Samuel DuBois Cook Society

---

SOCIETY HONORS DUKE PROFESSOR, TRUSTEE

DURHAM, N.C. - In 1966, Duke University Professor Samuel DuBois Cook became the first black named to the faculty of a predominately white university in the South. Now, 30 years later, a new society formed in his honor at Duke plans to recognize this academic leader and note the achievements of others who are following in his footsteps.

Active members must agree to mentor a person of African descent who is enrolled or employed at Duke and must serve on one of the standing committees that undertakes projects related to the society's mission.

Cook came to Duke in 1965 and became a political science faculty member a year later. He left Durham in 1974 to accept the presidency at Dillard University. He served as a member of the Duke University Board of Trustees from 1981 until 1993 when he was elected by the board as a trustee emeritus.

Cook was the first black president of the Southern Political Science Association and served as vice president of the American Political Science Association. He retired as president of Dillard in 1997 having served for 22 years. Under his leadership, the National Center for Black-Jewish Relations was established, the only center of its kind in the world. Dillard also became the only historically black college with a Japanese studies program.