Earl Lewis

Earl Lewis
Name	Earl Lewis
Birth date	21 March 1954
Birth place	Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Minnesota (PhD), Concordia College (BA)
Occupation	Historian, academic administrator
Known for	President of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Provost of Emory University, President of the Organization of American Historians

Earl Lewis is an American historian and prominent academic administrator known for his leadership in higher education and philanthropy. A scholar of African-American history and social history, he has served as president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and provost of Emory University. His career has significantly influenced the study of ethnicity in the United States and the support of humanities scholarship.

Early life and education

Earl Lewis was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and grew up in the Tidewater region. He pursued his undergraduate education at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended the University of Minnesota, completing his Doctor of Philosophy in history. His doctoral work focused on African-American history and was influenced by the civil rights movement.

Academic career

Lewis began his academic career as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught in the Department of History. He later joined the faculty at the University of Michigan, holding appointments in the Department of History and the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies. At University of Michigan, he also served as associate dean in the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. His research during this period examined urban history and the Great Migration.

University leadership

In 2004, Lewis was appointed as the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Emory University, becoming the first African American to hold the position. As provost, he oversaw all academic divisions, including the Emory College of Arts and Sciences, the Candler School of Theology, and the Goizueta Business School. He later served as the sixth president of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, one of the nation's largest supporters of the arts and humanities. In this role, he launched initiatives like the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.

Scholarship and publications

Lewis is a noted scholar of 20th-century United States history, with a focus on African-American history, labor history, and urban history. He is the author and editor of several influential books, including In Their Own Interests: Race, Class, and Power in Twentieth-Century Norfolk, Virginia and Love on Trial: An American Scandal in Black and White. He co-edited the award-winning series The African American Experience and has published articles in the Journal of American History. His work often intersects with themes of identity politics and social movements.

Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Lewis has received numerous accolades for his scholarship and leadership. He was elected president of the Organization of American Historians and has served on the board of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a member of the American Philosophical Society and has received honorary degrees from institutions like Dartmouth College and Concordia College. The University of Michigan established the Earl Lewis Endowed Fellowship in his honor.

Personal life

Lewis is married and maintains a commitment to community engagement and mentoring. He has served on the boards of several cultural and educational institutions, including the New York Public Library and the Studio Museum in Harlem. His personal and professional life reflects a sustained dedication to advancing equity in higher education in the United States and public understanding of American history.

Category:American historians Category:American academic administrators Category:Presidents of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Category:Emory University faculty Category:University of Michigan faculty Category:University of California, Berkeley faculty