Nell Irvin Painter is a leading historian of the United States. She is the Edwards Professor of American History Emerita at Princeton University. She was Director of Princeton’s Program in African-American Studies from 1997 to 2000. In addition to her doctorate in history from Harvard University, she has received honorary doctorates from Wesleyan, Dartmouth, SUNY-New Paltz, and Yale.
As a scholar, Professor Painter has published numerous books, articles, reviews, and other essays. Her most recent book, a New York Times Bestseller, is The History of White People. Six earlier books are also still in print. She has served on numerous editorial boards and as an officer of many different professional organizations, including the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, the American Antiquarian Society, the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History, and the Association of Black Women Historians. She is currently a Councillor of the prestigious Society of American Historians.