Joel Colton

Who was Joel Colton?

Joel G. Colton of Durham, North Carolina, was a modern history scholar and author. He received his B.A. in history from City College in 1939 and his M.A. from Columbia University in 1940. After serving in the U.S. Army during WW II, he returned to Columbia, from which he received his Ph.D. in 1950. He taught at Duke University from 1947 until his retirement in 1982, except while serving as director of humanities at the Rockefeller Foundation between 1974 and 1982.

His textbook, A History of the Modern World, co-authored with R.R. Palmer, is a classic. In 2002, it was reported that "First published in 1950, it has been translated into six languages and is used in more than 1,000 colleges and universities as well as many high school advanced placement courses." By 2011, the book had been translated int 10 languages. Since its original publication, its reputation continued to grow. "In 1987, The New York Times put it on its list of the 19 classic textbooks of all time, in all disciplines. the Washington Post in 1996 called it 'the first book to be elevated to the textbook hall of fame'"

He died of congestive heart failure.