Ward Churchill: key obituary facts
Is Ward Churchill dead? Yes. Ward Churchill died on August 11, 2026, at age 78.
Cause of death: Ward Churchill's cause of death was reported as stroke.
What was Ward Churchill known for?
He was a political activist.
More about Ward Churchill
Born: 2 October 1947.
Place of birth: Urbana.
Gender: male.
Occupation: university teacher, writer, political activist, ethnologist, communication scholar.
Nationality: United States.
Education: University of Illinois System, University of Illinois Springfield.
Employer: University of Colorado Boulder.
Occupations: Author, activist, academic.
Ward Churchill, the American academic, activist and writer known for his controversial work on political dissent and Native Americans, died on August 11, 2026, aged 78.
Born Ward LeRoy Churchill in Urbana, Illinois, he taught ethnic studies at the University of Colorado Boulder from 1990 until 2007 and worked as a university teacher, writer, political activist, ethnologist and communication scholar. His writing included the 2001 essay “On the Justice of Roosting Chickens,” which drew wide attention in 2005, and he later became the subject of a disputed dismissal from the university after allegations of research misconduct.