author
Bernard C. (Bernard Christian) Steiner
1867–1926
A scholar, librarian, and legal educator, he helped shape Baltimore’s intellectual life while writing extensively on Maryland history. His career bridged universities, public libraries, and the law, making him a notable figure in the city’s civic and academic world.
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About the author
Born in Guilford, Connecticut, on August 13, 1867, Bernard Christian Steiner studied at Yale and then earned a Ph.D. in history at Johns Hopkins University. Early in his career he taught history at Williams College and Johns Hopkins, building a reputation as a serious historian with a strong interest in Maryland’s past.
In 1892, he became librarian of Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library, succeeding his father, Lewis Henry Steiner. He remained in that role for more than three decades, helping guide the library through a long period of growth while also staying active in scholarship and public life.
Steiner also studied law, earned an LL.B. from the University of Maryland, and served as dean of the Baltimore Law School. Alongside his work in libraries and education, he published many books and articles, especially on Maryland history, and is remembered as an educator, jurist, and librarian whose work connected research with public service.