Ernest May (historian)
| Ernest May | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ernest Richard May November 19, 1928 Fort Worth, Texas |
| Died | June 1, 2009 (aged 80) Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| Nationality |
 United States
|
| Fields | Modern American history |
| Institutions | Harvard University |
| Alma mater | UCLA |
| Known for | The Kennedy Tapes |
Ernest Richard May (November 19, 1928 – June 1, 2009) was an American historian of international relations whose 14 published books include analyses of American involvement in World War I and the causes of the Fall of France during World War II. His 1997 book The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis became the primary sources of the 2000 film Thirteen Days starring Kevin Costner that viewed the Missile Crisis from the perspective of American political leaders. He served on the 9/11 commission and highlighted the failures of the government intelligence agencies. May taught full-time on the faculty of Harvard University for 55 years, until his death. May was also a recipient of the 1988 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order, co-authored with Richard Neustadt.
He joined the Harvard University faculty following the completion of his military service in 1954, and remained there full-time until his death. May was named as associate professor of history in 1959 and as a full professor in 1963. He served as the dean of Harvard College for two years starting in 1969, and served as chairman of the Harvard history department from 1976 to 1979. At the John F. Kennedy School of Government, May also served on the faculty. May and historian Richard Neustadt created a course that had students make choices for current political issues based on a thorough review of choices made over the course of history. Their work together became the basis for the 1986 book Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision-Makers, published by the Free Press that has been widely used by students and professionals in the field.
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