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1920s
1920First sociology courses offered
1920-1923Carl Taylor served as head of the sociology unit
Carl C. Taylor portrait
1923Department of Rural Sociology and History established
1923-1927Walfred A. Anderson served as head of sociology unit
1925Department of History and Sociology formed
The Department of History and Sociology formed when rural sociology curriculum was separated from the program. A separate Department of Rural Sociology was also created.
1926First PhD conferred
The first PhD was conferred to Jesse Mowry who received a degree in the rural sociology.
1927-1931G.W. Forster served as head of the agricultural economics and rural sociology unit
Dr. G. W. Forster portrait
1928First woman earned master's degree in rural sociology
Virginia F. Harris became the first woman to earn a master's degree in rural sociology.
1930s
circa 1930Rural Sociology Department merged
The Rural Sociology Department merged with the Agricultural Economics Department. The result of this merger was the creation of the Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Department.
1937Department of History and Sociology divided
The Department of History and Sociology divided into two departments: the Department of History and Department of Sociology.
1937-1963 Sanford Winston served as head of department of Sociology and Anthropology
Dr. Sanford Winston portrait
1940s
1940-1960Charles Horace Hamilton served as head of Department of Rural Sociology
Dr. C. Horace Hamilton portrait
1950s
1953Department of Sociology renamed
The Department of Sociology was renamed the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
1960s
1960-1981Selz Cabot Mayo served as department head
Dr. Mayo became the head of the Department of Rural Sociology (now the Department of Sociology and Anthropology) in 1960 and retired in 1981.
Selz C. Mayo portrait
1965First African American faculty instructor hired
Dorothy Williams became the first African American instructor with faculty ranking in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.
Dorothy S. Williams, NC State University Faculty
1966Department of Sociology and Anthropology established
Department of Rural Sociology merged with the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, retaining the latter name.
1967 Wilma C. Peebles-Wilkins graduated
Dr. Peebles-Wilkins was one of the first African American women to graduate from NC State's College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) with a degree in sociology.
1970s
1972"In a Black Perspective" published
NC State published "In a Black Perspective." This pamphlet totaled the university's black community at nine professors and 222 students (out of a total 13,809). The publication listed courses focusing on black history and culture: two in political Science and one on race relations in sociology.
1980s
1981-1985Ronald C. Wimberly served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
1986-1993Luther B. Otto served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
1990s
1990Economics and sociology programs split into separate departments
1993-2005William B. Clifford served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
William Clifford portrait
2000s
2005-2008 Edward L. Kick served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
2008-2013Maxine P. Atkinson served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Maxine Atkinson at Opening of 1911 Building
2010s
2013-2020William Smith served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
2020s
2020-2022Troy Case served as head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology
2023Andrea Leverentz became head of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology