Milton Martin Klein (15 August 1917 – 10 June 2004) was an American historian. He was born in New York City on 15 August 1917 to Margaret and Edward Klein. Milton Klein earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the

City College of New York The City College of the City University of New York (also known as the City College of New York, or simply City College or CCNY) is a public university within the City University of New York (CUNY) system in New York City. Founded in 1847, Cit ...

. While studying for his master's in education, Klein taught high school history. His career as a schoolteacher was broken up by

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, during which he served with the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

from 1942 to 1946. After the war, Klein remained a member of the

Air Force Reserve The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...

, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1977. Klein continued teaching at the high school level as he worked toward a doctorate from

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

. He earned the degree in 1954, and remained in secondary education until 1957. He served as lecturer at Colombia between 1954 and 1958, when he joined the faculty of

Long Island University Long Island University (LIU) is a private university with two main campuses, LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn, in the U.S. state of New York. It offers more than 500 academic programs at its main campuses, online, and at multiple non-residential. LIU ...

. Klein was subsequently named dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Long Island in 1962. Klein left for a deanship of graduate studies and research at Fredonia College in 1966, then moved to the

University of Tennessee at Knoxville The University of Tennessee (officially The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; or UT Knoxville; UTK; or UT) is a public land-grant research university in Knoxville, Tennessee. Founded in 1794, two years before Tennessee became the 16th state, ...

in 1969. He was named Alumni Distinguished Service Professor in 1977, and the first Lindsay Young Professor of History in 1980. After retirement from the faculty in 1985, Klein became university historian in 1988. The University of Tennessee holds an annual lecture series named for Klein. Klein married Margaret Gordon on 25 August 1963, with whom he had two children, Edward and

Peter Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a sur ...

. Klein died of cancer at St. Mary's Residential Hospice in

Halls, Tennessee Halls is a town in Lauderdale County, Tennessee, Lauderdale County, Tennessee. The population was 2,255 at the United States Census, 2010, 2010 census. The town was founded in 1882 as a railroad station stop. It is named after Hansford R. Hall, o ...

, on 10 June 2004.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Milton M. 1917 births 2004 deaths 20th-century American historians 20th-century American male writers Schoolteachers from New York (state) Writers from New York City Ford Foundation fellowships Columbia University alumni City College of New York alumni Long Island University faculty State University of New York at Fredonia faculty University of Tennessee faculty United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II Deaths from cancer in Tennessee Historians of New York (state) Historians of Tennessee 20th-century American educators Historians from New York (state) American male non-fiction writers Fulbright alumni