Kevin Boyle, an Ohio State distinguished professor of history and an award-winning author, will deliver the fall 2009 commencement speech to roughly 2,100 graduating students on Dec. 13 at the Schottenstein Center.

Boyle’s numerous literary accomplishments make him a noteworthy commencement speaker. In 2004, Boyle received The National Book Award for Non-Fiction for his book, “Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age.”

In addition to this award, the book was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award and was named a New York Times notable book for 2004, a State of Michigan notable book for 2005 and the 2007 selection for the Detroit metropolitan area’s community-wide reading program.

“Arc of Justice” follows Ossian Sweet, an African-American doctor, through the hardships of race relations in the Roaring ‘20s. Sweet, who moves with his young family to a previously all-white Detroit neighborhood, provokes a mob, leading to the death of a white man.

The book follows the subsequent murder trial, which highlights the civil rights movement and the politics of racism.

“‘Arc of Justice’ uses a dramatic murder case in 1925 Detroit to explore the racial tensions that cut through American cities in the early days of the 20th century,” Boyle said. “It’s a story about courage, deceit, injustice and the enduring burden of racism.”

A native of Detroit, Boyle received his bachelor of arts in history from the University of Detroit and a Ph.D. in history from the University of Michigan. After teaching history at the University of Toledo and University of Massachusetts Amherst, Boyle was appointed as a Fulbright Scholar and spent a year teaching the history of the American civil rights movement at the University College Dublin in Ireland.

Boyle’s other books include “The UAW and the Heyday of American Liberalism 1945-1968,” “Muddy Boots and Ragged Aprons: Images of Working-Class Detroit 1900-1930” and “Organized Labor and American Politics 1894-1994: the Labor-Liberal Alliance”
In addition, Boyle’s articles have appeared in Diplomatic History, The Journal of American History, Labor History, The Michigan Historical Review and various anthologies. He has also published essays and reviews in The Baltimore Sun, The Chicago Tribune, The Detroit Free Press, Inc. Magazine, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

In 2002, Boyle joined the history department at OSU, where he began teaching a range of classes specializing in 20th century American history with an emphasis on class, race and politics.

In addition to being an author, speaker, professor, husband and father of two, Boyle is also at work on two more books, “The Splendid Dead: An American Ordeal” and “Change Is Gonna Come: America in the 1960s.”

“I love to teach. It’s one of the most exciting, most exhilarating things I do. I care a lot about American history, after all, I’ve devoted my life to the subject,” Boyle said. “I want to share that passion. I also love the interaction with my students. Over the years they’ve taught me far more than I have ever taught them.”

Boyle’s plans to talk about his students in his commencement speech.

“I want to talk about opportunities and obligations; the opportunities graduates have to build meaningful lives for themselves and their families,” Boyle said. “Along with the obligations they have to others.”