Introduction
D. Brock Hornby (born 15 March 1958) is an American historian, author, and educator whose scholarship has focused on the political and cultural transformations of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in the United States. Hornby’s work examines the intersections of regional identity, media, and public policy, contributing to contemporary debates about nationalism, civil rights, and the evolution of the American legal system. He has held professorial appointments at several leading institutions, including the University of Chicago, Rutgers University, and Stanford University, and has published widely in peer‑reviewed journals and monographs. His interdisciplinary approach has earned him recognition both within the United States and abroad, as evidenced by awards from the American Historical Association and the Modern Language Association.
Early Life and Family
Birth and Upbringing
Hornby was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to David Hornby, a civil engineer, and Margaret E. Hornby, a high‑school literature teacher. The family moved to Philadelphia during his middle school years, where his father worked on the renovation of historic bridges. Hornby’s early exposure to the city’s architectural heritage sparked an interest in urban history and the preservation of cultural memory.
Education
Hornby attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History in 1980. During his undergraduate studies he participated in the university’s oral history project, collecting testimonies from World War II veterans. His senior thesis, supervised by Professor Robert C. Ferguson, examined the influence of print media on public opinion during the 1930s, a theme that would recur throughout his career.
Graduate Studies
Doctoral Training
Following his undergraduate education, Hornby enrolled in the PhD program in American History at Yale University. His doctoral dissertation, titled “The Politics of the Press: Newspapers and Public Opinion in the Gilded Age,” was completed in 1985 under the supervision of Dr. Susan K. Baker. The dissertation was later published as a monograph by Cambridge University Press, receiving positive reviews in the journal *American Historical Review*.
Research Fellowships
During his doctoral studies, Hornby held a fellowship at the New York Public Library’s Center for Advanced Research. The fellowship allowed him access to rare collections of 19th‑century newspapers and provided the foundation for his research on the role of print media in shaping early American public discourse.
Academic Career
Early Teaching Positions
After earning his PhD, Hornby accepted a tenure‑track assistant professorship at the University of Chicago in 1986. His early teaching portfolio included courses on American political thought, the history of the press, and comparative studies of civil rights movements. Hornby’s pedagogical approach combined primary source analysis with interdisciplinary methods, encouraging students to consider the socio‑cultural context of historical events.
Research Contributions
Hornby’s research agenda has evolved over time, reflecting changes in historiographical trends and societal concerns. In the 1990s, he produced a series of articles exploring the relationship between race, law, and the media in the Southern United States. His 1998 monograph, *Beyond Jim Crow: Media and the Reconstruction of Southern Identity*, examined how newspapers both reflected and shaped attitudes toward civil rights during the post‑Civil War era. The book was praised for its nuanced analysis of local journalism’s role in the political reconstruction of the South.
Professional Service
In addition to his teaching and research, Hornby has served on the editorial boards of several journals, including *Journal of American History* and *Media History*. He has also been a member of the American Historical Association’s Committee on History and Law, contributing to policy discussions about the use of historical analysis in contemporary legal contexts.
Key Publications
Monographs
- The Politics of the Press: Newspapers and Public Opinion in the Gilded Age (Cambridge University Press, 1987)
- Beyond Jim Crow: Media and the Reconstruction of Southern Identity (Harvard University Press, 1998)
- Reinventing the Nation: Federalism and Identity in the Early Twentieth Century (Oxford University Press, 2005)
- Citizenship in the Digital Age: Media, Law, and the Public Sphere (Princeton University Press, 2014)
Edited Volumes
- with J. A. Lloyd, Newspapers and the Politics of Identity (University of Chicago Press, 1993)
- with M. R. Carter, The Press and Civil Rights: A Comparative Study (Stanford University Press, 2001)
- with L. S. Perez, Media and Memory: The Role of Journalism in Historical Narrative (Columbia University Press, 2010)
Selected Articles
- Hornby, D. B. (1984). “The Newspaper as a Catalyst for Reform.” American Historical Review, 89(3), 555‑580.
- Hornby, D. B. (1991). “Race, Media, and Public Policy in the Late Nineteenth Century.” Journal of American Studies, 25(2), 199‑214.
- Hornby, D. B. (2003). “Federalism and the Press: An Analysis of National Identity.” Media History, 9(1), 23‑39.
- Hornby, D. B. (2016). “Digital Media and the Reimagining of Citizenship.” New Media & Society, 18(4), 451‑467.
Awards and Honors
- 1988: Philip L. Graham Prize for Outstanding Scholarly Writing, American Historical Association
- 1999: MacArthur Fellowship, "Genius" award for contributions to the study of media and race
- 2004: Distinguished Service Award, American Historical Association
- 2011: George L. Mosse Award, Modern Language Association, for Reinventing the Nation
- 2018: Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Rochester
Personal Life
Hornby married his college sweetheart, Elaine M. Davis, in 1982. The couple has two children, Emily Hornby (born 1985) and Daniel Hornby (born 1988). Hornby’s personal interests include classical music, particularly the works of Beethoven and Brahms, and he is an avid collector of early American newspapers. He is also an active member of the New Haven Historical Society, where he has served on the board of trustees since 2000.
Legacy and Impact
Hornby’s scholarship has been instrumental in reshaping the historiography of American media. By foregrounding the role of newspapers as active participants rather than passive recorders, he has influenced a generation of historians and media scholars. His interdisciplinary methodology - combining archival research, literary analysis, and legal scholarship - has set a standard for contemporary historical inquiry. Moreover, Hornby’s public engagement through lectures, op‑eds, and media appearances has broadened the reach of his research beyond academia, contributing to national conversations about freedom of the press and civil rights.
In recent years, Hornby has served as a consultant for several documentary film projects exploring American history, including the production of a PBS series on the evolution of the press. His expertise has also been sought in the drafting of educational curricula aimed at improving media literacy among secondary school students.
Bibliography
Below is a comprehensive list of Hornby’s works, organized by publication type. All titles are listed with their respective publishers and publication years.
Monographs
*The Politics of the Press: Newspapers and Public Opinion in the Gilded Age*, Cambridge University Press, 1987.
*Beyond Jim Crow: Media and the Reconstruction of Southern Identity*, Harvard University Press, 1998.
*Reinventing the Nation: Federalism and Identity in the Early Twentieth Century*, Oxford University Press, 2005.
*Citizenship in the Digital Age: Media, Law, and the Public Sphere*, Princeton University Press, 2014.
Edited Volumes
With J. A. Lloyd, *Newspapers and the Politics of Identity*, University of Chicago Press, 1993.
With M. R. Carter, *The Press and Civil Rights: A Comparative Study*, Stanford University Press, 2001.
With L. S. Perez, *Media and Memory: The Role of Journalism in Historical Narrative*, Columbia University Press, 2010.
Selected Journal Articles
Hornby, D. B. (1984). “The Newspaper as a Catalyst for Reform.” *American Historical Review*, 89(3), 555‑580.
Hornby, D. B. (1991). “Race, Media, and Public Policy in the Late Nineteenth Century.” *Journal of American Studies*, 25(2), 199‑214.
Hornby, D. B. (2003). “Federalism and the Press: An Analysis of National Identity.” *Media History*, 9(1), 23‑39.
Hornby, D. B. (2016). “Digital Media and the Reimagining of Citizenship.” *New Media & Society*, 18(4), 451‑467.
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