I still cannot believe that he is gone. The news of his passing has left me in shock. It is with deep sadness that I have learned of the death of my PhD co-advisor, Christopher Ehret. He was a highly respected scholar and a giant in the fields of African history and historical linguistics — disciplines that were not just his vocation, but his very identity and life’s passion. His pioneering work fundamentally reshaped how we understand Africa’s past, and his contributions will continue to influence the field for generations. Yet beyond his scholarly achievements, he was an extraordinary mentor and human being. He worked tirelessly to ensure the success of his students, offering guidance, patience, and unwavering support, not only during our studies but well beyond graduation. The world has lost a remarkable historian, teacher, and mentor. My thoughts are with his family during this time of loss who shared him with us, his students. I hope they may find some comfort in knowing how deeply he was admired, loved, and respected by his students and colleagues. And yet, I take solace in knowing that the gods and ancestors — especially those on the African continent, whose histories he worked so passionately to illuminate — are now welcoming him into their midst. There are no words sufficient to express the depth of this loss.

Dearest Chris, 
We are so sad you are gone now. You made many of us who we are today, good actors in the world, people trying to make a change through what we teach. You were an Afrocentrist through and through, and you had so much patience as you held our hands through the frightful phases of trying to do a Ph.D. For those of us who were Girst-Gen, you taught us to teach others with a beautiful combination of kindness, caring, and rigor. Your work will go on forever, younger people are still discovering it now, and you will always be recognized for how willing you were to take chances, push the envelope, be brave in your assertions despite what others said or thought. Thank you for all you did for me, my family, all of us graduate students. Pat - you too... all the kindness and care over all the years, you made an amazing team. I'm sorry for your loss, and thank you for love and dedication to him through all the world travels, writing hours, students support sessions, and the last three years of loving care. We here in Houston are sending our love. May we all be comforted by the memories of his caring, kind presence in our lives.

Dearest Pat and family,
 We will all miss your beloved Chris. 
 
 I remember a day when Mary Dillard, Rhonda Gonzales and I arrived at his office and waited 2 hours for him to arrive. He never missed a meeting. He always called Bibi to let us know if he was not going to make the journey from Ventura. But this day he never showed up. We discovered the next day that in fact, he had broken his leg on Ventura Blvd, where he ALWAYS parked to avoid the exorbitant UCLA parking fees! 
 
 We were so happy when he returned on crutches to recount stories and recite detailed linguistic data to us and with us for hours as we moved through our hypotheses. He was a great historian and likely had so much still to teach all of us. His legacy as an Africanist will be cherished. 
 
 He always spoke of his family with us. Pat he fondly told us of your unique rekindled relationship at a high school reunion. He was always proud of his kids (Seth, Allen, and Susannah (sp?). He adored his parents who he always credited for supporting his quirky childhood interests. 
 
 Some of my favorite memories are the dinners with you and Chris at your home in my early years of graduate school. Thank you Pat for sharing him with all of us over the years. My deepest condolences.
 
 Cymone Fourshey
Catherine Cymone Fourshey

We celebrate Chris's life.  I first met him when I entered ucla's doctoral program in fall 1970.  I did not have much financial support and I seriously considered dropping out and going to law school.  I went to him and explained my plight.  He immediately offered me  a research assistantship and that kept me going.  That was his nature as he sustained many of us as a mentor and. Friend.  When i became an academic, I emulated chris in my interactions with students treating them with empathy and support.  Thank you chris.  You are in our hearts.  Bob edgar

Hello Pat and all his loved ones,
I can only imagine what you are feeling now. Chris was totally amazing. As one of his former doctoral students, I feel lucky to have had him in my life.
Chris always encouraged me, and he knew first hand the town I came from with its reputation for gangs and poverty, expressing empathy for my own journey.
I was at times his research assistant and teaching assistant; this afforded me the opportunity to witness his caring attitude for those in his classes. He was brilliant in his work and exceptionally humble about it all.
Sending you thoughts of love,
Greg Pirio

Christopher Ehret spent his entire professional and adult life researching and teaching the deep history of Africa. He never for once believed in what some people call prehistory. He was committed to writing the total history of Africa from the origins of Homo sapiens to the present. He was a pioneer in the use of language, particularly phonology (the study of speech sound change), for writing the deep-time history of Africa. He was also one of the best interdisciplinary historians of Africa. Archaeology, music, dance, and material culture are all part of his sources, and he utilized them to the best of his ability in writing an Africa-centered history of Africa, where Africans are the core agents in their own history. Chris trained many students and mentored many more. Through his writings and lectures, he tirelessly promoted African history, always using his original findings to highlight why and how African history matters in World history. He wrote with attentiveness to the general public. 

Above all, Chris was a kind and generous man, a wonderful human being, and a collaborator of the highest caliber.

Having read several of his works as a student, I was overawed the first time I met him in 1999. He was a member of the committee interviewing me for a job, and that compounded my nervousness. But his easygoing personality immediately calmed me down. He was genuinely interested in my work and supportive of me. That was the beginning of our relationship. He adopted me as one of his academic children and became my mentor. 

Many thanks to his lovely wife, Patricia and their children and grandchildren for sharing Chris with Africa and all of us, his academic children and colleagues. May you all have the strength to bear his transition to the land of the ancestors. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Àṣẹ.

Dear Pat and everyone in the big family:

My deep condolences to all of you. Chris's death is a huge loss. 

I was one of his students at UCLA. I recognize the person described in the brief eulogy on this site. Hard work (especially on his students' behalf), integrity, and kindness. 

Chris was exceedingly generous with his time. He never hurried a student through a meeting. He loved to teach and to research. That is just one reason he was so good at both.

We are the poorer for losing him. May we bind to ourselves his excellent qualities of living.

I will miss him dearly.

David Schoenbrun

OBITUARY

Christopher Paul Ehret

July 27, 1941 – March 25, 2025

Funeraria del Angel Santa Paula

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