07/14/2026
The McNeil Center for Early American Studies and the University of Pennsylvania Press are delighted to announce that Liz Ellis has been appointed co-editor of the book series Early American Studies, published in partnership between the McNeil Center and the Press. Ellis, Associate Professor of History at Princeton University, is author of the prize-winning book The Great Power of Small Nations: Indigenous Diplomacy in the Gulf South.
She joins existing co-editors Kathleen M. Brown, Roquinaldo Ferreira, and Emma Hart. “We are so excited to welcome Liz to the editorial team. Her deep knowledge of the field and her commitment to innovative approaches to researching early America will be great assets to the series,” said Hart, the McNeil Center’s Richard S. Dunn Director. Commenting on her appointment, Ellis said, “I'm delighted to join the Early American Studies team and look forward to collaborating with my fellow editors and our authors to shape the future of the field.”
Concluding his tenure on the editorial board is Daniel K. Richter, Director Emeritus of the McNeil Center. Richter began as the sole series editor in 2000, building an impressive publication list that included many pathbreaking works in Indigenous history, including Ellis' 2022 book. The McNeil Center and Penn Press wish to thank Richter for his dedication to the Early American Studies series, his steady leadership, and his tremendous impact in shaping the series over the past 26 years.
Now in its 30th year, the series includes 150 titles which have garnered prizes from major historical societies such as the American Historical Association, the Organization of American Historians, and the Society for Historians of the Early Republic, and have been widely reviewed in academic and popular print publications.
Ellis photo by Zoë McWhirter; Richter photo by Ryan Collerd.
