Carl E. Prince passed away peacefully at home in Hoboken, New Jersey at the age of 91 on February 6, 2026. He is survived by his children Elizabeth and Jonathan, and his grandchildren Alana Cooper-Prince and David Prince.
Carl Prince was born on December 8, 1934, in Newark, New Jersey, to Phillip G. and Ann (Silver) Prince. Prince overcame a serious learning disability (dyslexia), became a proud graduate of Weequahic High School, and went on to get his BA with honors, his MA, and finally a PhD in History from Rutgers university in 1963. He began his career at Fairleigh Dickinson University (1960-66) and Seton Hall University (1966-1968) before becoming a full professor in the history department at New York University. He served as department chair from 1978-1986. Under his leadership, the history department grew dramatically in both size and reputation, and the respect he earned from other faculty members was matched only by his popularity among students. His career was so central to his identity that he raised the possibility of “working on his notes” (for a book) on the night before he died, repeating what he told his parents upon entering the profession that he would take his love of American history “as far as it could go.”
His love and care were evident to friends and family alike. His two children cannot remember a time when he said “no” to requests for baseball catches in the backyard, for example, or for seriously competitive board games that later were happily shared with his grandchildren. He was always immediately available for any needed support – great or small. This included several cross-country road trips in order to help with relocations (e.g., before college or after graduations), but the many types of assistance – both concrete and emotional – were so frequently provided that the list is too long to recount.
Professor Prince made significant contributions to the field of history. His notable works include “Brooklyn’s Dodgers: The Bums, the Borough, and the Best of Baseball, “a comprehensive study of the Brooklyn Dodgers, blending social history with personal memoir; “New Jersey’s Jeffersonian Republicans, an exploration of the early party machine in New Jersey; “The Papers of William Livingston”: A collection of the papers of New Jersey’s first governor; “The Federalists and the Origins of the US Civil Service,” and “The US Customs Service” A Bicentennial History.” The Dodgers book was an especially proud achievement, turning the beloved baseball team of his youth into a passion project toward the end of his career. The book received was exceptional, by all accounts (e.g., The New York Times Book Review), and did well on the popular market. He was an internationally respected academic who mentored many doctoral students who became close friends and great scholars in their own right.
He was greatly admired by his colleagues, was a popular teacher, and was loved deeply by family members and friends. He will be remembered for his magnanimous personality, his giving nature, and a terrific sense of humor for almost any occasion. His passing is mourned by all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be missed.