Renowned Historian of American Revolution and Early Republic Killed in Car Accident

Gordon Wood was a professor emeritus of history at Brown University who authored dozens of publications on the American Revolution and the Early American Republic.

John Rigolizzo

Published: 6/9/2026, 2:19:53 PM EDT

Renowned Historian of American Revolution and Early Republic Killed in Car Accident — US military service members in Revolutionary War uniform march along Constitution Avenue during the Army 250th Anniversary Parade in Washington on June 14, 2025. (Amid Farahi/AFP via Getty Images)

A pre-eminent historian of the American Revolution was killed in a car accident Sunday.

Gordon Wood was a professor emeritus of history at Brown University who authored dozens of publications on the American Revolution and the Early American Republic. He was struck and killed by a car at a supermarket parking lot in Rhode Island. Tributes to Wood poured in from across the political spectrum.

According to a press release from the East Providence Police Department, officers responded to reports of a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle at a Shaw's supermarket in the city. They discovered a 92-year-old male—later identified as Wood—with serious injuries. Wood was taken to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and was cooperating with authorities. As of Monday, the cause was still under investigation, and no charges had been filed against the driver.

Wood was one of the foremost scholars of the American Revolution and the Early American Republic. He was the author of 10 books and dozens of publications. His seminal 1969 work, "The Creation of The American Republic, 1776-1787," traced the Founding of the United States from ideological origins in classical republicanism and the British Enlightenment, to the Declaration of Independence and war, to the early struggles of the postwar republic, culminating in the Framing of the Constitution. He won the Bancroft Prize from Columbia University in 1970 for his work.

His 1993 work, "The Radicalism of the American Revolution," explored the radical character of the Early Republic era, the cultural and social background that shaped the ideologies of the Framers, and the debates that shaped the Constitution. The book earned him the 1993 Pulitzer Prize in history. His 2009 volume, "Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815," was originally published as part of the Oxford History of the United States, and was a finalist for a Pulitzer in 2010.

Wood was famously referenced by name by Matt Damon in the 1997 movie Good Will Hunting.

"That’s my two seconds of fame!" Wood told the Los Angeles Review of Books in a 2015 interview. "More kids know about that than any of the books I have written."

In 2010, Wood received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama.

“A preeminent scholar of American history, Gordon Wood helped countless readers understand the events and forces that led to the birth of the United States with depth, nuance and clarity,” wrote Brown President Christina Paxson in an article on the university website mourning his passing. “He was an inspiring teacher, a generous mentor and a deeply treasured member of the Brown University community for decades. We mourn the loss of a towering historian whose insights will inform both academic scholarship and public understanding for generations to come.”

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns paid tribute to Wood on X.

"We are devastated by the sudden loss of Gordon Wood," Burns wrote. "Known to many as one of the foremost scholars on the American Revolution, Gordon was also a teacher of generations of students and other historians who, like him, help us better understand who we are as a country and a people. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family, his many friends and all who he touched throughout his remarkable life."

Wood also received tributes from figures across the political spectrum.

"I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of my former Professor, renowned historian Gordon Wood," Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) said in a statement. "Wood was the reason I chose to major in History as a Brown University student, and my time studying under him helped shape me into the person I am. More importantly, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, Wood’s scholarship provides a vital telling of how exceptional the American experiment is. Gordon Wood reminded us that our Founders wanted an America in which the true power rests with the people, and I have hope that their words, and his, will never be forgotten.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) called Wood "One of the best historians on the American Revolution and creation of the republic" and recommended both of the aforementioned books as essential reading for America's 250th birthday.