Frederick Rudolph

Rudolph headshot
Born in Baltimore, Frederick Rudolph (1920-2013) grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, graduated from Wyoming Seminary in 1938, received his BA from William College in 1942 and served as a captain in the US Army (1942-1946). His 1953 PhD thesis at Yale became the book Mark Hopkins and The Log, which looked at Williams College, at colleges and universities in general, and at the social and political history of the 19th century. In 1951 Rudolph joined the History Department of William College where he developed what became the American Studies Program, which he chaired during 1971-1980, created the African-American History Program, and where he became Mark Hopkins Professor of History Emeritus.

Rudolph was a Guggenheim Fellow (1958-1959 and 1962-1963); director, United World College of American West; member, National Academy of Education, Massachusetts Historical Society, American Historical Association, Organization of American Historians, American Association of University Professors; trustee at Hancock Shaker Village and of the Bennington Museum; and founding member of the Berkshire County Historical Society.

His books include The American College and University: A History, Curriculum: A History of the American Undergraduate Course of Study Since 1636, Essays on Education in the Early Republic and Perspectives: A Williams Anthology. Rudolph received the Frederick W. Ness Award from the Association of American Colleges, the Rogerson Cup from Williams College and the Distinguished Service Award from Wyoming Seminary. Williams College awarded him a Bicentennial Medal and one of his several honorary degrees. In recognition of his impact, the class of 1965 established the Frederick Rudolph ‘42 Professorship of American Culture.


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