| William J. Bouwsma | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 22, 1923 Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| Died | March 2, 2004 (aged 80) Berkeley |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Professor at Berkeley |
| Known for | Sather Professor of History Emeritus |
William J. Bouwsma (1923-2004) was an American scholar and historian of the European Renaissance. He was Sather Professor of History Emeritus at the University of California Berkeley and president of the American Historical Association (AHA) in 1978.
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan of Dutch stock, he was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. He received his B.A. from Harvard University in 1943. Following three years in the Air Force he returned to Harvard, receiving his Ph.D. in 1950.
Bouwsma taught at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana until 1957 when he accepted a position in the History Department at U.C. Berkeley. After teaching for two years at Harvard (1969–71), he returned to U.C. Berkeley as Chairman of the History Department, serving in this capacity from 1966–1967, and from 1981-1983. He was chancellor for academic affairs from 1967-1969.[1][2][3]