Edward Ezell

Edward Ezell was an author and professor who served as Supervisory Curator of the Armed Forces History Division of the National Museum of American History, administered by the Smithsonian Institution. He was also founding Director of the Institute for Research on Small Arms in International Security.

Ezell received an A.B. from Butler University in 1961 and M.A. from the University of Delaware two years later, where he was a Hagley Fellow. In 1969, he received his Ph.D. in the history of science and technology from Case Institute of Technology. He later taught at North Carolina State University and Sangamon State University, Springfield, Illinois.

Ezell created the first oral histories on a pair of respected assault rifle designers — Mikhail Kalashnikov and Eugene Stoner of the AK47 and M16 respectively. Prior to his position with the Smithsonian Institution, Ezell was employed by NASA, beginning in 1974, to write about space projects. His publications there include "The Partnership", a history of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Ezell also authored a number of publications on firearms; his book Small Arms of the World is considered a standard reference on multiple types of military firearms. He passed away in 1993.