Esteemed UT History professor, William Roger Louis, announces retirement

Jun 29, 2020

Roger Louis has taught at UT for 50 years. He currently serves as Historical Adviser at the Harry Ransom Center. He is a past president of the American Historical Association. With William S. Livingston, in 1975 he created the Faculty Seminar on British Studies, which until recently has never cancelled or postponed a single Friday afternoon session. He edited twelve volumes of Adventures with Britannia, which collected outstanding lectures delivered to the seminar.

Among his other accomplishments: He has served as Editor-in-Chief of the Oxford History of the British Empire; and as a regular reviewer for the Wall Street JournalTimes Literary Supplement, and English Historical Review. He received 

the Civitatis Award (presented by the UT President “in recognition of dedicated and meritorious service to the university above and beyond the regular expectations of teaching, research and service”). 

During his tenure at UT he has served as President of the Academy of Distinguished Teachers; Chair of the Historical Advisory Committee, US Department of State; Senior Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center; Visiting Scholar, Brookings Institution; Kluge Chair, Library of Congress; and Commander of the British Empire (awarded by the Queen for professional achievement). He received the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature, recipients of which include E.M. Forster, Philip Larkin, and Lytton Strachey. He also has been the Chichele Lecturer, All Souls College, Oxford.

“Roger, I know I speak for the History faculty, students, and staff in thanking you for your service at UT and in wishing you the best during this next chapter of your life,” Jones added. 

(Republished from UT History Department release)