William B. Allen, Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University; Former Chairman of the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights
Author of the new book Rethinking Uncle Tom: The Political Philosophy of Harriet Beecher Stowe

William B. Allen, is Emeritus Professor of Political Philosophy in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State University, and 2008-09 Visiting Senior Scholar in the Matthew J. Ryan Center for the Study of Free Institutions and the Public Good at Villanova University. He also served previously on the National Council for the Humanities and as Chairman and Member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He was recently the Ann & Herbert W. Vaughan Visiting Fellow in the James Madison Program on American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University.  His areas of expertise include the American founding and U.S. Constitution; the American founders (particularly George Washington); the influence of various political philosophers (especially Montesquieu) on the American founding; liberal arts education, its history, importance and problems; and the intersection of race and politics.  He is also Chairman and co-founder of Toward A Fair Michigan, whose mission was to further understanding of the equal opportunity issues involved in guaranteeing civil rights for all citizens, and to provide a civic forum for a fair and open exchange of views on the question of affirmative action.

He has published extensively, most notably, George Washington: A Collection (Liberty Press). In 2008 appeared George Washington: America’s First Progressive (Peter Lang, Inc.), and The Personal and the Political: Three Fables by Montesquieu (UPA). In 2009 Re-Thinking Uncle Tom: The Political Philosophy of H. B. Stowe appeared. He previously published Habits of Mind: Fostering Access and Excellence in Higher Education (with Carol M. Allen; Transaction), The Essential Antifederalist (with Gordon Lloyd, Rowman & Littlefield) and The Federalist Papers: A Commentary (Peter Lang, Inc.). He served previously on the National Council for the Humanities and as Chairman and Member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

Professor Allen received his B.A. from Pepperdine College, and his Masters and Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School.

Co-Sponsored by:

Center for African American Studies