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Joseph W. Scott '57

BS Sociology/Secondary Teaching Certificate

Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Washington

Joseph W. Scott is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the University of Washington, retiring after a career of 40 years of university professorships. During his long career, Professor Scott has worked unceasingly for the civil rights and the advancement of all minorities. He has published approximately 50 articles and chapters, and also one book, entitled The Black Revolts: The Politics of Racial Stratification. He is currently finishing up two more books. His research scholarship has appeared in leading sociology and political science journals such as The American Sociological Review, The American Journal of Sociology, The National Journal of Sociology, and the Political Science Review. He has been a pioneer and past president of the Association of Black Sociologists, and a past president and vice president of the North Central Sociological Association. Professor Scott has been honored with numerous awards such as the G. Pritchy Smith Multicultural Educator Award given by the National Association for Multicultural Education; the Fulbright Scholar Award to Argentina (twice); the Ford Foundation Lecturer Award to Nigeria; and the Distinguished Alumni Award given by Central Michigan University. 

Joseph W. Scott was born and raised in Detroit, MI. He earned his undergraduate degree in sociology at Central Michigan University in 1957, earned his master's and Ph.D. at Indiana University. After serving two years in the U.S. Army, Dr. Joseph Scott became the first full-time African American faculty member at the University of Kentucky in the spring semester, 1965. Scott would begin the fall term as an assistant professor in the sociology department. Scott is presently a professor emeritus at the University of Washington; he has taught at four other higher education institutions in the U.S. as well as in Nigeria and Argentina.