During its annual meeting in St. Louis, the Organization of American Historians (OAH) announced that the late Michael B. Katz, University of Pennsylvania, received their prestigious 2015 Roy Rosenzweig Distinguished Service Award, which is given annually for an individual or individuals whose contributions have significantly enriched our understanding and appreciation of American history.
Michael B. Katz, the Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, passed away in August 2014. He was one of the great historians of his generation. The nineteen letters of nomination submitted by colleagues on his behalf for the Rosenzweig Award were absolutely stunning in the praise and admiration for Katz as scholar, mentor, teacher, and public intellectual who greatly influenced, through his writings and advocacy, discourses about poverty, education, and welfare in America.
Katz’s scholarship, which spanned over five decades, constitutes a fundamental contribution to American history. Several of his books are classic studies in the discipline. His The Irony of Early School Reform, In the Shadow of the Poorhouse, The Undeserving Poor, Improving Poor People, and Why Don’t American Cities Burn are foundational books for understanding the origins of inequality in the United States. His long career devoted to dealing with critical social issues in American society won him great praise and recognition, including a Spencer Foundation lifetime achievement award and election to the American Philosophical Society and the Society of American Historians. In 1992 Pennsylvania governor Robert P. Casey appointed him to the Task Force to Reduce Welfare Dependency. His work was supported by the Social Science Research Council, the Guggenheim Foundation, and numerous other foundations.
Educated at Harvard University, Katz trained dozens of historians at the University of Pennsylvania for successful careers in higher education. Admired by students and peers alike, Katz was an inspirational educator and committed citizen of the nation. He was deeply devoted to undergraduate studies at Penn, serving as the director of the Urban Studies Program for many years.
Katz left a great legacy as pioneering historian, engaging teacher and mentor, and public intellectual.
The award was announced on April 18 by OAH’s 2014–15 President Patty Limerick and 2015–16 President Jon Butler. A total of 50 recipients received 2015 OAH awards.
For more information, visit oah.org or call 812.855.7311.