John Iliffe: key obituary facts
Is John Iliffe dead? Yes. John Iliffe died on August 20, 2026, at age 87.
Cause of death: John Iliffe's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was John Iliffe known for?
He was a British historian.
More about John Iliffe
Born: 1 May 1939.
Gender: male.
Occupation: historian of Modern Age, historian.
Nationality: United Kingdom.
Employer: University of Cambridge.
Awards: ASA Best Book Prize.
Known for: Historian of Africa.
John Iliffe, a historian of Africa, died on August 20, 2026, aged 87.
A British scholar whose work focused especially on the history of Tanzania, he was educated at Framlingham College and Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he completed both his BA and PhD. He taught at the University of Dar es Salaam for several years before joining the University of Cambridge as Assistant Director of Research in History and a fellow of St John’s College.
In 1980, he became Reader in African History at Cambridge, and in 1990 was appointed Professor of African History. He was a fellow of the British Academy from 1989 to 2006.