John Hope Franklin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Hope Franklin
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| Born | January 2, 1915 Rentiesville, Oklahoma, United States
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| Died | March 25, 2009 (aged 94) Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States
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| Occupation | Scholar, historian, author, professor |
| Spouse(s) | Aurelia Whittington Franklin (m. 1940; d. 1999) |
| Children | John Whittington Franklin |
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John Hope Franklin (January 2, 1915 – March 25, 2009) was a very important American historian. He studied the history of the United States. He was also the president of several major history organizations, like the American Historical Association.
Franklin is most famous for his book From Slavery to Freedom, which was first published in 1947. This book has sold over three million copies and is still updated today. In 1995, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest award a civilian can get in the United States.
Born in Oklahoma, Franklin went to Fisk University and then Harvard University. He earned his highest degree (a doctorate) in 1941. He taught at many universities, including Howard University, Brooklyn College, the University of Chicago, and Duke University.
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Early Life and School Days
John Hope Franklin was born in Rentiesville, Oklahoma, in 1915. His father was Buck Colbert Franklin, a lawyer, and his mother was Mollie (Parker) Franklin. He was named after John Hope, a famous educator.
John's father, Buck Colbert Franklin, was a civil rights lawyer. He was part African-American and part Choctaw Native American. Buck's father was a former slave who became a free man after the American Civil War. His mother was born free and had both Choctaw and African-American heritage.
Buck Franklin is well-known for helping African-American people after the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. During this terrible event, white mobs attacked and destroyed the Greenwood District in Tulsa. This area was known as "Black Wall Street" because it was a very successful Black community. Buck Franklin helped people who lost everything. His written account of the attack was found years later and is now in a museum.
John Hope Franklin went to Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was a segregated school at the time. He then graduated from Fisk University in 1935. This is a historically black university in Nashville, Tennessee. He continued his studies at Harvard University, earning his master's degree in 1936 and his doctorate in history in 1941.
A Career in History and Justice
John Hope Franklin once said his goal was "to weave into the fabric of American history enough of the presence of blacks." He wanted to make sure the story of the United States was told completely and fairly.
During World War II, Franklin faced racism when he tried to volunteer. He was told he was the "wrong color" for jobs, even though he was highly qualified. These experiences showed him how much racial prejudice existed.
In the early 1950s, Franklin joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He worked with Thurgood Marshall on the famous Brown v. Board of Education case. This case challenged laws that separated Black and white students in public schools. In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that separating students by race was against the law. This ruling helped lead to schools becoming integrated.
Teaching and Research
Franklin's teaching career began at Fisk University. He also taught at St. Augustine's College (North Carolina) and North Carolina Central University.
From 1947 to 1956, he taught at Howard University. In 1956, he became the head of the history department at Brooklyn College. He was the first person of color to lead a major history department. He then moved to the University of Chicago in 1964. He led the history department there from 1967 to 1970.
In 1976, Franklin gave the Jefferson Lecture. This is a very high honor for people who study the humanities. His lectures became the basis for his book Racial Equality in America.
In 1983, Franklin became a professor at Duke University. He retired from teaching in 1985 but continued to be involved in many projects. He also helped start the Durham Literacy Center.
Racial Equality in America
Racial Equality in America is a book based on the lectures John Hope Franklin gave in 1976. In this book, Franklin explored the history of race in the United States. He looked at how beliefs about race often differed from the real facts found in historical records.
The book has three parts. Each part covers a different time period in American history. It shows how the idea of equality has changed and developed over time.
Later Years and Legacy
In 2005, when he was 90 years old, Franklin published his autobiography, Mirror to America. This book won an award in 2006 for shining a light on injustice.
In 2006, he also received the John W. Kluge Prize. This award recognizes lifetime achievements in the study of humanity. John Hope Franklin passed away on March 25, 2009, at the Duke University Medical Center.
Honors and Recognition
John Hope Franklin received many honors throughout his life. His students even wrote a book in his honor called The Facts of Reconstruction.
He served as president of several important historical groups. These included the American Historical Association and the Organization of American Historians. He was also a member of the board of trustees for Fisk University and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
In 1995, President Bill Clinton gave Franklin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest award for civilians in the U.S. President Clinton praised Franklin's work as a teacher and historian. He said Franklin helped people understand relations between white and Black Americans better.
Many places and awards are named after John Hope Franklin. For example, Duke University has the John Hope Franklin Research Center. In 2010, a park in Tulsa was renamed John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park. This park remembers the victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
Franklin was recognized as one of the 100 Greatest African Americans in 2002. His life and work continue to inspire people to learn about history and work for a more fair society.
Marriage and Family Life
John Hope Franklin married Aurelia Whittington on June 11, 1940. She was a librarian. They had one son, John Whittington Franklin, who was born in 1952. Their marriage lasted for 59 years, until Aurelia passed away in 1999.
