Elliott Skinner
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Elliott Percival Skinner (June 20, 1924 – 1 April 2007) was an American anthropologist and United States Ambassador to Republic of Upper Volta.
Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, he came to the United States in 1943. Skinner enlisted in the United States Army in 1944 and fought in World War II, which later allowed him to obtain citizenship. He earned a bachelor's degree from New York University in 1951. He then attended Columbia University, where he earned a master’s degree in 1952 and a doctorate in 1955. Skinner learned More (Language) by the Mossi while living in Upper Volta for two years.
He became a professor at Columbia in 1954. Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Skinner ambassador to Upper Volta from 1966 to 1969. In 1972 he became the first African-American department chair at Columbia. He wrote several books on Africa, focusing on U.S. policy there.
Skinner died of heart failure at his home in Washington, D.C..[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Hevesi, Dennis (May 1, 2007). Elliott Skinner, Scholar and Former Ambassador, Dies at 82. New York Times
[edit] External links
- Elliott Percival Skinner via Columbia University
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