Louis Cohn-Haft was born on November 13, 1919, in New York City to Harry and Goldie (Haft) Cohn. He attended New York public schools and entered Columbia University. There, he earned a bachelor's degree in 1941 before serving in the United States Air Force from 1942-45. Returning to Columbia, he earned a master's degree in 1949, and then studied as a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Rome from 1949-50. He stayed at Columbia to teach history from 1950-53 before accepting a position at Smith College. He later received a doctorate, also from Columbia, in 1955.

At Smith Cohn-Haft taught ancient history from 1953 until his retirement in 1987. His main research interest was ancient Greece. His publications include Public Physicians of Ancient Greece (1956) and Source Readings in Ancient History: The Ancient Near East and Greece (1965). Cohn-Haft quickly ascended through the ranks of the department, from instructor in 1953-56, to assistant professor in 1956-58, to associate professor in 1958-63. He was named a full professor in 1963, ten years after he first came to Smith. Cohn-Haft served as chairman of the history department from 1966-69, and directed Smith's Summer Institutes for secondary school teachers from 1967-69. In addition to his teaching load at Smith, he also taught part-time at schools such as Mt. Holyoke College, UMass-Amherst, Holyoke Community College, and the Hartford College for Women.

During the 1984-85 academic year he was director of the Smith Junior Year Abroad program in Florence, Italy.

Cohn-Haft, also known as "Luigi," was a well-known figure on campus due to his frequent roles in Smith dramatic performances, his outgoing manner, and his interest in politics. He served on many college-wide committees in addition to being involved in several professional organizations and civil liberties organizations. He was an outspoken proponent of civil liberties and academic freedom, and helped organize opposition to the Vietnam War on campus. He served as chairman of the Hampshire County chapter of the ACLU from 1958-60.

Cohn-Haft married Athena Iris Capraro on April 23, 1942, and the couple had three children. He later married Betty Jane Schlerman on May 26, 1974. He died at his home in Italy on November 15, 2012 at the age of 92.

The materials in the Louis Cohn-Haft Papers concern the professor's academic teaching career, mainly at Smith College, and some of his personal interests, such as politics and dramatics.

This collection is organized into six series:

• SERIES I. BIOGRAPHY
• SERIES II. TEACHING
• SERIES III. HISTORY DEPARTMENT
• SERIES IV. COLLEGE ADMINISTRATION
• SERIES V. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
• SERIES VI. OVERSIZE MATERIALS