Arthur James May (1899–June 13, 1968) was an

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

, a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

, and "an authority on the history of modern Europe." May was born in Rockdale, Pennsylvania. He received a

Bachelor's Degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

from

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the Methodi ...

and a

Master's A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

and Doctorate from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

. "He taught at the University of Pennsylvania and

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

" before he came to the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded in 1850 and moved into its current campus, next to the Genesee River in 1930. With approximately 30,000 full ...

in 1925. He was a prolific speaker, frequently lecturing in the United States and Europe on "historical and contemporary issues." He was the author of a number of works of history, particularly the history of Eastern Europe. His book ''The Hapsburg monarchy, 1867-1914'' won The Herbert Baxter Adams Prize of the American Historical Association in 1952. He was named one of "three distinguished pioneer American scholars of Hapsburg history." His last book ''A History of the University of Rochester, 1850-1962'' was published posthumously. May was a member of the

American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world, claiming over 10,000 members. Founded in 1884, AHA works to protect academic free ...

, the

American Association of University Professors The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is an organization of professors and other academics in the United States that was founded in 1915 in New York City and is currently headquartered in Washington, D.C. AAUP membership inc ...

, and the International Committee for the Study of the Hapsburg Monarchy, and an honorary member of

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

. May retired from teaching in 1964 and became the University Historian at Rochester.

Publications

* * * * May, Arthur J. (1947) ''Europe and Two World Wars'' * * * * * * *

References

External links

WorldCat author page for Arthur J. May
1968 deaths University of Rochester faculty People from Rochester, New York Wesleyan University alumni University of Pennsylvania alumni Year of birth uncertain Historians from New York (state) {{US-historian-stub