Jacob Cohen

Professor Emeritus of American Studies

Departments/Programs

American Studies

Degrees

Yale University, M.A.
Rutgers University, B.A.

Expertise

Culture and thought. Much of my scholarship is in the area of the Idea of Conspiracy in American History and Culture. I am
a recognized "expert" on the Kennedy Assassination, and allegations of conspiracy which arise in consideration of the the Alger Case, The Rosenberg Case, The Sacco and Vanzetti case. My course on "The Sixties" was called the best course at Brandeis in Lisa Birnbach's "Guide to American Colleges and Universities" In the Sixties I served as a writer and editor with one of the major Civil Rights Organizations, CORE, and wrote a book with the national director James Farmer, "Freedom When". Also my course on Violence in American History (AS 45) has brought me to many discussions of that subject on television and radio. I have alsospecialized in American Jewish history, and am now writing a book on a Jewish Sponsored university, ours. And Black Jewish relations. I was the founder and first director of the TYP program and have taken a particular interest in education of what we still sometimes call "the disadvantaged" (problematic term, in my view).

Profile

I have been teaching at Brandeis University for more than half a century and have taught more students than any professor in the history of the institution. In his history of the University, Abram Sachar, called me one of the founding faculty even though came here in 1960, 12 years after the first founding. During the 60's I left Brandeis for three years working as a writer and editor with Core. I was the founder of the TYP program at Brandeis, commending in the Fall of 1968, and its first director.My main teaching has dealt with assassination theories, the civil rights movement, Jewish life in America, violence in American history, Sports in American Culture. I have been twice chairman of the Faculty Senate, and twice Chairman of the Faculty Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid. I was the author of the faculty report which resulted in 1978 in the university's divestment of stocks in companies doing business in South Africa.

Awards and Honors

History 180 Award (2003)

Commentary, Best American Essays (1993)

Scholarship

Cohen, Jacob. ""Will We Never Be Free of the Kennedy Assassination?"." Commentary Magazine December, 2013.

Cohen,Jacob. "Essay on: Brandeis University." Encyclopedia of New England. Yale University Press, 2004

Cohen,Jacob. Honest Verdict: In Defense of the Warren Commission. Crown, 1969.

Cohen,Jacob, with James Farmer. Freedom When?. Random House, 1966.