Wm. Roger Louis: key obituary facts
Is Wm. Roger Louis dead? Yes. Wm. Roger Louis died on October 23, 2026, at age 90.
Cause of death: Wm. Roger Louis's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Wm. Roger Louis known for?
He was an American historian.
More about Wm. Roger Louis
Born: 8 May 1936.
Place of birth: Detroit.
Gender: male.
Occupation: historian, university teacher.
Nationality: United States.
Education: St Antony's College, Harvard University, University of Oklahoma, Northwest Classen High School.
Employer: University of Texas at Austin.
Awards: Guggenheim Fellowship, George Louis Beer Prize, Fellow of the British Academy.
Also known as: William Roger Louis, Roger Louis, W. Roger Louis.
Wm.
Roger Louis, an American historian and professor emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin, died October 23, 2026, aged 90. Born in Detroit on May 8, 1936, he was raised in Oklahoma City, where he attended Northwest Classen High School and played French horn as an assistant first horn player in the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.
He later studied at the University of Oklahoma, Harvard University and St Antony’s College. Louis became a leading scholar of the British Empire and served as editor-in-chief of The Oxford History of the British Empire, a major historical series. His professional service included a term as president of the American Historical Association and chairmanship of the U.S. Department of State’s Historical Advisory Committee. He also helped establish the AHA’s National History Center in Washington, D.C., serving as its founding director. His distinctions included a Guggenheim Fellowship, the George Louis Beer Prize and fellowship in the British Academy. Louis was also appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, reflected in the post-nominal CBE. Across his academic career, he held teaching and research roles at the University of Texas at Austin, where he was professor emeritus.