Ephraim Isaac

Who is Ephraim Isaac?

Ephraim Isaac is a scholar of ancient Semitic Languages & Civilization, and African/Ethiopian Languages and Religion. He is of Ethiopian and Yemenite ancestry. He is the Director of the Institute of Semitic Studies and the Chair of the Ethiopian Peace and Development Center.

Born in Ethiopia where he received his early education, Dr. Isaac holds a B.A. degree in Philosophy, Chemistry and Music a M. Div.; a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages; a D.H.L.; a Litt. D.. He is a founder, and the first Professor of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University. In recognition of this, the "Ephraim Isaac Prize for Excellence in African Studies," is given to a Harvard graduate who writes the best essay in African Studies.