Joshua Freeman

In 2012, Freeman released American Empire, 1945-2000: The Rise of a Global Power, The Democratic Revolution at Home. It is part of the Penguin History of the United States, edited by Eric Foner. In 2018, Freeman released Behemoth: A History of the Factory and the Making of the Modern World. In 2019, Freeman released City of Workers, City of Struggle: How Labor Movements Changed New York.

Freeman is popular commentator on labor history on radio and television. He appeared in Ric Burns' New York: A Documentary Film. From 2001 to 2004, he wrote the "Our Living Tradition" column for the TWU Local 100 Express.

Freeman's 2000 book, Working-Class New York: Life and Labor Since World War II, also won positive reviews. Freeman intended that the book correct histories of New York City which focused on wealthy elites, elected leaders and organizations. Throughout the first half of the book, Freeman argues that everyday workers were at least as influential as these other groups in making New York City into a progressive bastion and world economic and cultural center. Freeman

In 2000, his book Working-Class New York won the New York City Book Award, sponsored by the New York Society Library, for the best work of historical importance that evoked the spirit or enhanced appreciation of New York City.

In 1998, Freeman returned to CUNY, becoming an associate professor at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center. He was named a full professor in 2001.

His book In Transit was one of two co-winners of the Philip Taft Labor History Book Award in 1989, for the best book relating to the history of United States labor.

Freeman's 1988 book, In Transit: The Transport Workers Union in New York City, 1933-1966, won the Philip Taft Labor History Book Award in 1989. The book was widely reviewed and praised for unearthing the history of a radical union important in the history of the American labor movement.

In 1987, Freeman left CUNY and was appointed an assistant professor at Columbia University. He became an associate professor in 1991.

In 1984, Freeman obtained a position as a senior research scholar at the CUNY Graduate Center, where he worked at the American Social History Project as a writer on the second volume of the project's two-volume textbook, Who Built America: Working People and the Nation's Economy, Politics, Culture and Society.

In 1981, Freeman became an instructor at State University of New York at Old Westbury. He became an assistant professor of history before leaving in 1985.

He obtained a master's degree in 1976 and a Ph.D. in 1983, both from Rutgers University.

Freeman obtained a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in 1970.

Joshua B. Freeman (born 1949) is an author and professor of history at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the CUNY Graduate Center. He is the former executive officer of the Graduate Center's history department.

Freeman was born in 1949 in New York City to working class parents. His grandfather was very active in the American labor movement, and politically active. The influence of his parents and grandparents left him deeply aware of what it meant to be working class. As a youth, he often explored working-class neighborhoods and felt a deep affinity for other similarly situated people.