Martin Kilson Explained

Martin Kilson
Birth Name:	Martin Luther Kilson Jr.
Birth Date:	14 February 1931
Birth Place:	East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.
Death Place:	Lincoln, Massachusetts, U.S.
Spouse:	Marion Dusser de Barenne
Main Interests:	African-American studies, African studies

Martin Luther Kilson Jr. (February 14, 1931 – April 24, 2019) was an American political scientist. He was the first black academic to be appointed a full professor at Harvard University, where he was later the Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government from 1988 until his retirement in 1999.

Early life

Martin Luther Kilson Jr. was born on February 14, 1931, in East Rutherford, New Jersey,^[1] to Martin and Louisa Kilson. The family moved to Ambler, Pennsylvania, and the younger Kilson attended Ambler High School before graduating at the top of his class at Lincoln University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1953.^[2]

He was granted a John Hay Whitney Fellowship and completed his education at Harvard University, graduating with a master's degree in 1958 and a doctorate the following year. Kilson used a Ford Foundation Fellowship to undertake field research in West Africa.

Career

Kilson returned to Harvard and accepted a lectureship at the university in 1962; he was appointed assistant professor in 1967. Two years later, he became Harvard's first fully tenured African-American academic. Kilson was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975 and became the Frank G. Thomson Professor of Government at Harvard in 1988. At the start of his academic career, Kilson became known for his research into African American studies,^[3] and became an adviser for the Association of African and Afro-American Students at Harvard.^[4] Kilson also compiled works relating to comparative politics,^[5] focusing within the field on African studies.^{[6] [7]} Kilson's 1966 book, Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone, was reviewed extensively.^[8]

After retiring from teaching in 1999,^[9] Kilson continued to write and occasionally lecture. In 2002, he wrote a review for The Black Commentator critical of Randall Kennedy for the title of his book, .^{[10] [11] [12]} In 2010, Kilson was featured in Harvard's annual W. E. B. DuBois lectures. He also wrote his final book, The Transformation of the African American Intelligentsia, 1880–2012, which was published in 2014.^[13]

Personal life

Kilson and his wife Marion Dusser de Barenne had three children and they lived in Lexington, Massachusetts. He died on April 24, 2019, from congestive heart failure.^{[14] [15]} His alma mater Lincoln University had planned to present Kilson with an honorary degree at its commencement ceremony in spring 2019.^[16]

Selected bibliography

• Book: Political Change in a West African State. 1966. Harvard University Press. 978-0-674-49807-5. 2014 reprint. en.
• Book: New States in the Modern World. registration. January 1, 1975. Harvard University Press. 978-0-674-62261-6. en.
• Book: The Transformation of the African American Intelligentsia, 1880–2012. June 17, 2014. Harvard University Press. 978-0-674-28354-1. en.

Notes and References

1. Book: Blacks at Harvard: A Documentary History of African-American Experience at Harvard and Radcliffe. Sollors. Werner. Titcomb. Caldwell. Underwood. Thomas A.. Kennedy. Randall. 1993. NYU Press. 978-0-8147-7973-6. en.
2. News: Martin Kilson (interview). October 22, 2016. June 5, 2018. The HistoryMakers.
3. News: Watson . Jamal . Dr. Martin Kilson Dead at 88 . April 29, 2019 . Diverse Education . April 27, 2019.
4. News: Ujifusa . Grant M. . Martin Kilson . April 29, 2019 . Harvard Crimson . March 11, 1964.
5. Von Der Muhll . George . New States in the Modern World. Edited by Martin Kilson. (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1975. Pp. 254. $15.00.) . American Political Science Review . September 1978 . 72 . 3 . 1109–1110 . 10.2307/1955204. 1955204 . 146432472 .
6. Kilson . Martin . Grass-roots politics in Africa: local government in Sierra Leone . Political Studies . February 1964 . 12 . 1 . 47–66 . 10.1111/j.1467-9248.1964.tb00610.x. 144907685 .
7. Carter . Gwendolen M. . The Political Awakening of Africa. Edited by Rupert Emerson and Martin Kilson. [The Global History Series. Spectrum Book.] (Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall. 1965. Pp. x, 175. Cloth $4.95, paper $1.95.) . The American Historical Review . July 1966 . 71 . 4 . 10.1086/ahr/71.4.1396-a.
8. Reviews of Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone include:
   • Jones . William I. . Martin Kilson, "Political Change in a West African State" (Book Review) . Economic Development and Cultural Change . April 1968 . 16 . 3 . 482 . 10.1086/450309 .
   • Fulford . D. W. . Review . International Journal . 1967 . 22 . 4 . 732–735 . 10.2307/40200264 . 40200264.
   • Welch . C. E. . Book Reviews : Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone. By MARTIN KILSON (Cambridge, Mass., London, Harvard University Press, 1966). 301 pp. 56s . Race and Class . July 1967 . 9 . 1 . 109–110 . 10.1177/030639686700900111. 144910818 .
   • Johns . Sheridan W. . Book Reviews : Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone. By MARTIN L. KILSON (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1966. Pp. xiii, 301. $6.95.) . Political Research Quarterly . September 1967 . 20 . 3 . 749–750 . 10.1177/106591296702000326. 154016594 .
   • Simpson . Dick . Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone. Martin Kilson . The Journal of Politics . August 1967 . 29 . 3 . 673–674 . 10.2307/2127787. 2127787 .
   • Sklar . Richard L. . Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone, Martin Kilson . Political Science Quarterly . June 1968 . 83 . 2 . 323–234 . 10.2307/2147118 . 2147118 .
   • Fyfe . Christopher . Political change in Sierra Leone - Political Change in a West African State: A Study of the Modernization Process in Sierra Leone. By Martin Kilson. Harvard University Press, 1966. Pp. xiii + 301. $6.95. . The Journal of African History . November 1967 . 8 . 3 . 565–567 . 10.1017/S0021853700008136. 154234686 .
9. News: Willard R.. Johnson. Willard Johnson (political scientist). Kilson, Martin L., Jr. (1931-). June 5, 2018. BlackPast.org.
10. News: Blenkinsopp. Alexander J.. Professor Attacks Colleague's Controversial Book Title. June 5, 2018. The Harvard Crimson. July 5, 2002.
11. Web site: Black-on-Black Thought Crime. McWhorter. John. January 2, 2008. The New York Sun. April 27, 2019.
12. Web site: The Black Commentator – The N-Word as Therapy for Racists. Kilson. Martin. June 27, 2002. www.blackcommentator.com. April 27, 2019.
13. Reed. Touré F.. June 1, 2015. Transformation of the African American Intelligentsia, 1880–2012. Journal of American History. en. 102. 1. 260–261. 10.1093/jahist/jav271. 0021-8723.
14. Web site: Professor Emeritus Martin Kilson passed away yesterday. April 25, 2019. Department of Government. Harvard University. en. April 27, 2019.
15. News: Martin Kilson, Scholar and Racial Pathbreaker at Harvard, Dies at 88. Sandomir. Richard. April 30, 2019. The New York Times. May 2, 2019. en-US. 0362-4331.
16. Web site: Congressman Lewis to speak at Lincoln University's commencement. Apr 19, 2019. Daily Local News. en. April 27, 2019.