Grant K. Goodman grew up in Ohio and attended Princeton University for his undergraduate degree. World War II started as he finished his freshman year, and, having an interest in Asian Studies, Goodman signed up for the U.S. Army Intensive Japanese Language School for Military Intelligence at the University of Michigan. During the war, he interrogated Japanese prisoners and translated Japanese documents, including the Japanese surrender terms sent to General MacArthur.

Goodman returned to finish his B.A. at Princeton and received M.A. and PhD degrees in Far Eastern Studies and Japanese History, respectively, from the University of Michigan. He held several teaching positions at universities before becoming a professor of History at the University of Kansas in 1962. He later became co-director of the East Asian Center with Professor Felix Moos. Goodman continued to publish and present at conferences during his time at KU. His life's works total nine books, over 45 articles, and editor of eight books.

Goodman retired from KU in 1989 but remained involved with the KU School of Music, KU Hall Center for the Humanities, Endacott Society at the KU Alumni Center, and the English Alternative Theatre until his death in 2014. In 1990, he funded the establishment of the Grant Goodman Prize, awarded annually by the Association of Asian Studies to someone who demonstrates outstanding contributions to Philippines historical studies. The KU Center for East Asian Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Science,s and the Hall Center for the Humanities continue to honor him through the annual Grant K. Goodman Distinguished Lecture in Japanese Studies, which was started in 2002.