Dodd, William Edward, 1869-1940

William Edward Dodd (1869-1940) was a historian and United States ambassador to Germany.

From the guide to the William Edward Dodd Letters, ., 1911-1923, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.)

Historian, diplomat, college professor.

From the description of William Edward Dodd letter to Alfred Jackson Hanna [manuscript], 1895 December 2. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 502141954

Historian and diplomat.

From the description of William Edward Dodd papers, 1895-1955 (bulk 1900-1940). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81776755

U. S. ambassador.

From the description of Papers, 1901-1939. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 41546400

Historian; U.S. ambassador to Germany.

From the description of William Edward Dodd letters, 1911-1923. WorldCat record id: 23153383

Biographical Note

• 1869, Oct. 21: Born, Clayton, N.C.
• 1897: B.S. and M.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Va.
• 1899: Ph.D., University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
• 1901: Married Martha Johns
• 1900 - 1908 : Professor of history, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.
• 1908 - 1933 : Professor of history, University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
• 1933 - 1937 : Ambassador to Germany
• 1934: President, American Historical Association
• 1938 - 1940 : Returned and resided in the United States
• 1940, Feb. 9: Died, Round Hill, Va.
• 1941: Publication of Ambassador Dodd's Diary, 1933-1937. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co.

From the guide to the William Edward Dodd Papers, 1895-1955, (bulk 1900-1940), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

William Edward Dodd was born in 1869 in Clayton, North Carolina. He was professor of history at Randolph-Macon College (1900–1908) and at the University of Chicago (1908–1933). From June,1933, to Dec., 1937, he was ambassador to Germany. While Dodd had enjoyed his school years in Leipzig, he eventually became a strong critic of Hitler’s. Dodd’s historical writings reflect his devotion to democracy, and he inspired a whole school of historians, who carried on his Jeffersonian and Wilsonian ideals.

Dodd’s works include The Cotton Kingdom; a Chronicle of the Old South (1921), Statesmen of the old South; or, From Radicalism to Conservative Revolt (1926), Woodrow Wilson and his Work (1920), Ambassador Dodd's diary, 1933-1938, The old South; Struggles for Democracy (1937), and Jefferson Davis (1907; 1966).

William E. Dodd died in 1940.

From the guide to the Dodd, William E. Papers, 1918-1924, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)