Roland Marchand


Charles Roland Marchand was an American historian who taught at the University of California, Davis, where he co-founded the History Project.

Early life and education

Marchand received a B.A. in journalism summa cum laude from Stanford University in 1955, after which he served as a naval officer for three years. He received his M.A. in 1961 and his Ph.D. in 1964, also from Stanford.

Career

In 1964, Marchand joined the faculty at the University of California, Davis, where he specialized in 20th-century American history. He continued to teach there until being hospitalized in 1997 shortly before his death. He also served as the co-director of the Area 3 History and Cultures Project.

Works

Marchand was the author of three American history books: The American Peace Movement and Social Reform, 1898-1918, Advertising the American Dream: Making Way for Modernity, 1920-1940, and Creating the Corporate Soul: The Rise of Public Relations and Corporate Imagery in American Big Business. Advertising the American Dream has been called "a model of conceptual precision and scrupulous research" by Susan Strasser.

Honors and awards

Marchand received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the University of California, Davis' academic senate.

Death

Marchand died on November 14, 1997, of pulmonary fibrosis.