Roger B. Beck

Dr. Roger B. Beck is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of History at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois, where he taught African History and World History.

Beck is a 1969 graduate of the University of Evansville where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education. He also earned an MA in Social Studies Education, MS in History, and Ph.D. in History from Indiana University. He taught at the secondary level for seven years and has held positions at the American School of Paris, Nichimachi International School in Tokyo, and the American Community School in London. He also taught for a year at the University of Cape Town. He is the recipient of two Fulbright awards and a number of teaching and research awards.

Beck is a co-author of a college world history text, A History of World Societies, and a high school world history text, World History – Patterns of Interaction. He is also the author of The History of South Africa, which is used as a textbook at many colleges in the United States and abroad. Beck has published more than a hundred articles, chapters in books, and book reviews. He continues to serve on the Fiddick Lecture Series Advisory Board. In 2011, he received the University of Evansville Medal of Honor. In 2018, Beck received the Pioneers in World History Award from the World History Association. The award recognizes exceptional scholarly contributions toward advancing the field of world history.