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Pierce Butler
1873–1955
A longtime Tulane teacher and dean, he wrote with affection about the classroom, the South, and the literary past. His books range from medieval women to Shakespeare and Confederate statesman Judah P. Benjamin, showing a scholar with wide interests and a readable style.
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About the author
Born in New Orleans on January 18, 1873, Pierce Butler was an American scholar, teacher, college administrator, and author whose career was closely tied to Tulane University and Sophie Newcomb College. He studied at Tulane, the Sorbonne, and Johns Hopkins University, and went on to teach English literature and history while later serving as dean at Newcomb College.
Butler wrote across several fields, which helps explain why his work still feels interesting today. His published books include Women of Mediaeval France, Judah P. Benjamin, Materials for the Life of Shakespeare, The Unhurried Years, and his memoir Laurel Hill and Later: The Record of a Teacher, published in 1954. Together, they suggest a writer who cared both about historical research and about making the past feel human.
He died in 1955, but his connection to Tulane lasted beyond his lifetime; his papers were preserved by the university, and Butler Residence Hall was named for him. For listeners, he offers the voice of a teacher-scholar who moved easily between biography, literary history, and personal reflection.