Frank M. Snowden Jr. facts for kids

Frank M. Snowden Jr. (July 17, 1911 – February 18, 2007) was an important American historian. He was a classicist, meaning he studied the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Snowden was especially known for his research on black people in classical antiquity. He was a respected professor at Howard University for many years.

Early Life and Education

Frank M. Snowden Jr. was born in York County, Virginia, on July 17, 1911. He grew up in the city of Boston. He attended Boston Latin School, a very old and famous public school.

After high school, he went to Harvard University. He earned both his first degree and his advanced doctoral degree there. He finished his doctorate in 1944.

A Distinguished Career

After finishing his studies, Snowden taught briefly at Virginia State University and Spelman College. He then moved to Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, D.C. He spent the rest of his career teaching and leading at Howard.

At Howard, he was the head of the classics department for many years. He also served as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts from 1956 to 1968. He retired in 1976 but continued to teach as a professor emeritus. This means he was a retired professor who still taught sometimes. He also taught at other colleges like Vassar College.

His Important Research

Snowden was famous for his studies of Black people in the ancient world. He researched ancient Rome and Greece. He found that people in these ancient societies did not have the same kind of racism we see today.

He explained that many Africans in ancient Rome were not slaves. Instead, they were often warriors, leaders, or skilled workers. Because of this, Africans were treated differently than they were in later times. Snowden studied old art and writings. He found much evidence that Africans lived peacefully with Greeks and Romans.

His books include Blacks in Antiquity: Ethiopians in the Greco-Roman Experience (1970). Another important book was Before Color Prejudice: The Ancient View of Blacks (1983).

Snowden also worked for the United States government. He was part of the American group at UNESCO in Paris, France. He also worked as a cultural attaché in Rome, Italy. This job meant he helped share American culture and ideas in Italy. He also gave talks for the United States Department of State.

Later Life and Recognition

In 2003, Snowden received a special honor at the White House. He was given the National Humanities Medal. This award recognizes people who have done great work in the humanities.

Frank M. Snowden Jr. passed away on February 18, 2007. He died in Washington, D.C. from heart failure.

Personal Life

Snowden married Elaine Hill Snowden in 1935. They lived together in Washington, D.C. until she passed away in 2005. He was very good at languages. He could speak Latin, Greek, German, French, and Italian. His son, Frank M. Snowden III, is also a professor. He teaches Italian history at Yale University.