Today, we celebrate the 100th birthday of Professor Walid Khalidi, one of the most influential Palestinian scholars of our time, and a foundational figure in the modern intellectual, academic, and political life of the Palestinian people. As co-founder of the Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS) in 1963, Professor Khalidi's enduring legacy has shaped not only the institute itself, but also the wider field of Palestinian and Arab research and advocacy.
Over the past century, Professor Khalidi's life has been defined by an unwavering commitment to truth, historical rigor, and justice for Palestine. His career began in the 1940s with the Arab Office in Jerusalem, where he worked to present the Palestinian case to the world during a time of profound upheaval. After witnessing the trauma of 1948 firsthand, he went on to study and later teach at Oxford University. In 1956, he resigned in protest over Britain's role in the tripartite invasion of Egypt—an act emblematic of the principled stances that have defined his life.
He would go on to teach for decades at the American University of Beirut, Harvard University, and other institutions, shaping generations of students—many of whom became prominent scholars, diplomats, and leaders. In parallel with his academic work, Professor Khalidi remained deeply engaged with political and intellectual movements in the Arab world, especially the rise of Arab nationalism and the evolution of Palestinian politics in the aftermath of 1967.
Professor Khalidi's scholarly contributions are both vast and transformative. He helped lay the foundations for academic writing on the Nakba, debunking long-standing Zionist myths and placing Palestinian history on solid scholarly ground. His articles such as “Plan Dalet” and “The Fall of Haifa”, republished in the Journal of Palestine Studies, remain landmark texts. His books—including From Haven to Conquest, Before Their Diaspora, and All That Remains—represent a collective intellectual achievement that has shaped global understanding of the Palestinian experience.
As a co-founder of IPS, alongside Constantine Zurayk and Burhan Dajani, and a member of its first Board of Trustees—along with Wadad Cortas, Najla Abu Izzedin, and others—Professor Khalidi envisioned the institute not only as a research center, but as a pillar of cultural and political resilience. For more than 60 years, IPS has worked to publish authoritative scholarship, support younger generations of researchers, and preserve Palestinian memory through its extensive archives, journals, books, and digital platforms.
Read the article here—it has lots of great photos!
