In Memoriam George H. Calcott

George H. Calcott Long-Time Faculty Member and Campus Official

The Department of History is saddened by the news that our long-time colleague, George Hardy Callcott, age 96, passed away on May 5, 2025. George was a faculty member in the Department of History at the University of Maryland from 1956 until his 1994 retirement. He was born in Columbia, SC and received the BA from the University of South Carolina; the MA from Columbia University; and the PhD from the University of North Carolina, where he studied with the distinguished historian of the United States, C. Vann Woodward.

George was a specialist in the history of the United States, the American South, and the state of Maryland. He wrote two histories of UMD: A History of the University of Maryland (MD Historical Society, 1966) and The University of Maryland at College Park: A History (Noble House, 2005). Another of his books is Maryland and America, 1940-1980 (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1985. George also wrote numerous articles (many about the profession of History) and book reviews. From 1970-1976, he served as Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UMD for six years from 1970 to 1976 and Acting Chair of the Department of History in 1982. In 1966, he was named Most Outstanding Faculty Member; in 1988 Outstanding Teacher from the College of Arts and Humanities; and 1991-2 Distinguished Scholar-Teacher. George received the President's Medal in 1994. He served as Vice-Chair of the Maryland State Heritage Commission during the celebration of the Maryland's 350th anniversary. George was a board member of the Maryland Historical Society; the Maryland Hall of Records Commission; and the Friends of the Library of the University of Maryland. Outside the university, George was a keen gardener, especially cultivating rhododendrons and tulips. In retirement, he remained a daily presence until recently in the Department of History, generously sharing his daily newspaper with all comers.