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{{Short description|American author and historian (born 1897)}}
 
{{Infobox writer
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'''Leland DeWitt Baldwin''' (November 23, 1897 - March 6, 1981) was a professor, historian, and writer. He directed the [[Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania|Western Pennsylvania Historical Survey]] and served as a professor of American history at the [[University of Pittsburgh]]. He authored many works, including ''[[The Delectable Country]] (1939)'', ''[[The Stream of American History]] (1952)'', and ''[[The American Quest for the City of God]] (1981)''. His tombstone can be found in the [[Santa Barbara Cemetery]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86085135/leland-dewitt-baldwin | title = Leland Baldwin | last = West| first = Ron | date = March 1, 2012 | website = Find a Grave | access-date = December 2, 2022}}</ref>
 
 
==Early Life and education==
[[File:Baldwin Family Photo.png|thumb|Leland Baldwin (far right) with his family, age 7 or 8.]]
Baldwin was born in [[Fairchance, Pennsylvania]], on November 23, 1897 to Reverend Harmon Allen Baldwin and Etta Weatherly Baldwin. His father was a renowned figure in the [[Free Methodist Church]] within the [[Ohio Valley]] and was once considered a candidate for the [[Prohibition Party]] [[VPOTUS|vice-presidential nomination]].<ref name = "pitt">{{cite web | url = https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/Baldwin_Leland_Dewitt | title = Leland Baldwin | last = Brown| first = Courtney | date = Spring 2014 | website = Pennsylvania Center for the Book | access-date = December 1, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203034815/https://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/literary-cultural-heritage-map-pa/bios/Baldwin_Leland_Dewitt |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> He had two siblings; a younger brother, Harmon Wayland Baldwin, and a younger sister, Evelyn Clara Baldwin.<ref name="bio">{{cite journal| last1 = Chester | first1 = Edward W.| date = July 1, 1988 | url = https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/view/4116/3933 | title = Leland DeWitt Baldwin: The Evolution of a Historian, 1897-1981.| journal = Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine| pages = 199–233|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221203154347/https://journals.psu.edu/wph/article/view/4116/3933|archive-date=December 3, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
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Baldwin attended [[Greenville College]] beginning in 1915, where he showed himself to be a reliably high-achieving student. While at [[Greenville College|Greenville]], he played [[basketball]] and performed [[karaoke]], including "Bedouin Love Song" and "In the Garden of my Heart."<ref name ="bio"/> He also was known for pulling pranks.<ref name="pitt"/> Baldwin graduated from [[Greenville College|Greenville]] in 1921 with a [[bachelor of arts]]. He began attending the [[University of Michigan]] during the Summers in 1922, seeking a [[Master of Arts]]. He wrote his dissertation on ''"Old Steamboat Days on the Lower Mississippi"'' under [[Ulrich Phillips]], then became [[Dwight L. Dumond|Dwight Dumond's]] first graduate student. He received his [[Master of Arts|MA]] in 1923, and continued his studies at the [[University of Michigan]] pursuing a [[PhD|doctorate in history]], which he received in 1932.<ref name="bio"/>
==Academic Career==
Baldwin taught at [[Miltonvale Wesleyan College|Miltonvale College]] during the [[academic year]] from 1922-1924. There he taught American and Modern History, as well as English Literature. In his second year he coached their athletic teams. From 1924-1926 he taught at Har-brack High School in [[Pennsylvania]], and from 1926-1931 he taught at Crafton High School also in [[Pennsylvania]]. In 1932 he returned to [[Ann Arbor]] to focus on completing his [[PhD|doctorate]].<ref name="bio"/>
 
