Elisa New

Annette Gordon-Reed serves as the Charles Warren Professor of American Legal History at Harvard Law School and Professor of History in Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Her groundbreaking research has transformed our understanding of American history, particularly through her work on Thomas Jefferson and the Hemings family. Her book "The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family" earned her the 2009 Pulitzer Prize in History and the National Book Award, making her the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize in History. Her academic journey includes degrees from Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, followed by early career experience as counsel to the New York City Board of Correction. Gordon-Reed's scholarly achievements have earned her numerous prestigious honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the National Humanities Medal (awarded by President Obama), and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2020, she was named a University Professor, Harvard's highest faculty honor. Her recent work "On Juneteenth" weaves together American history, family chronicle, and memoir to explore the journey toward emancipation and the establishment of Juneteenth as a national holiday. Through her research and writing, Gordon-Reed continues to illuminate the complex intersections of law, race, and American history.