Claiborne de Borda Pell (born November 22, 1918) served as a Senator from Rhode Island from 1961-1997, making him Rhode Island's longest serving senator. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Born in New York City, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Princeton University in 1940, and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1946. He served in the United States Coast Guard and United States Coast Guard Reserve.
Pell is largely responsible for the creation of "Pell grants" in 1973 (originally known as "Basic Educational Opportunity Grants"), which provide needed financial aid funds to U.S. college students. He was also the main sponsor of the bill which created the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Pell is the son of former Congressman Herbert Claiborne Pell, Jr, great-great-grandson of former Congressman John Francis Hamtramck Claiborne, great-great-grandnephew of former Senator and Vice President of the United States George Mifflin Dallas and great-great-great-grandnephew of former Senator and Representative William Charles Cole Claiborne and of former Congressman Nathaniel Herbert Claiborne.