John Hope Franklin, the James B. Duke professor emeritus of history at Duke University, will speak at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 19 in Whitley Auditorium on the Elon University campus. Sponsored by the Elon members of Phi Beta Kappa and Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences, this event is free and open to the public. Franklin’s books will be on sale at the event, and he will hold a book signing.
Franklin, 91, a native of Oklahoma and a graduate of Fisk University, earned a master’s degree and doctorate degree in history from Harvard University. He has taught at Fisk University, St. Augustine’s College, North Carolina Central University, and Howard University. Franklin has also served as chair of the history department at Brooklyn College and the University of Chicago.
Franklin’s publications include “The Free Negro in North Carolina,” “A Southern Odyssey: Travelers in the Ante-bellum North,” and “The Emancipation Proclamation.” His highly-acclaimed book, “From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African-Americans,” is now in its eighth edition and has sold 3.5 million copies. In his most recent book, “Mirror to America: The Autobiography of John Hope Franklin,” Franklin recalls his life and the times he helped change.
In 1978, “Who’s Who in America” selected Franklin as one of eight Americans who have made significant contributions to society. He also received the Jefferson Medal in 1984, awarded by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
In 1989, Franklin was the first recipient of the Cleanth Brooks Medal of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Franklin received the Charles Frankel Prize for contributions to the Humanities in 1993. In 1995, he received the Organization of American Historians’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Clinton. Franklin has received honorary degrees from more than 130 colleges and universities.
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