Barbara Chernow on "Behind the Scenes at the Papers of Alexander Hamilton"

Lunch and Learn Series

Barbara Chernow on \

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 | 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM

The Syrett edition of the Hamilton Papers was one of four projects to collect and edit the complete papers of the founding fathers that began in the 1950s. The resulting 27-volumes constitute the definitive, annotated collection of writings to, from and by Alexander Hamilton. For the editors, the research is a trip back in time, for as you go through someone else's life day by day, letter by letter, document by document, identifying every event and person from primary source material, history does indeed come alive. The renewed attention on Hamilton provides an opportunity for historians and teachers to spark a resurgence of interest in the nation's history, to emphasize the importance of Hamilton's role in establishing a foundation for its future and to show young scholars that the Internet is only one resource that does not replace, but needs to be pursued in combination with, traditional research techniques.

About the Speaker
Barbara A. Chernow is the founder of Chernow Editorial Services, a company that produces books for publishers worldwide. She was associate editor of The Papers of Alexander Hamilton and has edited many reference projects, including the fifth edition of The Columbia Encyclopedia and The Datapedia of the United States: American History in Numbers (with George Kurian). Her writings include Beyond the Internet:Successful Research Strategies and Robert Morris: Land Speculator, 1790-1801. She has taught at New York University and the New School.