Birthday profile

Richard B. Bernstein

R. B. Bernstein, American constitutional historian (died 2023)

Born
May 24, 1956
Died
June 26, 2023
Zodiac sign
Gemini
Birth year
1956

About Richard B. Bernstein

Richard B. Bernstein (May 24, 1956 – June 26, 2023) was an American constitutional historian, a distinguished adjunct professor of law at New York Law School, and lecturer in law and political science (after three years, 2011–2014, as adjunct professor of political science and history) at the City College of New York's Skadden, Arps Honors Program in Legal Studies in its Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. == Life == Richard Bernstein was the oldest son of Fred Bernstein (1922–2001) and Marilyn Bernstein (née Berman, 1927–2016); his siblings are the artist Linda A. Bernstein (1958–2004) and the engineer, technology specialist, musician, and expert on BMW Steven J. Bernstein (born 1962). He was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from Stuyvesant High School in 1973. He attended Amherst College, where he was graduated with a B.A. magna cum laude in 1977 in American Studies. While at Amherst, he was a research assistant to Henry Steele Commager. He graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. in November 1980. After three years practicing law, Bernstein left the legal profession to return to the study of history, doing graduate work at New York University. From 1983 he has been a member of the New York University Legal History Colloquium, and he has been active in the writing of legal and constitutional history and in activities to promote the historical profession. From 1984 to 1987 he was research curator for the Constitution Bicentennial Project of The New York Public Library, working with Kym S. Rice under the supervision of Richard B. Morris, Gouverneur Morris Professor of History Emeritus at Columbia University. Among the products of this project was Bernstein's first book, Are We to Be a Nation?

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Career and life highlights

The world when Richard B. Bernstein was born

Richard B. Bernstein was born in 1956. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1956

  • #1 song"Heartbreak Hotel" – Elvis Presley
  • Top movieAround the World in 80 Days
  • Top TV showI Love Lucy
  • Best-selling bookPeyton Place – Grace Metalious

Headlines and milestones

  • Major sports momentDon Larsen pitches a perfect game in the World Series
  • Top headlineElvis Presley takes America by storm
  • Technology milestoneFirst transatlantic telephone cable (TAT-1)
  • Defining fadElvis Presley mania
  • Notable inventionHard disk drive (IBM)
  • World population2.82 billion

United States snapshot

  • U.S. leaderDwight D. Eisenhower
  • Sports championNew York Yankees (World Series)
  • Also wonPhiladelphia Warriors (NBA)
  • U.S. population168.1M

1956 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Richard B. Bernstein's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure19562026
Gas$0.30$3.45/gal
Average home$11,700$435,000
Average income$6,500$67,500
Minimum wage$1.00$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket$0.50$11.95
Postage stamp$0.03$0.73
Population168.1M341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, Library of Congress, Wikidata. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.