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In 1946, after leaving military service, Baldwin became an [[associate professor]] in the history department of the [[University of Pittsburgh]], and became professor in 1955. He taught primarily courses in American history and the expansion of Western civilization. He retired the University in 1961, having never actually taught a course at the university in 15 years. He had been a [[Fulbright Lecturer]] at the [[University of Leeds]] (1952-1953), a State Department Lecturer in [[Pakistan]], [[India]], and [[Sri Lanka]] (1953-54), and a [[Visiting Professor]] at the [[University of California Los Angeles]] (1955).<ref>{{cite news|last = Skender|first = Betty|title = Pitt History Professor Tells of World Travels |url=https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735066874623/viewer#page/2/mode/2up |date=January 7, 1955|work=Pitt News|location=Pittsburgh|access-date=December 20, 2022}}</ref> He then worked as a professor at the [[University of California Santa Barbara]] (1961-1962, 1964-1965), and [[The University of Natal]] (1963-1964) before retiring from professorship.<ref name="bio"/>
==Military Service==
Baldwin enlisted with a [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain's]] commission in the [[United States Air Force]] on May 13, 1942. On December 17th, 1943, he reached the rank of [[Major (United States)|Major]], and on February 27th, 1945, he reached the rank of [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant colonel]].<ref name="bio/><ref>{{cite web|url = https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3AUS-QQS-mss028/viewer|title = Guide to the Leland D. Baldwin Papers c1930-1981|last = Hall|first = Meghan|date = February 7, 2013|publisher = Historic Pittsburgh|access-date = December 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203035251/https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3AUS-QQS-mss028/viewer |archive-date=December 2, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> As a historical editor he did not participate in combat, but he was present in the [[European Theater]], including [[Tunisia]] and the [[Allied Invasion of Italy]]. He received the [[European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal|EAME Ribbon]], the [[Legion of Merit]], and five [[Overseas Service Bar|Overseas Service Bars]].<ref name="bio"/> He served in the [[Tenth Air Force]]'s intelligence division.<ref>{{cite news|author =<!--not stated-->|title = Two Additions To University|url = https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735062143916/viewer#page/2/mode/2up| work = The Pitt Press|location = Pittsburgh| date = October 3, 1945|access-date = December 20, 2022}}</ref>
 
While deployed, he met [[Elliot Roosevelt]], [[Thornton Wilder]], [[Lauris Norstad]], [[John Higham]], and [[Bernard Berenson]]. Baldwin continued to maintain steady correspondence with [[Bernard Berenson|Berenson]] for years after the war. He also penned an unpublished 280 page memoir on the war titled ''Staff Captains Never Die.'' Among other details, ''Staff Captains Never Die'' describes the logistics of [[Operation Strangle (World War II)|Operation Strangle]] and Baldwin's knowledge of the [[atomic bomb]] long before its use.<ref name="bio"/> He retired from active duty on January 5, 1946.
 
==Writing Career==
 
===History===
In 1937, Baldwin released his first book, ''Pittsburgh: The Story of a City,'' as a part of the Western Pennsylvania Historical Survey. It described in-depth the history of [[Pittsburgh]], with a focus on Pittsburgh's history prior to the [[American Civil war|civil war]]. The book covers the full history of Pittsburgh and its land, speaking of the many "growing pains" the city faced.<ref>{{cite news| author =<!--not stated-->| title = Dr. Baldwin's History Contains Colorful Tale Of District| url = https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735062158831/viewer#page/2/mode/2up | work = Pitt News| location = Pittsburgh| date = April 1939| access-date = December 21, 2022}}</ref>
 
Baldwin wrote and published his second book, ''Whiskey Rebels: The Story of a Frontier Uprising'' in 1939. The book tells the story of the [[Whiskey rebellion]]. The [[University of Pittsburgh]] alumni review stated "This book is written to be read. It's history told the way it should be told, if it’s to be interesting to a larger group than the professional historians."<ref>{{cite news | author = <!--not stated--> | title = Whiskey Rebels | url = https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735062131127/viewer#page/8/mode/2up| work = University of Pittsburgh Alumni Review| location = Pittsburgh| date = May 26, 1941| access-date = December 21, 2022}}</ref>
 
In 1941, Baldwin published ''The Keelboat Age on Western Waters.'' It was the last of ten books published with the Western Pennsylvania Historical Survey. It focuses on boating in the West prior to the [[steamboat]].<ref>{{cite news | author = <!--not stated--> | title = University Faculty Men Publish Books | url = https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735062150754/viewer#page/4/mode/2up| work = Pitt News| location = Pittsburgh| date = May 26, 1941| access-date = December 21, 2022}}</ref>
 
