Celebrating Nick Salvatore

Professor Salvatore was everything a professor should be: kind, challenging, patient, and thought-provoking. The small seminar class I took with him my senior fall on the history of the Progressive era was not only memorable but also helped shaped the way I see a particular time in American history. I remember feeling so inspired after reading short pieces by Florence Kelley and Ida Wells that I held on to those print-outs and have read them a few times since. More importantly, the classroom discussion that Professor Salvatore led left me feeling more aware (often of the important, yet not-so-pleasant points of the era) every Monday night and helped put current race relations into perspective. The thesis I later defended to him is one of my proudest accomplishments.

Thank you, Professor Salvatore. I am grateful to have been your student and wish you all the best in retirement.

Nick was an incredible mentor and adviser to me during my time at Cornell and in the years after. I struggled to find my place when I first arrived at Cornell, and was lucky to have Nick's Civil Rights/Civil Wrongs class my very first semester. I still refer back to things I learned in that class, as well as words of wisdom, encouragement and empathy Nick shared with me that year and beyond. I am incredibly grateful for his support and friendship.

I had Professor Salvatore for the introductory labor history course when I began my MILR program in 1983-84. His passion for history and engaging style made each class an event not to be missed. While I've forgotten the context of the comment, I still remember him proclaiming the need to "vote early, vote often, vote socialist" in an election.

My friend, Pat Kelly, (who sadly passed recently) and I were in Professor Salvatore's class together. We knew Nick was a passionate Brooklyn Dodgers fan and we convinced him to let us do our final paper jointly on the History of Unionization in Major League Baseball. He didn't take much convincing. It was a shameless excuse for Pat and I to make a couple of trips to the library at Cooperstown (and, of course, visit the Hall of Fame while we were there). But we loved sharing the final product with Professor Salvatore and talking baseball throughout. He inscribed his Debs book for me with the words "To Brad who discovered in his years at Cornell that baseball and socialism actually are supportive of each other." It's a book I will always cherish.

Nick, thank you for such a wonderful and memorable experience. I wish you much happiness in enjoyment in your retirement.

Brad Greene
MILR '85

Professor Salvatore was a central aspect of my first impression of Cornell as a high school student attending the Summer College program in 2011. As my professor in "Democracy and it's Discontents" he introduced me to the world of populist dissent in working America that became a formative pillar for my developing political identity at the time and ultimately prompted me to apply to the ILR School years later.

Congratulations and best wishes on your retirement.

I transferred to the ILR school in '81 and was fortunate to encounter Professor Salvatore right away. While it has been over thirty years since I sat in an Ives Hall lecture room, I distinctly can hear your booming voice talking about a City on the Hill like it was yesterday.

I was fortunate enough to have Professor Salvatore as my advisor, helping me figure out not only a pathway to graduation but also a pathway to work in the labor movement. I am still working for the movement as a Field Representative with the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals.

He was the most important professor in my time in Ithaca. His passion for labor history must have been infectious, as I am now the President of the RI Labor History Society 3 1/2 decades after my time at ILR with Professor Salvatore.

I think I will reread Eugene V. Debs: Citizen and Socialist in honor of your retirement while at the beach this summer!

Congratulations!

I remember getting assigned classes my first semester freshman year and folks telling horror stories about "C- Salvatore." Already a little overwhelmed, I didn't really know what to expect. Getting the syllabus and finding out I needed to purchase 13 books for just one labor history class, didn't help my anxiety. But as the class started, I couldn't help be drawn in. Prof. Salvatore was a fantastic storyteller that it almost didn't feel like class. I certainly know I had classmates who were frustrated that sometimes his lectures and the readings didn't seem to connect, but Prof. Salvatore taught us how to think & reason with how he structured his exams and assignments in a way that has stuck with me to this day. The structure of his class spoke to me in a way that hasn't been repeated. I still have some of those assignments in a box somewhere as some of the college work I'm most proud of. My one regret from my Cornell experience is that I only was able to take the one class from Prof. Salvatore.

