Charles Frankel

Charles Frankel (December 13, 1917 – May 10, 1979) was an American philosopher, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State, professor, and the founding director of the National Humanities Center. Born in New York City to a Jewish family, he earned degrees from Columbia University and Mercer University. During World War II, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. Frankel joined the faculty of Columbia University in 1939, becoming a full professor of philosophy in 1956. He was a Guggenheim Fellow and a Fulbright Scholar. In 1965, he became Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, advocating for significant changes in international educational and cultural programs. He resigned in 1967 in protest of the Vietnam War. Frankel was known for his writings on value theory, social philosophy, and the philosophy of history. He was the first president and founding director of the National Humanities Center. Frankel and his wife were fatally shot during a home robbery in 1979. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the Charles Frankel Prize in his honor.