HONORING LIFE AND LEGACY OF GORDON WOOD

On 2026-06-24, Representative Seth Magaziner (D-RI-2) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING LIFE AND LEGACY OF GORDON WOOD" in the House.

HONORING LIFE AND LEGACY OF GORDON WOOD

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)] [House] [Page H4221] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING LIFE AND LEGACY OF GORDON WOOD (Mr. MAGAZINER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. MAGAZINER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a renowned American historian and my former professor, Gordon Wood. Professor Gordon Wood was one of America's great historians. He was a longtime professor at Brown University whose scholarship reminded us why the American Revolution was truly a world-changing event. Wood was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History, the Bancroft Prize, and the National Humanities Medal, among many other honors. He also profoundly shaped my own life. When I was an undergraduate student, he inspired me to major in history and gave me an appreciation for the American story that I hold to this day. His writing and lectures didn't just teach us the facts of the past, they revealed why they matter. As we mark our Nation's 250th anniversary, Professor Wood's scholarship feels more important than ever. He reminded us that the American experiment is truly exceptional, that our Founders envisioned a Republic where power ultimately belongs to the people. While the Nation they created has always been messy and imperfect, they provided the world with a whole new way of thinking about the relationship between the people and their government, setting the stage for the expansion of democracy and human rights in America and across the world. Mr. Speaker, I ask that we all take a moment to celebrate the life of Gordon Wood who has helped us understand better what it means to be an American. ____________________