Dear Nick,
You had a profound impact on my way of thinking and my overall career. We both arrived at Cornell in the same year, 1981. As a transfer student to ILR, I was in awe of the quality of my fellow students as well as the quality of professors. But you set that bar even higher. For me you brought to life history and its connection to current affairs. You challenged me to dig deeper and to be more critical and thorough in my analysis. But the best part to me, is that you are just a really good person who genuinely cares about others.
I am proud to consider you a mentor, and more importantly, a friend.
A special thanks for keeping a close eye our mutual friend (the former "Citizen of the World").
I wish you all the best in your retirement. Although I know you will not be idle, I hope that you enjoy the freedom and flexibility retirement brings.
All the best,
Joe

Joe Bosch class of 83

It's been nearly a decade since Professor Salvatore lovingly tore apart my work, but not a day has gone by where I didn’t employ something he taught me, whether it’s challenging myself to be a better writer or drawing strength from a brave American he brought to life. I have tried to bring his passion, his diligence, and his kindness to everything I do. The reminders are with me always, in the form of the (many, many) books he assigned in “Varieties of American Dissent” still on my shelf. They’re now in their third public office – reminding me that the arc of the moral universe is long, but I too can bend it towards justice. Congratulations on a career well spent, my friend, and best wishes for the next chapters.

Nick:

It's been and still is a great friendship, starting from the lunch we had during my recruiting visit in 1993! The lunch was a great introduction to the ILR School and illustrated the shared interests that bind the faculty and students together here. In our case, it was US labor history.

I know you will enjoy doing research full time, and I look forward to many years of continued friendship and good times.

Best,

Larry Kahn

There are few people in the world that possess the dexterity that Professor Nick Salvatore does, to trace American history from a myriad of perspectives -- labor unions, the church, the African American experience, to name a few -- and paint a collage, so coherent and confluent, that allows for a seamless blend of perception, thoughtfulness, and reflection. What differentiated Nick was not only his ability to impart knowledge but also the unique way he went about captivating minds -- with unparalleled preparedness, thought-provoking questions, and deliberate comprehensiveness. As a student in his "Religion and Politics" class, I can tell you that not everyone adapted to this approach effortlessly (indeed, I too remember staying up several nights to prepare myself for the inevitable cold-calls on the assigned readings), but every single person who had the privilege to learn from Nick respected him for his style and command of the classroom.

Nick -- I am thankful for the influence you had on me in the classroom but even more grateful to have gotten to know you personally in the past six years. Your impact towards my personal and professional growth is immeasurable and boundless. I am so grateful to call you a mentor, a friend, and a father figure.

All the best to you (and Ann) as you close this chapter and march on to the subsequent one. I can't wait to see -- and to celebrate -- the great things forthcoming!

Loved your class and still think of it as what made labor history - and the link to a broader historical framework - really click. Thank you and enjoy your retirement!

I will never forget the time Professor Salvatore wrote an entire lecture based on a question I asked in "Intro to US Labor History." I was as a 19-year-old wide-eyed student and currently still am as a 29-year-old young attorney in awe of your intellect, passion, courage and empathy. Thank you for being a part of my journey (for encouraging me and believing in me as a student) and for allowing me to be a part of yours (including introducing me to your amazing daughter Nora and grandson Oscar). While in law school, having someone as thoughtful as Nora to relate to over boys similar in age and being able to observe her in the very deliberate act of motherhood was incredibly reassuring and inspiring to me. I learned so much from her.

As you enter retirement, I pray that you achieve success on your remaining book projects and continue to fulfill your incredible destiny as a scholar and family man. Words don't suffice, but for lack of the ability to give you a huge hug, I say this from the bottom of my heart:... THANK YOU.

Congratulations and be well!

