Woody Holton is an associate professor at the University of Richmond, where he teaches early American history, and his previous book, Forced Founders: Indians, Debtors, Slaves and the Making of the American Revolution in Virginia, garnered much praise from the academic community. His work has been included in the Organization of American Historians’ Best American History Essays 2006, and his articles and reviews have appeared in American Historical Review, Journal of American History, Reviews in American History, William and Mary Quarterly, Journal of Southern History, among others.

Before he went into teaching, Holton directed numerous campaigns and was founding director of the environmental advocacy group “Clean Up Congress.” He now lives in Virginia with his wife, Dr. Gretchen Schoel, and their daughter, Beverly.