Biographical Note

Marshall William Fishwick was born July 5, 1923 in Roanoke, Virginia. After receiving his BA from the University of Virginia in 1943, Fishwick served with the American Fleet during World War II. He then went on to receive his MA from the University of Wisconsin in 1946, followed by his PhD from Yale University in 1949.

Fishwick began teaching at Washington and Lee University in Lexington in 1949 where he remained until 1962. Before coming to Virginia Tech, Fishwick chaired Lincoln University's Art and American Studies departments from 1964 to 1970, taught at Temple University from 1970 to 1976, and co founded the Popular Culture Association with Ray B. Browne and Russel B. Nye in 1970.

Fishwick taught at Virginia Tech from 1976 until 2003, where he founded the American Studies and Popular Culture programs. Fishwick also began the Popular Culture Association and the journal International Popular Culture, wrote and contributed to more than 40 books, and received eight Fulbright Awards and multiple grants which allowed him to teach abroad throughout Europe and Asia. He was a member of the Guild of Scholars of the Episcopal Church and historiographer of the Diocese of Southwest Virginia. One of Fishwick’s highest accomplishments as a multidisciplinary scholar was starting the academic movement popular culture studies.

Fishwick had one son and three daughters from his first marriage, two stepdaughters, and thirteen grandchildren. He married his third wife and Virginia Tech colleague Ann La Berge in 1995. Marshall Fishwick retired from Virginia Tech in 2003 and died in Blacksburg May 22, 2006. For more information visit https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Fishwick_Marshall_W_1923-2006#start_entry.

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