John Silber

Who was John Silber?

John Robert Silber was an American academician and candidate for public office. From 1971 to 1996 he was President of Boston University and from 1996 to 2002 Chancellor of the University. From 2002 to 2003 he again served as President, and from 2003 until his death he held the title of President Emeritus. In 1990, he won the Democratic gubernatorial primary to become one of two major-party candidates for governor of Massachusetts in the general election of 1990. He lost that election to the moderate Republican William Weld, who won by 38,000 votes.

Taking his PhD at Yale, Silber was professor of philosophy and served as dean of the University of Texas's College of Arts and Sciences. He had a liberal reputation in his Texas days but at Boston University he was best known as a conservative spokesman in academe, fighting against liberalism, the New Left, and multiculturalism.