William A. Link

William A. Link is an American historian, academic and author. He is a Richard J. Milbauer Professor of History Emeritus at the University of Florida.

Link is most known for his works on the history of the American South. Among his sole-authored works are his publications in academic journals, including the Journal of Southern History, as well as books such as A Hard Country and a Lonely Place: Schooling, Society and Reform in Rural Virginia (1986), The Paradox of Southern Progressivism (1992), Southern Crucible: The Making of the American South (2015) and The Last Fire-Eater: Roger A. Pryor and the Search for a Southern Identity (2022).

Education Link earned his B.A. in History from Davidson College in 1976, subsequently completing an M.A. in American History at the University of Virginia in 1979. He then pursued his PhD in American History at the same institution, completing it in 1981. Through his 2003 book Roots of Secession: Slavery and Politics in Antebellum Virginia he offered a fresh perspective on the politics of secession in antebellum Virginia, highlighting the significant role of African Americans, both enslaved and free, in shaping the state's political landscape and contributing to the onset of the Civil War.

Link, in his book North Carolina: Change and Tradition in Southern State (2009; 2nd edition, 2018) provided a comprehensive exploration of North Carolina's history, tracing its evolution from pre-contact times to the 2008 elections, highlighting the interplay between traditionalism, class, race, gender dynamics, and modernization, offering insight into the state's past and future. The book was reviewed by L. Scott Philyaw, who is a faculty member at Western Carolina University. In his review of the book, he said "Bill Link has written a valuable contribution for college-level classes in North Carolina history. His well-written text is balanced in terms of chronology and topic selection. North Carolina: Change and Tradition in a Southern State is a significant and welcome addition to current North Carolina history texts". His 2013 book Atlanta, Cradle of the New South: Race and Remembering in the Civil War's Aftermath explored the significance of the Civil War and its aftermath, focusing on Atlanta as a pivotal city where the destruction, rebuilding, and struggles for power and identity shaped the transition from the Old South to the New South for both white and African American populations. The book was reviewed by Brianna Frakes, who said "In The Last Fire-Eater, renowned historian William A. Link brings readers into the world of Roger A. Pryor, a man whose life Link argues is emblematic of the American South's transformation during the Civil War era." She further commended the book for focusing significantly on how Pryor had to adapt to the profound transformations brought about by the Civil War and its aftermath, despite not being a comprehensive biography of his entire life. In addition to books, he has authored a variety of publications, encompassing book reviews and articles.

Awards and honors 1993, 1995 – North Carolina Mayflower Award, Society of Mayflower Descendants in the State of North Carolina 2018 – 2019 – President, Southern Historical Association