Name: Jones, Dennis (1932-1990)

Historical Note: A native Texan, Dennis M. Jones came to Luther in 1965 after earning his B.A. from Baylor University and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Iowa. Early in his distinguished career at Luther College, Dennis Jones was awarded a postdoctoral Danforth Fellowship in Afro-American Studies at Yale University for 1969-70. He was instrumental in developing the Black Studies Program and was a strong supporter of the Black Studies Department, now called the Africana Studies Department. He taught a variety of courses in American, African, African-American, and British literature. As an exchange professor in 1984-85, Professor Jones taught the English course at the District Hogskole (liberal arts college) and the Laerarhogskole (teachers' college) in Stavanger, Norway. In the summer of 1989, just two months after being honored at Luther for completing twenty-five years of teaching, he died very suddenly of a heart attack while leading a walking tour of Norway with his wife Beth and some friends. A thoughtful person, dedicated teacher, helpful colleague, and jovial friend, Dennis is still missed at the College. In the early 1990s, the NEH gave Luther College a $150,000 challenge grant for a distinguished teaching professorship in the humanities. Since Dennis Jones had written or supported several NEH grants for humanities education, the endowed professorship was named in his honor.

Sources: Library catalog and http://www.luther.edu/english/Jones/

Records or Manuscript Collections Created by Jones, Dennis