Simplify the following text for a Grade 7 native English-speaking person.
Original: Michael Kort ( born 1944 ) is an American historian . After studying at John Hopkins University and New York University , he eventually became a professor at Boston University .
Simplified: Born in 1944 , Kort received his Bachelor 's degree in History from John Hopkins University , and his M.A. and Ph. D. in Russian History from New York University .