Professor Alexander Saxton Dies at 94

Alexander Saxton, UCLA history professor emeritus, and former acting director and long-time Faculty Advisory Committee chair of the Asian American Studies Center, Alexander Saxton, passed away on Aug. 20, 2012 in Lone Pine, Calif. at the age of 94.

Professor Saxton, throughout his time at UCLA, was a staunch supporter and actively involved in the Asian American Studies Center, providing key leadership and mentoring many students over the years. Of his time at the center, Professor Saxton said:

“It turned out to be one of the most demanding (and rewarding) experiences of my life…. Being a proponent of ethnic studies at UCLA in the 1970s and ’80s was good combat training. There still was big opposition to ethnic studies on grounds that ranged from blatant racism to lack of high academic principle. We constantly had to fight for approval for research funding and core courses, and we remained endlessly involved in struggles over initial appointments and tenure promotion for scholars committed to ethnic studies.”...