Blanche Weisen Cook is a distinguished professor of history and women’s studies at John Jay College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She has been honored as Scholar of the Year by the New York State Council on the Humanities.

Her book, Eleanor Roosevelt: Volume One, published in 1992, remained on The New York Times bestseller list for three months, and received numerous awards. Volume Two was published in 1999, and Dr. Cook currently is working on the third and final volume.

In addition to her teaching, Dr. Cook writes frequent reviews and columns for many newspapers and periodicals. She appears regularly on such television programs as The Today Show, Good Morning America, and C-Span’s Booknotes.

Dr. Cook previously served as vice president for research of the American Historical Association and vice president and chair of Open Information and Accountability. She co-founded and co-chaired the Organization of American Historians’s Freedom of Information and Access Committee.

Blanche Wiesen Cook received her doctoral and master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University and bachelor’s degree from Hunter College. She resides in East Hampton, NY.

The endowment of the William E. Simon Lecture in American Civilization and Values is indicative of Mr. Simon’s dedication to educational excellence and civic responsibility. The generous gift to Adelphi created a preeminent forum for world leaders who exemplify a commitment to the culture and beliefs that have shaped America.