He was a professor of Chinese History at Stanford University, and the author of a book about Imperial China.

[1] He graduated from Williams College, and he earned a PhD in History from Harvard University.

[2] Kahn began his career as a History professor at the SOAS, University of London.

[2] The Kahn-Van Slyke Award for Graduate Mentorship and the Harold Kahn Reading Room at Stanford University were named in his honor.

Kahn was opposed to United States involvement in the Vietnam War.