Joseph L. Brent III

Dr. Brent was also a long-time civil rights activist and was one of the founders of Federal City College (FCC), the U.S. capital's first public four-year liberal arts institution, which later became the University of the District of Columbia (UDC).

Born in Baltimore, Maryland on May 9, 1928 the son of a career diplomat, Joseph spent his early youth living overseas in Cairo, Paris, Jerusalem and Istanbul, before studying at Princeton University, and then obtaining a PhD in history from UCLA after serving in the Korean War. As a boy, he also cherished summers spend in East Blue Hill, Maine.

After teaching in Louisiana State University-New Orleans, the College of William & Mary and the University of Maryland-College Park, Dr. Brent became the founding history department chair at FCC, which was established in 1968, and later merged with DC Teachers College and Washington Technical Institute to form UDC. He was a tenure professor of history at UDC until retiring in 1995.

Dr. Brent's biography of Peirce was published in 1996 by Indiana University Press.

In his spare time, Joseph was an avid outdoors-man, sailor, tinkerer and classical and jazz music aficionado.

Joseph is survived by his wife, Ann M. Garfinkle; sons Duncan, David and William Brent; Grandsons, Malcolm, Eli, Theo, Elliot and Julian; Granddaughters, Katie, Eva, and Alma; and his brother Robert.

The family is sitting Shiva between 4 pm to 8 pm, January 22, 2020, at the family home.