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History professor Reginald Zelnik dies in campus traffic accident

– UC Berkeley is mourning the loss of a prominent history professor who died Monday (May 17) after he was struck by a delivery truck while walking across campus.

 Reginald Zelnick on Sproul Plaza
Reginald Zelnik on Sproul Plaza, where the Free Speech Movement ignited in 1964. (Bonnie Azab Powell photo)
 

History professor Reginald Zelnik was killed by a water delivery truck that backed up into him. The accident occurred about 4:20 p.m. on the central campus near Moses Hall. Zelnik, 68, died at the scene.

Zelnik joined the UC Berkeley faculty in 1964. He was a widely respected and distinguished historian and teacher of Russian and Soviet history, considered among the best in the country. Colleagues note that he was beloved by students and played a pivotal role during the campus's historic Free Speech Movement in the 1960s.

"This is a terrible tragedy for the campus that has left us greatly saddened," said Chancellor Robert M. Berdahl. "As a young faculty member in 1964 he courageously defended students during the Free Speech Movement, and later he edited a major volume of essays about the FSM. Reggie Zelnik was an extraordinarily popular professor for over 40 years and a personal friend of mine. Our heart goes out to his family. He will be terribly missed by the entire community."

University police said the collision appears to be an unfortunate traffic accident. An investigation of all aspects of the case is continuing.

Related story: Book by UC Berkeley, NYU professors offers fresh, behind-the-scenes look at Free Speech Movement August 2002

Note: A full obituary for Professor Zelnik will be published by the NewsCenter later today

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