Baldwin published ''The Story of the Americas'' in 1943. Designed for popular consumption, rather than for historians, the book used "unorthodox vocabulary" to describe many events "selected for interest rather than importance."<ref>{{cite journal|last1= Seehausen|first1= Paul|date=March 1944|title=The Story of the Americas: The Discovery, Settlement, and Development of the New World |url=https://academic.oup.com/jah/article-abstract/30/4/586/733182?redirectedFrom=fulltext |journal= The Mississippi Valley Historical Review|volume= 30|issue= 4|pages=586 |doi= 10.2307/1916723|jstor= 1916723|access-date=December 21, 2022}}</ref> In 2020, the popular history [[YouTube|YouTuber]] [[whatifalthist]] ranked ''The Story of the Americas'' as his 7th favorite history book.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lynch |first1=Rudyard |title=My 11 Favorite History Books. |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35Wbg4UgfPM |website=youtube.com |language=en |format=video |date=April 29, 2020}}</ref>
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Baldwin's 1948 work ''Best Hope of Earth: A Grammar of Democracy'' traces the routes of democracy to [[Ancient Greece]] and [[Roman Republic|Rome]]. Baldwin attempted to examine the role of [[democracy]] in the contemporary world, and concluded that "democracy is a positive political process for working toward liberty, equality, and fraternity... though it bears in itself the means of improvement, it can never lay claim to perfection without destroying its essential nature."<ref name = "bio"/>
 
In 1952, Baldwin published ''The Stream of American History,'' an American history textbook. At its peak, the book was used in at least 92 universities and colleges. He published a second edition in 1957, a third edition in 1965, and a fourth in 1969.<ref name = "bio"/>
 
In 1954, Baldwin published a book designed as a "more detailed treatment of twentieth century events," ''Recent American History.'' A year later, in 1955, Baldwin published ''The Meaning of America: Essays Towards an Understanding of the American Spirit.'' Designed as a companion to ''The Stream of American History,'' it examined the American economic and political systems, providing a strength/weakness analysis in connection with the history of the United States.<ref name = "bio"/>
 
In 1971, Baldwin published ''Reframing the Constitution: An Imperative for Modern America,'' in which he argued for a complete re-writing of the United States Constitution. His suggestions included making Congress [[unicameral]] and re-dividing the nation into 14 distinct states: Alleghenia, Appalachia, California, Chicago, Detroit, Erie, Mississippi, Missouri, New England, New York, Oregon, Savanna, Sierra, and Texas.<ref name = "bio"/>
 
In 1973, Baldwin collaborated with professor Robert Kelley from the [[University of California Santa Barbara]] to produce ''The American Quest.''<ref name = "bio"/>
 
In 1981, ''The American Quest for the City of God'' was released shortly after Baldwin's death. In it, he expressed disillusionment with the [[American invasion of Vietnam]].'<ref name = "bio"/>
===Historical Novels===
In 1939, Baldwin published his sole novel, ''[[The Delectable Country]]''. It was set in the trans-Appalachian West during the 1790s, and focused on many elements of Western Pennsylvanian History including the [[Whiskey Rebellion]]. It briefly reached several best-seller lists.<ref>{{cite news| last = Johnson | first = Peggy | date = December 13, 1939 | title = Baldwin's 'Delectable Country' Holds Place on Best Seller List | url = https://documenting.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3A31735062148360/viewer#page/1/mode/2up | work = Pitt News| location = Pittsburgh| access-date = December 21, 2022}}</ref> [[James Branch Cabell]] described it as ''"as good as [[Gone with the Wind (novel)|Gone with the Wind]]."''<ref name="penburne">{{cite journal|last1= Chester|first1= Edward|last2= Baldwin|first2= Leland|date=Spring 1988|title=Synopsis of the Penburne Quintet|url=https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1119&context=pafolklifemag|journal= Pennsylvania Folklife|volume= 37|issue= 3|pages=140–144 |access-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref>
 
In the 1970s, he planned a 5-book novel series known as the ''Penburne Quintet,'' which would've featured ''[[The Delectable Country]]'' as its third entry. The other intended entries included ''The Fourteenth Fire'', ''The Drums Draw Near'', ''Greenbay or the Rivers,'' and ''A Gentleman of No Consequence.'' He only successfully published ''[[The Delectable Country]].''<ref name="penburne"/>
==Written Works==
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