EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Gordon S. Wood, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and longtime Brown University professor whose work helped define the study of the American Revolution, has died after being struck by a vehicle in East Providence. He was 92.
Police say the incident happened Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of the Shaw’s Plaza on Taunton Avenue. Wood suffered serious injuries and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he later passed away.
The driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators. No charges have been announced as East Providence police continue to investigate.
In 2011, he received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama in recognition of his contributions to American history. Most recently, he appeared in Ken Burns’ documentary series on the American Revolution.
The Massachusetts native, Wood spent decades teaching, writing, and shaping the public’s understanding of the nation’s early history. His passing marks a significant loss for Brown University, Rhode Island, and the historical community nationwide.
While Gordon S. Wood will be remembered as one of the nation’s most influential historians, those closest to him knew him as a devoted husband, father, and family man. Wood and his wife, Louise, were married for nearly 70 years and raised three children together. As Rhode Island, Brown University, and the historical community reflect on his remarkable life and career, his legacy extends far beyond the classroom and the pages of history books, living on through his family, former students, and the countless people whose understanding of America’s founding was shaped by his work.
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