Dear Professor Salvatore,

Thank you for your hours of patience and support throughout my last three years at Cornell. Your guidance as an advisor and a mentor has been invaluable in my development and growth as a student and a person. Your sense of humor, genuine kindness, and sincere support has made my experience at Cornell a much more wonderful one. I wish you the best and I hope to keep in touch.

Professor Salvatore,
It has been more than 30 years since I had the pleasure of first taking one of your courses. Of the many memories I have of being a student at Cornell, the interaction with you is among the fondest. You made everything in history so interesting, so fun to learn. For years I have told prospective students about your classes, your wit and your ability to make the topic come alive.

Years after graduating, while I was living and working in Memphis, TN, I had the pleasure of seeing you again when you spoke at our ILR alumni event, a wine tasting we organized in your honor. Your talk to the group was as mesmerizing and well received as any lecture you gave your students.

I wish you the absolute best in retirement.

Professor Salvatore was one of my very favorite professors at Cornell. I was in a small seminar with him my senior year and although he was a tough critic, I always knew he was in my corner. My favorite memory; however, was when my friend Randy Goldstein and I were the bartenders for Professor Salvatore's book party in the spring of 1996 (we were both 21!). It was such a thrill to be included with all of the professors and to know that Professor Salvatore wanted us to be a part of his big night. Professor Salvatore, I am wishing you all of the best in retirement- I was lucky to know you and would love to cross paths again! All my best, Emily (Luskin) Schonbraun, ILR '96

It was always a pleasure to work with Nick when I was reference archivist at the Kheel Center in the 1990s. His research interests were varied and fascinating. I particularly appreciated and enjoyed his enthusiasm for aspects of history that were too often missed or ignored by others.

Later after I left Cornell for California, he took time out of his busy schedule to accept my invitation to share his research on Reverend C. L. Franklin and the Black church in the U.S. with Fresno Pacific University students and faculty. It was gratifying to know that Nick's book on Rev. Franklin, Singing in a Strange Land, found a home on President Obama's book shelf!

I want to wish him well in retirement. And I hope we meet again sometime.

Professor Salvatore was a passionate lecturer. He also tried very hard to learn the names of each freshman in his labor history class. Fortunately for me, I was named for Eugene V. Debs, the subject of one of Professor Salvatore's books, so he learned my name on the first day. My roommate, however, was not so lucky. Several months into the year, Professor Salvatore attempted to call on my roommate by name. He balked. Then, he stuttered, "wha, wha, what was your name again?" It was only because Professor Salvatore cared so much and that he knew everyone else in the class by name that it was funny. Thinking back on my other professors freshman and sophomore year, I can't think of a single one who knew who I was, much less knew everyone in the class. It wasn't until I started taking upper level courses that the professors got to know the class and could call on people by name. By that time, my freshman roommate, who will remain nameless, had transferred out of ILR, yet every time I bumped into him on campus, I would place my hand over my eyes and forehead, close my eyes attempting to remember, mimicking Professor Salvatore's mannerism, and ask "wha, wha, what was your name again?"

I had Professor Salvatore for several upper level courses. He didn't just assign us papers, he asked us individually what we wanted to write about and followed up periodically with each of us. He wasn't merely teaching a class. He was passionate about educating us and ensuring that we were engaged in the process with a parallel enthusiasm to his own.

When I think of my coursework with Professor Salvatore, I fondly remember his smile, his appreciation for the complexity of historical narratives, and his commitment to pushing me to improve as a thinker and a writer. I imagine I speak for more than a thousand Cornellians when I say that I couldn't have asked for a more stimulating academic experience and I look forward to reading more of his upcoming work :-)!

Thanks for inspiring us to work harder than we had ever worked before!

I remember sitting in Professor Salvatore's Labor History class - furiously trying to capture notes while being captivated by his ability to tell history through such an interesting and engrossing narrative. I was honored when he asked me if I would be interested in being his research assistant and loved the hours we spent together working on projects or discussing my own work in the additional two courses I took with him. Since graduating, I never go to Ithaca without trying to spend time with him and his wife, Ann. I cannot begin to express the immense impact Professor Salvatore had on me while I was a student and since graduating. I was honored to have been his RA and his student. Today, I am honored to call him a friend.

