Wellesley Historical Society Speaker Series: Kevin M. Levin

In A Glorious Fate: The Life and Legacy of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, historian Kevin Levin explores the remarkable story of the Union officer whose leadership of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry became one of the defining symbols of courage, sacrifice, and the fight for emancipation during the Civil War. Drawing on years of research, Levin examines Shaw’s life, military service, and enduring legacy while tracing how his story has been remembered, interpreted, and commemorated for more than 160 years. His presentation offers fresh insight into one of the Civil War’s most influential figures and the continuing significance of the 54th Massachusetts.

Kevin Levin is an award-winning historian, educator, and author specializing in the history and memory of the Civil War era. An honorary fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society, he is the author of four books and the longtime publisher of the widely read Civil War Memory blog and newsletter. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, and numerous other national publications.

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A Glorious Fate

The Life and Legacy of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw

by Kevin M. Levin

328 pp., 28 halftones, notes, bibl., index

ISBN 978-1-4696-9717-8 $32.50 cloth

Publication date: September 29, 2026

For more information: https://www.uncpress.org/book/9781469697178/a-glorious-fate/