American Sociologists

Sociology’s Roots  Even though Sociology’s roots trace back to Europe, the United States is where its primary development took place.  In 1892, the first department of sociology was established at the University of Chicago

Sociology’s Roots After WWII, Sociology departments were started across the nation including Harvard, Columbia(east), Wisconsin, Michigan (central), Stanford, U of C (west)

Jane Addams ( )  Attended Women’s Medical College of Philadelphia  As a child was disillusioned with Government and business corruption  On a trip to Europe she saw how the government was helping the people living in slums

Jane Addams ( )  With Ellen Gates Starr, she open Hull House in Chicago to help the needy  She worked to show how the imbalance of power in classes affected the poor  She was active in Women’s suffrage and peace movements too.

Jane Addams ( )  In 1931, she won the Nobel Peace Prize (First Sociologist)  Because she did not work at a University, she was never considered a Sociologist only a Social Worker during her life

W.E.B. Du Bois ( )  African American Educator and Social Activist  In 1895, DuBois was the first African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard  He saw the plight of African Americans after teaching in rural schools around Nashville

 He studied the social structure of African American communities around the United States and later world  He published many books on the subject  In later life he traveled abroad helping peoples of African descent

Booker T Washington ( )  He was born into slavery and then he was emancipated  Educated at Hampton Institute which was a school for Freedman  He founded Tuskegee Institute in 1881  He felt his people should accept segregation for promises of economic mobility.

Robert Ezra Park ( )  Worked as an aide to Booker T Washington  He later went and taught at the University of Chicago  He was interested in how populations grow and change  He became a journalist and studied the Chicago population during his time at the newspaper

George Herbert Mead ( )  He was a professor at the University of Chicago’s Sociology department  His theory is that our sense of self develops as we interact with the world.

Julian Samora ( )  He was the first famous Mexican American Sociologist  In 1953, he earned his doctorate at Washington University  His work focused on the Mexican American civil rights, poverty, discrimination, and public health