Charles Frankel

American philosopher

Charles Frankel (December 13, 1917 – May 10, 1979) was an American philosopher, Assistant U. S. Secretary of State, professor and founding director of the National Humanities Center.

Born into a Jewish family in New York City, U. S., he was the son of Abraham Philip and Estelle Edith (Cohen) Frankel. After attending Cornell University, Frankel received Bachelor of Arts with honors in English and philosophy from Columbia University in 1937. He then continued his education at the same university, earning a Doctor of Philosophy in 1946. During World War II, Frankel served as lieutenant in the United States Navy and in 1968 graduated from Mercer with a degree in law. Frankel married Helen Beatrice Lehman on August 17, 1941. Together they raised two children, Susan and Carl. He was a member of the American Philosophical Association, the American Association of University Professors (chair of committee on professional ethics), the Institut International de Philosophie Politique, the Authors Guild, the Century Association, and the Phi Beta Kappa society.

Frankel joined the faculty of Columbia University in 1939 where in 1956, he attained position of full professor of philosophy. and in 1954 became visiting professor at the University of Paris on a Fulbright Scholarship. The same year he was awarded Fulbright Scholarship, Frankel served as Donnellan lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, and following it, served as a lecturer at Bennington and Bowdoin Colleges, as well as at Ohio University and the New York University School of Social Work. From 1973 to his death he chaired the International Council on the Future of the University. In 1978 Frankel became the first president and founding director of the National Humanities Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. At the time of his death, he was on leave as Columbia University's Old Dominion Professor of Philosophy and Public Affairs. In 1997 the prize was renamed The National Humanities Medal.