History's Verdict

We always enjoyed reading his work and felt his passion when we read his accounts of events. Like few other historians, Arthur could make you feel like you were there. We remain grateful for the support he showed us over the years. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

John Siegenthaler
Journalist, former aide to Robert F. Kennedy and founder of The First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University

My first encounter with Arthur was as a student in his history class at Harvard during my year as a Nieman Fellow. It was in 1958, and midsemester he announced that he was leaving us for two weeks to observe the British elections, anticipating—in error as it turned out—that Labour would oust the Tories.

He promised a "substitute" teacher during his absence, and we anticipated a graduate teaching assistant. On the morning of his departure, Arthur introduced the person who would replace him with these words: "I present your professor for the next two weeks—the Arthur Schlesinger. Accept no substitutes."

And, then his father, the distinguished historian and retired teacher, stepped to the podium to our delight and applause. It was a morning to remember, and it reminds me all these years later that beyond Arthur's great sense of history was a great sense of family and a great sense of humor.

That was half a century ago, and, in the ensuing years, there have been many encounters during our time in the Kennedy administration and, most often, more recently, as we have co-chaired the annual Robert F. Kennedy Book Awards, which he founded following the publication of his fine book on RFK.