John G. Kemeny (1926–1992) was a Hungarian-American mathematician who co-created BASIC and championed universal computer literacy. As president of Dartmouth College, he worked to make computing accessible to all students.
Background
Kemeny worked as a mathematical assistant to Albert Einstein at Princeton and later became a mathematics professor at Dartmouth. His background in making complex concepts accessible influenced BASIC’s design.
Creating BASIC
With Thomas Kurtz, Kemeny created BASIC in 1964. Their goal was a language any student could learn—not just scientists and engineers. BASIC’s simplicity achieved this goal.
Dartmouth Time Sharing System
Kemeny and Kurtz also developed the Dartmouth Time Sharing System (DTSS), allowing many students to use computers simultaneously. This combination of easy language and shared access democratized computing.
Vision of Computer Literacy
Kemeny believed all educated people should understand computing. His 1972 book “Man and the Computer” argued for universal computer literacy—a vision now taken for granted.
Dartmouth President
As Dartmouth’s president (1970-1981), Kemeny maintained his commitment to computing education. He also chaired the presidential commission investigating the Three Mile Island nuclear accident.