Origins & Early Life

Edward Franklin Frazier (; September 24, 1894 – May 17, 1962), was an American sociologist and author, publishing as E. Franklin Frazier. His 1932 Ph.D. dissertation was published as a book titled The Negro Family in the United States (1939); it analyzed the historical forces that influenced the development of the African-American family from the time of slavery to the mid-1930s.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The book was awarded the 1940 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for the most significant work in the field of race relations. It was among the first sociological works on Black people researched and written by a black person. In 1948 Frazier was elected as the first black president of the American Sociological Association. He published numerous other books and articles on African-American culture and race relations. In 1950 Frazier helped draft the UNESCO statement The Race Question.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Frazier wrote a dozen books in his lifetime, including The Black Bourgeoisie, a critique of the black middle class in which he questioned the effectiveness of African-American businesses to produce racial equality. Frazier was born in Baltimore in 1894 as one of five children of James H. Frazier, a bank messenger, and...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aldous Huxley — Contemporary (Born in 1894) (1894): English writer and philosopher known for social satire and mystical explorations.
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• Andrey Lavrov — Contemporary (Born in 1962) (1962): Three-time Olympic gold medalist and decorated Russian handball legend.
• Arthur Compton — Contemporary (Died in 1962) (1962): Pioneering physicist known for the Compton effect and contributions to nuclear science.
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• Alaungpaya — Shared historical date (09-24 · Born) (1714): Founder of the Konbaung Dynasty, unifying Burma through military prowess.
• Albrecht von Wallenstein — Shared historical date (09-24 · Born) (1583): Bohemian military leader and statesman, key figure in the Thirty Years' War.
• Alan Kay — Shared historical date (05-17 · Born) (1940): Pioneer of GUI, Object-Oriented Programming, and modern computing paradigms.
• Alfonso XIII — Shared historical date (05-17 · Born) (1886): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• 1894 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1894
• September 24 (09-24) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 24
• 1962 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1962
• May 17 (05-17) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on May 17