Hazel Barnes

Who was Hazel Barnes?

Hazel Estella Barnes was an American philosopher, author, and translator. Best known for her popularization of existentialism in America, Barnes translated the works of Jean-Paul Sartre as well as writing original works on the subject. After earning her Ph.D. from Yale in 1941, she spent much of her career at the University of Colorado. In 1979, Barnes became the first woman to be named Distinguished Professor at CU-Boulder. In recognition of her long tenure and service to the University, in 1991 CU established the Hazel Barnes Prize for faculty who best embody "the enriching interrelationship between teaching and research." In 1962, Barnes was the host of a television series -- "Self Encounter: A Study in Existentialism"—which ran for 10 episodes and appeared on National Public Television.

Her autobiography, The Story I Tell Myself : A Venture in Existentialist Autobiography, was published in 1997.