Howard Bruce Franklin was an American cultural historian, scholar, and left-wing activist born in 1934. His academic work spanned multiple disciplines and social concerns, with particular focus on science fiction, prison literature, environmentalism, the Vietnam War and its aftermath, and American cultural history more broadly. Franklin was a prolific writer and editor, producing twenty books, three hundred professional articles, and participating in the making of four films. He played an important role in debunking false public speculation that Vietnam was continuing to hold prisoners of war after the conflict ended. His work helped establish science fiction as a genre worthy of serious academic study, contributing significantly to its recognition within scholarly circles. In recognition of his lifetime contributions to American Studies, the American Studies Association awarded Franklin the Pearson-Bode Prize for Lifetime Achievement in 2008. He died on May 19, 2024, in El Cerrito, California.