Louis Masur is Board of Governors Professor of American Studies and History at Rutgers University. He is a cultural historian whose publications include books on Lincoln and the Civil War, capital punishment, the events of a single year, the first World Series, a transformative photograph, and a seminal rock ‘n’ roll album. His most recent work is The Sum of our Dreams: A Concise History of America (2020). Other books include Lincoln's Last Speech: Wartime Reconstruction and the Crisis of Reunion (2015), Lincoln's Hundred Days: The Emancipation Proclamation and the War for the Union (2012), and The Civil War: A Concise History (2011). Masur’s essays and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and Slate. He approaches culture as a text that must be unpacked and his courses draw on a range of primary sources—novels, memoirs, essays, images, movies, and music—and take an interdisciplinary approach to the study of American culture. Masur has been elected to membership of the American Antiquarian Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the Society of American Historians. He can be reached at
Details
- Louis P. Masur
- Board of Governors Professor
- Distinguished Professor of American Studies and History
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Website: https://www.louismasur.com/
- Office: RAB 202
- Office Hours: T 10:00AM - 12:00PM, and by appointment
- Phone: 848-932-3498
- News / Announcements:
- Podcast: Professor Lou Masur on Bruce Springsteen’s American Vision,
- Professor Lou Masur discusses the impact of Bruce Springsteen’s breakthrough album Born to Run,
- Professor Lou Masur publishes "A Journey North: Jefferson, Madison, and the Forging of a Friendship" (OUP, 2025) ,
- Scholars Talk Writing: Louis P. Masur,
- Springsteen at 70: Remembering When The Boss Rocked New Brunswick ,
- What Abraham Lincoln can teach us about resilience in the face of crisis
- Courses Taught:
- 050:210:01 - The American Dream,
- 050:215:01 - Springsteen's American Vision,
- 050:225:01 - Thought and Society in the American Past,
- 050:495:01 - Honors in American Studies