About Merle Curti
Merle Eugene Curti was an American progressive historian who influenced peace studies, intellectual history and social history, including by using cliometrics. At Columbia University and for decades at the University of Wisconsin, Curti directed 86 finished Ph.D. dissertations and had a wide range of correspondents. He was known for his commitment to democracy, as well as the Turnerian thesis that social and economic forces shape American life, thought and character. While at Smith College, Curti published his first book, The American Peace Crusade, 1815–1860 (1929). In 1944, Curti won the Pulitzer Prize in history for his masterwork, The Growth of American Thought.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.