Remembering the life of Kevin Starr:
We were all shocked and saddened by the news of the passing on January 14 of Kevin Starr, the USC University professor of history and public policy. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family, as well as his friends and colleagues in the Price School and across the USC campus and the country. By now you have probably read President Nikias’ eulogy as well as the many articles about Professor Starr in the Los Angeles Times and other news outlets. My goal is to offer a personal perspective on Professor Starr and his enormous contributions to the Price school.
Aside from being a brilliant scholar and public intellectual, Professor Starr was a riveting speaker. I always thought of his lectures like a steam engine train, slow to start, gradually building up steam, then gaining power and force, hurtling through the countryside, a thing of great beauty and grace.
The first time I heard him lecture was at a USC Provost retreat. The subject was the history of libraries, which initially didn’t sound very exciting, but as he discussed the great library at Alexandria and libraries through Rome to modern times, I found it one of the most fascinating lectures I had ever heard. He had a remarkable ability to eloquently articulate and weave together the social, economic, and political context of historical events, making them understandable and relevant to current times. Some historians narrowly focus their field of expertise, but while Kevin was exacting with details, he always wove everything together into a compelling big picture of the historical era he was writing about. With his deep, distinctive voice and superb command of narrative, he was unforgettable.
In 1989, Kevin’s amazing lecture ability caught the attention of Alan Kreditor, former dean of the School of Urban and Regional Planning (today part of the Price School) at an event held at the Los Angeles Times. Dean Kreditor was so taken with Kevin Starr’s speech that he invited him to campus and shortly thereafter offered him a position. To Dean Kreditor’s pleasant surprise, he said yes and joined the USC faculty as a visiting professor. When asked about Professor Starr’s passing, Dean Kreditor said that, “Kevin is beyond description. He is a remarkable raconteur with a high-level intellect. He is unique as a fourth generation Northern Californian who came to love Southern California. He was a gentle, sweet, kind and generous man who always had a very positive view of things. He was a close friend and his passing is a great loss to me, his family, USC, and the world.”
Professor Starr was also a wonderful conversationalist, who had wide knowledge about almost any subject, making him the kind of person you’d like to spend an afternoon with at a café. He had his own distinct, professorial style with his suits and bow ties, booming voice, and inquisitiveness. Spending any time with Professor Starr, you would also soon realize that he had a very close, loving relationship with his wife, Sheila, and his children.
Professor Starr gave generously of his knowledge and time to the Price School. As a teacher, he was engaging in the classroom, and challenged students with his high standards. He was beloved by students and faculty alike. Also, he made many contributions to the Price School’s programs in Sacramento and gave several significant lectures, including his 2013 lecture “George Washington Looks West: An Enduring Preoccupation,” the first event in the partnership with the Price School and the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon. Most recently he has worked closely with the USC Schwarzenegger Institute, helping to shape its outreach and research agenda and participating in many of the institute’s programs.
His career as California’s state librarian from 1994 to 2004 and as a respected historian, teacher and author made him invaluable to our students and faculty, academia, political leaders and members of the news media. He may be best known for his book series “Americans and the California Dream” chronicling the state’s growing influence through the decades in politics, literature, culture, technology and trade. This series became the most important narrative defining the history of California.
Professor Starr counted many California politicians and academicians among his colleagues and friends. He served for 10 years as the state librarian under three governors, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, who posted on his Facebook page: “I will never be able to thank him enough for our enlightening conversations about California history and his always prescient He was always there to lend an ear or offer guidance or historical context when I was Governor and I’m honored and grateful that I was able to continue our friendship and work together through the USC Schwarzenegger Institute until he left us. He was always there to lend an ear or offer guidance or historical context when I was Governor and I’m honored and grateful that I was able to continue our friendship and work together through the USC Schwarzenegger Institute until he left us.”
Gov. Jerry Brown, in the Los Angeles Times, said Starr “captured the spirit of our state and brought to life the characters and personalities that made the California story.” California State Librarian Greg Lucas, in a statement to the Sacramento Bee, said, “His love for California and his breadth of knowledge about the Golden State’s magic and unique diversity was obvious not just in his speeches or lectures as a professor but also in casual conversation.”
Professor Starr’s impact on California and the country can never be underestimated, and his loss to the Price School and USC will be felt for years to come.
With sympathy,
Jack H. Knott, Dean
C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Chair and Professor
USC Sol Price School of Public Policy