Firuz Kazemzadeh
Firuz Kazemzadeh was a Russian-born American historian who was professor emeritus of history at Yale University.Biography
Firuz Kazemzadeh was born in Moscow to an Iranian father and a Russian mother. His father served in the Iranian embassy in Moscow. After completing his primary and secondary education in Moscow, Kazemzadeh and his family moved to Iran. In 1944, during the height of World War II, he travelled from Tehran to the United States and entered Stanford University, graduating with distinction in 1946 and obtaining an MA in 1947. In 1950 Kazemzadeh received a Ph.D. in Russian history from Harvard University.
Kazemzadeh taught at Harvard in 1954 – 1956, then moved to Yale where he was professor of history until his retirement as professor emeritus in 1992. While at Yale, he also served as Master of Davenport College.
He was the author and co-author of a number of books on the history of Russia and Iran, as well as numerous articles and reviews for authoritative scholarly publications.
Between May 15, 1998 and May 14, 2003, Kazemzadeh served as a Commissioner on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, first appointed to this position in 1998 by President Bill Clinton, and in 2001, reappointed by US Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle.
Kazemzadeh was an adherent of the Baháʼí Faith and, from 1963 to 2000, served as a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States. He was also a member of the Baháʼí National Council.Publications
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