Dr. Taner Akçam

Dr. Taner Akçam, a Turkish-American historian and sociologist, is an international authority on the Armenian Genocide and a leader in human rights. He holds the Chair in Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University’s Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

In 1977 he was imprisoned by the Turkish government for criticizing injustices in Turkey and the treatment of minorities, especially the Kurds, and he was adopted as a ‘prisoner of conscience’ by Amnesty International. He escaped from prison and received asylum in Germany, where he obtained citizenship and resided until 2000.

Akçam’s new book, Killing Orders: Talat Pasha’s Telegrams and the Armenian Genocide, documents the Ottoman government’s central role in eliminating the Armenian population, a responsibility that Turkish leaders continue to deny.

When Hitler’s supporters were skeptical about Nazi attempts to exterminate Europe’s Jews, Hitler famously said, “Who, today, remembers the Armenians?” We honored Dr. Taner Akçam on May 14, 2018 for standing up against forgetting and denial. Click here to read his remarks.

Chair of the Board of Directors Jack Rendler (left) presenting the award to Dr. Akçam (right).

Dr. Akçam (right) with Executive Director Dr. Ellen Kennedy (center) and Sarah Erickson, J.D. (left), recipient of the Alice Musabende Outstanding Citizen Award.

Representatives from Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Office.

Welcome from retired FBI Deputy Assistant Director Deborah Pierce.

Remarks from Dr. Akçam.