John George Van Deusen P'43

Professor Emeritus of American History
1928-1960

John Van Deusen came to the Colleges in 1928 as an assistant professor of history and rose to full professor in 1936, at which point he became chair of the department of American history. He is considered by many as one of HWS' finest professors and scholars from the first half of the 20th century, noted for being ahead of his time in thinking about race relations for his book, "Black Man in White America," as well as 11 additional books. His research includes major emphasis on the role of the African American man in politics and the life of President Abraham Lincoln. During his time at the Colleges, he served as the coach of the Debate Team and helped the team win almost three-quarters of their debates during the more than six years he coached them. He was the founder of Pi Gamma Mu, a social science honor society, and Tau Kappa Alpha, an honorary forensic society. He retired in 1960 after 32 years at the Colleges. Van Deusen earned a B.A. and M.A. from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. from Columbia University.

Prior to coming to the Colleges, he taught in secondary schools and at Columbia University. In 1928, he was appointed by the Rockefeller Foundation to study African American life and history, a project on which he worked intermittently for three years.

DFA RECIPIENTS

2019

James L. Spates P'00, P'09

2018

Elena Ciletti

Patrick A. McGuire L.H.D.'12

2017

Jim Crenner

Benjamin Daise

Maureen Flynn P'09, P'12, P'16*

2016

Roger Farrand '49, P'78

Lois F. Nellis '46*

Ann B. Oaks '74, P'84, P'85, P'89

2014

Claudette Kemper Columbus

2013

Nicholas V. D'Angelo P'98

2012

Peter R. Beckman

Leonard Lawson L.H.D. '68*

Tom Millington

John George Van Deusen P'43

2011

Mary Gerhart

Joel Kerlan, P'89

Deborah Tall*

2010

Joseph N. Abraham, L.H.D. '81*

Donald L. Woodrow P'83, GP'15

2008

Valerie C. Saiving

William G. Hosking '47, P'74*

2007

Walter A. Ralls

2006

Valerie Kish

Frank O’Laughlin*

2004

John Loftus P'75, P'76, P'91*

Toni Flores P'94*

2003

Richard Heaton P'86*

Marvin Bram P'91, L.H.D. ’99

2002

Joseph DiGangi

Eugene F. Murphy P'74, L.H.D. '90*

2001

Ralph Bullard*

Kenneth Carle P'82, P'84, P'90

2000

Benjamin P. Atkinson, L.H.D. '86*

Otto Eugene Schoen-René*

John Lydenberg*

Lindsay A. J. Lafford P'65, P'71, L.H.D. '87*

1999

Robert A. Huff*

1998

Theodore Tellefsen Odell '20, Sc. D.'67*

Irving O. Bentsen '54

1997

Charles Delamater Vail '59, L.H.D.'04*

John Archer Silver*

Charles John Rose '76*

Francis Phillip Nash*

Joseph H. McDaniels, LL.D. '11*

1996

Abigail Mosey*

Brooks Otis, L.H.D. '77*

1995

John Muirheid*

Maynard O. Smith P'76

1993

Richard A. Ryan

William Pitt Durfee, LL.D. '22*

Walter Hetherington Durfee '08, Sc.D. '59*

1992

Elon Howard Eaton*

Edward E. Griffith, L.H.D. '88*

1991

Milton Haight Turk, LL.D. '38*

Kathryn Dapp Cook, L.H.D. '84*

1990

Horace Webster*

John Towler*

Hamilton Lanphere Smith, D.Sc. 1900*

* deceased