He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1979 for thesis titled Kings and clans on Ijwi Island (Zaire), c. 1780-1840 under the supervision of Jan Vansina.
There, Curtin and fellow historian Jan Vansina established a department of African languages and literature in 1956, as part of one of the first academic African studies programs established at a college in the United States.
Jan van Eyck | Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts | Jan Hammer | Jan Peerce | Jan Hus | Jan Mayen | Jan Guillou | Jan Smuts | Jan Fabre | Jan Morris | Jan Matejko | Jan Garbarek | Ignacy Jan Paderewski | Jan van Riebeeck | Jan Troell | Jan Tinbergen | Jan Neruda | Jan-Michael Vincent | Jan Kochanowski | Jan Brewer | Jan Bechtum | Jan Zamoyski | Jan Ullrich | Jan Peter Balkenende | Jan Egeland | Robert Jan Stips | Mian Shakirullah Jan | Jan Weenix | Jan Timman | Jan Murray |