Dickran Kouymjian (born 1934) is an eminent Armenian-American historian, professor emeritus, and a foundational figure in modern Armenian studies. Born in Romania to Armenian parents, he earned the first doctorate in Armenian Studies in the United States from Columbia University in 1969. In 1977, he established the renowned Armenian Studies Program at California State University, Fresno, serving as its director for three decades and founding the student newspaper Hye Sharzhoom. A prolific author of over 15 books on Armenian art, manuscripts, and history, Kouymjian is also widely celebrated for his close personal friendship with William Saroyan, serving as a primary archivist of the author’s unpublished plays.
