Jean Herskovits

Jean Frances Herskovits(May 20, 1935 – February 5, 2019) was an American academic, who was research professor of history at theState University of New York at Purchasespecializing in African (particularly Nigerian) history and politics. Herskovits taught atBrown University,Swarthmore College,City College of the City University of New YorkandColumbia University.She held a D. Phil. in African history fromOxford University.

Jean Herskovits
Born	Jean Frances Herskovits (1935-05-20)May 20, 1935 Evanston, Illinois,U.S.
Died	February 5, 2019(2019-02-05)(aged 83) New York, U.S.
Occupation	Professor
Spouse	John Corry
Parent(s)	Melville J. Herskovitsand Frances Shapiro Herskovits

Early life and education

Jean Frances Herskovits was born inEvanston, Illinois,on May 20, 1935, to anthropologistsMelville J. HerskovitsandFrances Shapiro Herskovits.She received her Bachelor of Arts degree fromSwarthmore Collegein 1956, and her PhD fromOxford Universityin 1960, writing her dissertation on freed slaves who returned to Africa and theLagos Colony.

Career

Jean Herskovits taught atBrown University,Swarthmore College,TheCity College of New York,andColumbia University.She was a professor at theState University of New York, Purchase,since 1977. Herskovits' thesis, "A Preface to Modern Nigeria: The Sierra Leonians in Yoruba," was written on a 1958 research trip to Nigeria and published in 1965. From 1998 to 2005, she was a director ofUnited Bank for Africa,where she also chaired the Board of Trustees of theUBA Foundation.She served as head of the Nigeria reinvestment project of Citizens Energy Corporation, and from 2001 to 2008 was a member of Conoco Phillips’ Nigeria advisory council.

She wrote many articles about Nigeria in publications such asForeign PolicyandThe New York Times.

Death

Herskovits died on February 5, 2019, in New York.She was married to John Corry, a former reporter withThe New York Times,with whom she had three daughters.