818)
3. [Harvard in Realm of Faust Makes A.J. Example of Service. 2011](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-03-17/harvard-in-realm-of-faust-makes-a-j-example-of-public-service)
4. [Source](http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Drew_Gilpin_Faust.aspx)
5. [Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/10/education/10harvard.html)
6. [Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/12/education/12harvard.html)
7. Davos 2014 Participant List
8. Integrated Authority File
9. Geni.com
10. [Source](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19407/American-Civil-War/229885/Additional-Reading)
11. BnF authorities
12. [Harvard names Lawrence S. Bacow as 29th president. 2018](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/02/harvard-names-lawrence-s-bacow-as-29th-president/)
13. [The R.O.T.C. Dilemma. 2009](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/education/edlife/01rotc-t.html)
14. [Source](http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,1595326,00.html)
15. Bowdoin College to Award Five Honorary Degrees
16. Princeton awards five honorary degrees
17. [Source](https://library.columbia.edu/about/awards/bancroft/previous_awards.html)
18. [Source](https://sah.columbia.edu/content/prizes/francis-parkman-prize)
19. 2008 Yale Honorary Degrees
20. [Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China](http://www.moe.gov.cn/s78/A22/xwb_left/moe_829/tnull_44386.html)
21. [Source](https://commencement.miami.edu/about-us/archives/honorary-degree-recipients/index.html)
22. [Source](https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/radcliffe-day-2014)
23. International Standard Name Identifier
24. Virtual International Authority File
25. CiNii Research
26. [Source](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5266360/)
27. NNDB
28. SNAC
29. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
30. Munzinger Personen
31. Library of Congress Authorities
32. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
33. Davos 2013 Participant List
34. Davos 2015 Participant List
35. Davos 2016 Participant List
36. [BnF authorities](http://data.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb12361298j)
37. [Source](https://www.librarything.com/)
38. [Drew Faust | Biography, Movies News](https://www.fandango.com/people/drew-faust-1477641)