Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy and Religion
A Nobel Peace Prize recipient, playwright, and award-winning writer, his personal experience of the Holocaust led Elie Wiesel to use his talents as an author, teacher, and storyteller to defend human rights and peace throughout the world. As the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University, Professor Wiesel led students in his Literature of Memory courses to explore themes of foundational importance to human interaction and understanding, using a wide breadth of literature from biblical texts to contemporary fiction. His annual public lectures were major events in the cultural life of Boston University and the Greater Boston Area for four decades. Professor Wiesel passed away on July 2, 2016 at age 87. In fall of 2018, the Elie Wiesel Center inaugurated the Elie Wiesel Memorial Lecture Series in his memory.