I had an independent study course with Professor Salvatore in American history in 1982. His understanding of history, the role of religion and his outstanding curriculum shook loose my economic deterministic view of history and replaced it with a more powerful and nuanced view of the world and politics. He is also a great person. Thank you, Professor, and enjoy!

My memory is in the form of a thank you. Thank you for teaching so many generations about the importance of labor history... the role that labor unions played in the formation of this country and world.... and about how collaborative labor relations can make such a difference in the workplace. There is not an ILRie in NYC that can pass by the Triangle Shirt Factory location without citing the number of women and children that perished that day... those figures are ingrained in our heads thanks to you. You brought history alive for so many - and that is one heck of a legacy to have. Best of luck to you. Kathleen Weslock

At random Nick was my professor for Labor History I - his first semester teaching at Cornell, Fall 1981. I then twice arranged my schedule around taking his classes (Labor History II and Modern Labor History, my senior year), knowing that I would get no better than a C. I earned the C both times and they certainly felt like A's :-)

I returned the fall after graduation and gave him a framed picture of his remarks at the 1985 ILR graduation ceremony. On the back, I thanked him for teaching me to learn. I was happy to visit some years later and still see the photo in his office.

Good luck, Nick, I most fondly remember the twinkle in your eyes as you lectured. It was a joy to be in your classes.

In 1997-98, during my freshman year, I had Professor Salvatore for Labor History at 8:40 a.m.- two semesters in a row! I'm sure we all remember a lot of reading about the early labor movement, Eugene Debs, cordwainers and Samuel Gompers, among others. I enjoyed Professor Salvatore's classes, and when I didn't connect with my advisor that was assigned to me, I adopted Professor Salvatore as my advisor for the remainder of my time at Cornell. He was warm, engaging, and genuinely interested in speaking to me and other students. Congratulations on your retirement. All the best.

Professor Salvatore was my sophomore year labor history professor and my assigned advisor. I still remember how passionate he was about teaching us the history of the labor movement. But what really stayed with me all these years was his warmth and compassion as a person. When my backpack was stolen at a concert on campus the week before prelims, Professor Salvatore gave me his own course outline and notes so I could study for the exam.

Professor - enjoy your well-earned retirement. Please know that I still have your books that we used in your class in 1990 on my bookshelves in my NLRB office today and that I still love labor history because of you!

Lisa Friedheim-Weis
BS ILR Class of 1992
NLRB Senior Field Attorney
Chicago, IL

I took several classes with Professor Salvatore during my time in ILR, all of which continue to have a profound impact on the way I see the world today. However, the most memorable moment for me was during a lecture in his course on African American. Professor Salvatore was sharing a passage from a book about Southern Baptist tradition, and he was so incredibly moved by the struggle of the narrator that he began to tear-up in front of the entire class. His passion for the material, his empathy for the real people in the story, and his incredible fortitude in conveying the material to the class that day have always stuck with me as an example of the passion I hope to have for my work now.

Professor Salvatore, thank you for everything you contributed to my education and the person I have become today.

“Wow, this is great stuff.” Although many years ago, I clearly remember saying these words aloud to myself while reading Eugene Debs for the first time in my apartment on North Tioga Street. It was one of those life-changing moments. The next day after seminar, I talked with Professor Salvatore about pursuing a graduate degree in labor history. He was more than supportive. I had limited historical knowledge and skills. My confidence in my own abilities was shaky. But Nick arranged for me to take courses with terrific teachers in Cornell’s history department. He also convinced Melvyn Dubofsky at Binghamton University to accept me as a Ph.D. student after I completed my MILR. In short, I am indebted to him as both as source of inspiration and a mentor. Many thanks, Nick.