Roger Burlingame
William Roger Burlingame was an American writer and editor born in New York City, who had an impactful career in publishing and academia. He graduated from Harvard College in 1913 and furthered his studies at the Sorbonne in 1919. Burlingame began his professional journey at Charles Scribner's Sons, where he advanced from editorial staff to publicity manager and later became a book editor. His military service included involvement with the National Guard and active duty in World War I, where he served as a lieutenant in a machine gun battalion. Beyond his publishing work, Burlingame contributed to education as an instructor at Barnard College and a visiting lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He authored several American social histories, emphasizing the significance of invention and technology in society. His notable work, "Benjamin Franklin: The First Mr. American," earned him the Poor Richard's Almanac Award in 1956. Burlingame passed away in 1967 at the age of seventy-seven.
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Subject Terms
Roger Burlingame
Writer
- Born: May 7, 1889
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: March 19, 1967
Biography
William Roger Burlingame was born in New York, New York, to Edward Livermore and Ella Frances (Badger) Burlingame. A bright young man, Burlingame attended Harvard College in 1913 and later studied at the Sorbonne in 1919. In 1933, he married Angeline Whiton, a literary agent.
Burlingame got his start as a member of the editorial staff at Charles Scribner’s Sons in New York City in 1913. He quickly advanced to the position of publicity manager the following year and gradually worked his way up at that publishing company, becoming a book editor in 1926 and a freelance writer from 1926 until his death in 1967. During his time as publicity manager, Burlingame also got a chance to serve in the National Guard working with Mexican Border Patrol in 1916. He also served in the United States Army Infantry overseas during World War I with the American Expeditionary Forces in a machine gun battalion from 1918 to 1919, ascending to the rank of lieutenant.
Burlingame both taught and published books. He worked as an instructor at Barnard College for the 1948-1949 school year. He commuted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a visiting lecturer in 1954-1955. Burlingame published American social histories. In them, invention and technology are particularly important. In 1956, he received the Poor Richard’s Almanac Award for Benjamin Franklin: The First Mr. American. He died at the age of seventy-seven.