Henry Wiencek
Encyclopedia
Henry Wiencek is a prominent American
historian and editor whose work has encompassed historically significant architecture, the Founding Fathers
, various topics relating to slavery, and the Lego
company. In 1999, The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White, a biographical history which chronicles the racially intertwined Hairston clan of the noted Cooleemee Plantation House, won the National Book Critics Circle Award
for biography.
Wiencek has come to be particularly associated with his work on Washington and slavery as a result of his most recent book, An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America, which earned him the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history. Partly as a result of this book, Wiencek was named the first-ever Washington College
Patrick Henry Fellow, inaugurating a program designed to provide writing fellowships for nationally prominent historians.
In 2003 Wiencek was appointed to the board of trustees for the Library of Virginia
.
In June, 2010, Texas A&M University Press will release The Moodys of Galveston and Their Mansion, a history of the prominent Galveston family and their celebrated home. Wiencek originally compiled the manuscript after the Moody Mansion opened to the public as a museum, education center, and location for community gatherings in 1991.
. He attended Boston College High School
, where he was valedictorian
. He earned an undergraduate degree from Yale University
in 1974 with a double major in Russian Literature
and Literary Theory
. Soon after graduating, Wiencek moved to New York City
, where he worked for Time-Life
, editing and writing for its publications.
since 1992, where he works in his home. He and his wife spent the 2008-2009 academic year in residence in a restored colonial house at Chestertown, Maryland
in fulfillment of his Patrick Henry Fellowship duties.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian and editor whose work has encompassed historically significant architecture, the Founding Fathers
Founding Fathers of the United States
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were political leaders and statesmen who participated in the American Revolution by signing the United States Declaration of Independence, taking part in the American Revolutionary War, establishing the United States Constitution, or by some...
, various topics relating to slavery, and the Lego
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
company. In 1999, The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White, a biographical history which chronicles the racially intertwined Hairston clan of the noted Cooleemee Plantation House, won the National Book Critics Circle Award
National Book Critics Circle Award
The National Book Critics Circle Award is an annual award given by the National Book Critics Circle to promote the finest books and reviews published in English....
for biography.
Wiencek has come to be particularly associated with his work on Washington and slavery as a result of his most recent book, An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America, which earned him the Los Angeles Times Book Award for history. Partly as a result of this book, Wiencek was named the first-ever Washington College
Washington College
Washington College is a private, independent liberal arts college located on a campus in Chestertown, Maryland, on the Eastern Shore. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782...
Patrick Henry Fellow, inaugurating a program designed to provide writing fellowships for nationally prominent historians.
In 2003 Wiencek was appointed to the board of trustees for the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, is the library agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, its archival agency, and the reference library at the seat of government. The Library moved into a new building in 1997 and is located at 800 East Broad Street, 2 blocks from the Virginia State...
.
In June, 2010, Texas A&M University Press will release The Moodys of Galveston and Their Mansion, a history of the prominent Galveston family and their celebrated home. Wiencek originally compiled the manuscript after the Moody Mansion opened to the public as a museum, education center, and location for community gatherings in 1991.
Background
Wiencek was born and raised in Dorchester, MassachusettsDorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
. He attended Boston College High School
Boston College High School
Founded in 1863, Boston College High School is an all-male Jesuit Roman Catholic college preparatory secondary school with historical ties to Boston College. It has an enrollment in grades 7-12 of approximately 1,500 students and is located on a campus on Morrissey Boulevard in the Dorchester...
, where he was valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
. He earned an undergraduate degree from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1974 with a double major in Russian Literature
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
and Literary Theory
Literary theory
Literary theory in a strict sense is the systematic study of the nature of literature and of the methods for analyzing literature. However, literary scholarship since the 19th century often includes—in addition to, or even instead of literary theory in the strict sense—considerations of...
. Soon after graduating, Wiencek moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he worked for Time-Life
Time-Life
Time–Life is a creator and direct marketer of books, music, video/DVD, and multimedia products. Its products are sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia through television, print, retail, the Internet, telemarketing, and direct sales....
, editing and writing for its publications.
Personal life
Wiencek is married to Donna M. Lucey, who is also an American historian. Wiencek has resided in Charlottesville, VirginiaCharlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
since 1992, where he works in his home. He and his wife spent the 2008-2009 academic year in residence in a restored colonial house at Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown, Maryland
Chestertown is a town in Kent County, Maryland, United States. The population was 4,746 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Kent County. The ZIP code is 21620 and the area codes are 410 and 443...
in fulfillment of his Patrick Henry Fellowship duties.
Books
- [The Moodys of Galveston and Their Mansion], 2010
- An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America, 2003 (A review of the book can be found in http://www.ancina01.co.uk/sitefiles/jaltra/58819/Slavery.doc)
- The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White, 2000
- National Geographic Guide to America's Great Houses, 1999
- Virginia & the Capital Region Smithsonian Guides (Smithsonian Guides to Historic America), 1998
- Smithsonian Guides to Historic America: Southern New England - Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island (Smithsonian Guides to Historic America), 1998
- Old Houses, 1995
- Plantations of the Old South (Great American Homes), 1990
- The Smithsonian Guide to Historic America - Southern New England (The Smithsonian guide to historic America), 1989
- World of Lego Toys, 1987
- The Lords of Japan (Treasures of The World), 1982