James Burrill Angell
James Burrill Angell (1829-1916) was an influential American educator, diplomat, and author known for his significant contributions to higher education and international relations. Born in Scituate, Rhode Island, he graduated from Brown University and initially served as a professor of modern languages there. Angell transitioned into journalism as the editor of the Providence Daily Journal, supporting President Abraham Lincoln's policies during the Civil War. He became president of the University of Vermont and later the University of Michigan, where he expanded enrollment and modernized the curriculum, advocating for coeducation.
In addition to his educational work, Angell held diplomatic roles, serving as the U.S. minister to China and ambassador to Turkey, where he played a crucial part in international negotiations. He published significant works, including "The Diplomacy of the United States," which received acclaim for its thoroughness and insight. Angell was also a founding member of the American Historical Association and a respected speaker in his field. His memoirs provide valuable perspectives on the historical context of his time, reflecting his multifaceted achievements in teaching, writing, and diplomacy.
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James Burrill Angell
University President
- Born: January 7, 1829
- Birthplace: Scituate, Rhode Island
- Died: April 1, 1916
- Place of death: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Biography
James Burrill Angell was born on January 7, 1829, in Scituate, Rhode Island. His father was a respected farmer and merchant whose ancestor, Thomas Angell, had been one of the founders of the Rhode Island colony. After graduating from Brown University in 1848, Angell traveled and studied in Europe. He returned to Brown in 1853 as professor and chair of modern languages and literature. His edited work, the Handbook of French Literature: Historical, Biographical, and Critical, was published in 1857. About this time, he married the daughter of Alexis Caswell; Caswell was a professor at Brown who later became president of that university.
In 1858 Angell began writing newspaper articles about European affairs for the Providence Daily Journal. In 1860 he resigned his teaching position to assume editorship of the newspaper. Under his direction, the Providence Daily Journal consistently supported the policies of President Abraham Lincoln. In 1866 Angell was appointed president of the University of Vermont at Burlington. While there he gained a reputation as an outstanding fund-raiser and administrator. In 1869 Angell and his wife gave birth to a son, James Rowland Angell, who would become a noted psychologist and president of Yale University.
From 1871 to 1909, Angell was president of the University of Michigan, one of the most prestigious educational institutions of the time. During his long tenure he successfully worked to increase state funding for the university, to modernize the curriculum, and to encourage coeducation. Enrollment grew from 1,100 to more than 3,500 students. He took a leave of absence in 1880 to serve as diplomatic minister to China, where he negotiated treaties expanding trade and limiting the number of Chinese immigrants allowed to enter the United States. He later served as ambassador to Turkey from 1897 through 1898, helping preserve Turkish neutrality during the Spanish-American War.
From 1884 through 1889, Angell published his pioneering work on international relations, The Diplomacy of the United States. The book was highly praised for its balance and scholarship. Angell was one of the founders of the American Historical Association in 1884, and was elected president of the organization for the 1893-1894 term. His presidential address, “Inadequate Recognition of Diplomatists by Historians,” emphasized the role of individual diplomats in international relations.
In 1909 he was named president emeritus of the University of Michigan, where he continued to teach courses on international law. He published his memoirs, The Reminiscences of James Burrill Angell, in 1912. Angell died at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on April 1, 1916.
Angell was a versatile man whose achievements were outstanding in the diverse areas of teaching, writing, educational administration, and diplomacy. He was an excellent speaker and a competent newspaper editor, and his publications in French literature and American diplomatic history are still valuable tools for general readers. In addition, his autobiography is recognized as one of the most important accounts of the eventful age in which he lived.