Background
SCHLESINGER, James was born on February 15, 1929 in New York, New York, United States. Son of Julius and Rhea (Rogen) Sehlesinger.
economist United States secretary of defense
SCHLESINGER, James was born on February 15, 1929 in New York, New York, United States. Son of Julius and Rhea (Rogen) Sehlesinger.
AB summa cum laude, Harvard University, 1950. AM, Harvard University, 1952. Doctor of Philosophy, Harvard University, 1956.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), The Citadel, 1975. Doctor of Laws (honorary), University South Carolina, 1976. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Indiana University Pennsylvania, 1976.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), New York University, 1976. Doctor of Laws (honorary), Ohio State University, 1977. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Wittenburg University, 1977.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Occidental College. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), University Toledo. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), University North Carolina, Asheville.
Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Hampden-Sydney College. Doctor of Humane Letters (honorary), Northern Virginia Community College.
Assistant professor economics University Virginia, 1955—1958, associate professor, 1958—1963. Senior staff member Research and Development Corporation, Santa Monica, California, 1963-1967, director strategic studies, 1967-1969. Consultant Bureau of Budget, 1965—1969, assistant director, 1969—1970, acting deputy director, 1969-1970.
Assistant director Office Management & Budget, Executive Office of the President, 1970-1971. Chairman Atomic Energy Commission, 1971-1973. Director Central Intelligence Agency, 1973.
Secretary United States Department Defense, 1973-1975. Visiting scholar Johns Hopkins School Advanced International Studies, 1976-1977. Special advisory to President on energy The White House, 1977.
Secretary United States Department Energy, 1977-1979. Counselor Center for Strategic and International Studies, Georgetown University, since 1979. Senior advisory Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc., since 1979.
Academy consultant Navel War College, 1957. Consultant board governors Federal Reserve Board, 1962—1963. Board trustees MITRE corporation, 1985.
Member United States Commission on National Security/21st Century (Hart/Rudman Commission), 1998—2001, Panel to Assess the Reliability, Safety, & Security of the United States Nuclear Stockpile, 1999—2003, Homeland Security Advisory Council, since 2002, Arms Control & Nonproliferation Advisory Board, 2006. Chairman Indiana Panel Investigation of Abuses at Abu Ghraib Prison, 2004. Co-chairman Defense Science Board, 2006.
Chairman Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Management, United States Department Defense, 2008—2009.
Author: The Political Economy of National Security, 1960, America at Century's End, 1989. Co-author: Issues in Defense Economics, 1967.
Fellow: National Academy Public Administration. Member: American Academy Diplomacy, Phi Beta Kappa.
Married Rachel Line Mellinger, June 19, 1954 (deceased October 10, 1995). Children: Cora K., Charles L., Ann R., William F., Emily, Thomas S., Clara, James Rodney.