Albert E. Burke (1919–1999) was a Yale University professor and a pioneer of public educational television. Burke was an early environmentalist, advocating for stewardship of the environment in the 1950s. He rose to national fame as an early media personality on radio and television, and as an author and in-demand public speaker.
Education Burke received both bachelor's and master's degrees in Earth Science from UCLA. He completed graduate work at Harvard in 1951.
Burke held a doctorate in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania."Dr. Albert Burke to Lecture Friday at Bates College", Lewiston News, April 3, 1964. His dissertation was "A political economic survey of Soviet Central Asia" (1959).Worldcat Entry for Dr. Albert E. Burke
Yale Burke arrived at Yale in 1952 after graduate work at both UCLA and Harvard."NEWS FROM GEOGRAPHIC CENTERS." The Professional Geographer, 4: 15–25. He initially taught the basic geography course and courses on Russia, where he had lived for two years.
Burke was Director of Graduate Studies in Conservation and Resource Use at Yale (1951-1957)."Industrial Clubs Plan conference" The Norwalk Hour, February 25, 1967
Television
Burke was a pioneer of educational television. When the new medium of television became available, Burke thought to bring his classes to the public through television as a way to increase education.
Burke began his television career in Connecticut, then developed a long relationship with the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). His first show, "This is Your World," appeared in 1951 on local station WNHC in New Haven, Ct. He was one of several professors involved in educational programming supported by a collaborative initiative between the Educational Television and Radio Center (ETRC) and NBC in 1957, when he hosted "Geography for Decision" while he was serving at the American Institute of Resource Economics.Day, James. The Vanishing Vision: The Inside Story of Public Television. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1995. Chapter 4, note 4. Burke also became Educational Broadcasting consultant for NBC in 1957."Albert Burke will Speak to Palmettos" in Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal, Jan. 17, 1965. In 1958, his next show "Survival" was underwritten by NBC. "Geography for Decision" and "Survival" were both filmed at NBC's New York studios. In 1960, his next series "A Way of Thinking" was produced by Ted Yates for Metropolitan Broadcasting. In 1961, he was nominated for two New York Emmys, for "Most Outstanding Interview or Discussion Program" for "A Way of Thinking" and "Most Outstanding Performer" for that series.1960-1961 New York Area Awards (5th Annual), Presented May 13, 1961 Burke came to national prominence with his series "Probe--with Dr. Albert Burke.""Dr. Burke to Junk 'Probe' Title" in Pittsburgh Press, Oct. 26, 1964.
In 1960, Jack Gould of The New York Times called Burke "AN [sic] exciting new voice -- provocative, sensible and challenging.""A Provocative New Commentator; Dr. Albert Burke of Yale on Channel 5 Offers Hour's Analysis of Cuban Revolution", The New York Times, Nov. 2, 1960.
Personal background The son of Russian immigrants, Samuel Edwards Burkenblit and Helen Hamburg, Burke was born Albert Burkenblit, but he shortened his last name to Burke. His father, Samuel, was born Nov. 15, 1890, and married his wife, Helen, on February 10, 1918."Who's Who in Engineering," John. W. Leonard Corporation, 1959 Originally from Rostov-Don, Sam was a structural engineer who worked as an architect and engineer for the Allen & Garcia Company in Chicago building industrial sites and bridges. They had two children, Albert and Marshall.
Albert Burke's wife, Ruth C. Burke, was a research scientist at Yale. They also had two children, a son and a daughter.
Burke lived in several countries, including Russia, China, Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Latin America. He also lived in Latin America and had spent time with Native American tribes. He spoke a wide range of languages, including French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian, and Bulgarian.
Publications Burke published Enough Good Men: A Way of Thinking in 1962. He also authored "Certain Aspects of Soviet Agriculture" in Russian Research at Harvard by C. Kluckhohn (1949).
References
External links The Burke Center Complete Download of Burke's Enough Good Men
Probe : scripts for a series of television shows Sound recording NYT News Article "A Provocative New Commentator; Dr. Albert Burke of Yale on Channel 5 Offers Hour's Analysis of Cuban Revolution" Dissertation: A political economic survey of Soviet Central Asia