Historian & African Studies Scholar; Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author of "Imperial Reckoning"; Professor at Harvard University
Caroline Elkins Biography
Caroline Elkins is a historian specializing in African history, empire, violence, and the legacy of colonialism. She holds appointments as Professor of History and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, Thomas Henry Carroll/Ford Foundation Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, Affiliated Professor at Harvard Law School, and Founding Oppenheimer Director of Harvard's Center for African Studies. Elkins earned her A.B. from Princeton University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Her research focuses on Africa and regions of the former British Empire, including Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Elkins is the author of "Imperial Reckoning: The Untold Story of Britain's Gulag in Kenya," which draws on nearly a decade of research and interviews with Kikuyu detention camp survivors and their captors. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, was named a book of the year by The Economist, an editors' choice by The New York Times, and was a finalist for the Lionel Gelber Prize. Elkins and her research were also featured in the BBC documentary "Kenya: White Terror," which received the International Red Cross Award at the Monte Carlo Film Festival.
"Imperial Reckoning" served as the basis for a legal claim filed by Mau Mau detention camp survivors against the British government, with Elkins serving as the claimants' first expert witness. The British government subsequently paid a $31 million settlement to survivors, funded a memorial to victims of torture and human rights abuses, and issued an apology for the crimes. Elkins's testimony contributed to the release of approximately 20,000 files from 37 territories, providing historians with new primary sources on counterinsurgency operations.
Elkins is also the author of "Legacy of Violence: A History of the British Empire," which examines the British Empire's use of violence in the 20th century and its institutionalization across colonies. The book was reviewed internationally, selected as one of The New York Times Top 100 Books of the year, and was a finalist for the Baillie Gifford Award. It was also recognized as a Best Book of the year by BBC, History Today, The New Statesman, and Waterstones. Elkins received the NYU/Axinn Foundation Prize for her work in narrative nonfiction.
At Harvard, Elkins has been selected twice as a Walter Channing Cabot Fellow, elected as a member of the Faculty Council for Arts and Sciences, and inducted as an honorary member of the University's Phi Beta Kappa chapter. She has received fellowships and awards from organizations including the Guggenheim Foundation, the American Council of Learned Scholars, Fulbright, the Social Science Research Council, the Mellon Foundation, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and the Rockefeller Center. Elkins contributes to The New York Times Book Review, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and The New Republic, and has appeared on radio and television programs such as NPR's "All Things Considered" and BBC's "The World." Her work continues to inform discussions on empire, violence, and historical accountability in African and global history.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Caroline Elkins and other top speakers and celebrities.
Caroline Elkins Videos
-
How do I book Caroline Elkins to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Caroline Elkins for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Caroline Elkins, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Caroline Elkins or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Caroline Elkins
Speaking fees for Caroline Elkins, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Caroline Elkins are $50,000 - $100,000 for live events and $30,000 - $50,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Caroline Elkins, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Caroline Elkins speak about?
Caroline Elkins is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Anti-Racism, Author, Black Heritage, Business, DEI, Economy, Finance, History, Influential Women, Non-Fiction Authors, Professors, Security & Defense, Social Activism, World Affairs -
Where does Caroline Elkins travel from?
Caroline Elkins generally travels from Watertown, MA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Caroline Elkins’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Caroline Elkins for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Caroline Elkins for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Caroline Elkins or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Caroline Elkins is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The Curse of Genocide, Human Rights in a Global World and The Dark Side of Democracy: Empire in the Twentieth Century. The estimated speaking fee range to book Caroline Elkins for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Caroline Elkins generally travels from Watertown, MA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Anne-Marie Slaughter, Amy Goodman, Dean Karlan, Raj Patel and Robert D. Kaplan. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Caroline Elkins for an upcoming live or virtual event.
This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.
All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.
If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.








