Earl Lewis

As Mellon’s sixth President, Earl Lewis reaffirmed our commitment to the humanities, the arts, and higher education by emphasizing the importance of continuity and change. Under his leadership, the Foundation’s emphasis on diversity became a cross-cutting focus of all our programs.

Prior to joining Mellon, Mr. Lewis served as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of History and African American Studies at Emory University. A noted social historian, Mr. Lewis also held faculty appointments at the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Michigan. Throughout his career, he has been a champion of the importance of diversifying the academy, enhancing graduate education, re-visioning the liberal arts, exploring the role of digital tools for learning, and connecting universities to their communities.

Among his accolades, Mr. Lewis has been awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award from the University of Minnesota and the Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award from the University of Michigan. He is the author and co-editor of seven books, including the award-winning To Make Our World Anew: A History of African Americans and the series American Crossroads.