In recognition of Butler A. Jones' tenure at Ohio Wesleyan University, his contributions to the field of sociology and race relations, his involvement in the civil rights movement, and his commitment to the development of other scholars and professionals, the Department of Sociology/Anthropology established the Butler A. Jones Lectureship on Race and Society in September 1995 and unveiled a Butler A. Jones bust in Elliott Hall in April 1999.

Butler Jones Biography

Butler A. Jones graduated from Morehouse College in 1937, earned a master's degree at Atlanta University and a Ph.D. from New York University. Before coming to Ohio Wesleyan University, Jones taught four years at an Atlanta high school and nine years at Talladega College in Alabama. Jones taught at Ohio Wesleyan University from 1952-1969 and headed the sociology department for eight of those years. He was named chairman of Cleveland State's sociology department in 1969 and retired as professor emeritus in 1982. He also served visiting professorships at NYU, Oberlin, and other colleges, and was a member of 28 professional associations.

Jones assumed leadership roles in many of those associations. He founded and served as president of the American Association of Black Sociologists and was chapter president of the American Association of University Professors in three different institutions, including Ohio Wesleyan. Jones also served as chairperson on numerous organizations including the American Sociological Association, North Central Sociological Association, Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Cleveland Music School Settlement, Cleveland Community Action Against Addiction, the Delaware Civil Rights Committee, and the Cleveland Federation for Community Planning.

In contributing to the quest for equality among races, Jones submitted ten briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court in cases involving equal treatment of all citizens and completed background research for the 1940 Carnegie-Myrdal Study of African Americans.

Finally, Jones received numerous honors and awards, including the 1985 Lee-Founders Award, the North Central Sociological Association's Professional Service Award, the Cleveland Federation for Community Planning Distinguished Service Award and the Cleveland State University Distinguished Faculty Award for Community Service.

2024 Lecture

Beyond Diversity & Inclusion: Rethinking the Community Engagement Mission of Higher Education

This event took place on Thursday, February 15th, 2024

Davarian L. Baldwin 

Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies Founding Director, Smart Cities Research Lab Trinity College

Guided by his recent book, In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower, Davarian L. Baldwin will discuss how the current higher education model of "diversity and inclusion" has and has not served its mission of community engagement. This conversation explores how the largely educational focus of diversity and inclusion must encompass higher education's engagement with the world beyond the campus gates, especially as schools occupy aracially and economically uneven relationship with their host communities. Baldwin will outline how a more comprehensive vision of diversity, inclusion, and equity, that includes both campus and community, is the only promising path forward.

This lecture is free and open to the public.

Department Contact Info

Location

Elliott Hall 205
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
P 740-368-3906
E soan@owu.edu

Department Contact

Chair: Vanessa Hildebrand
Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Elliott Hall 309
740-368-3786
vmhildebrand@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Deborah Lovell
Academic Assistant
Elliott Hall 205
740-368-3906
djlovell@owu.edu