Congratulations to John Baugh

I am pleased to announce that John Baugh, currently Professor of Education and Linguistics at Stanford University, joined us as of January 1, 2005 as the inaugural holder of the Margaret Bush Wilson Professor in Arts & Sciences. He arrives as Professor of Psychology and Director of the African and Afro-American Studies Program in Arts & Sciences effective March 1, 2005. He will also hold titles in the Departments of Education, English and Anthropology in Arts & Sciences.

Professor Baugh received his B.S. in speech/rhetoric from Temple University (1972), and earned an M.A. (1976) and a Ph.D. (1979) in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Stanford in 1991, he held faculty positions at Swarthmore College and the University of Texas. Professor Baugh has authored countless articles and several books, including Black Street Speech: Its History, Structure and Survival; Out of the Mouths of Slaves: African American Language and Educational Malpractice; and Beyond Ebonics: Linguistic Pride and Racial Prejudice.

Professor Baugh’s listed professional interests include educational applications of linguistic science, sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, linguistic discrimination in institutions, the ebonics controversy, urban language study, and the sociology of language acquisition. His most recent line of research focuses on a concept he calls “linguistic profiling” whereby race is identified based on characteristics of a caller’s voice during telephone conversations. Implications from these studies include illegal housing discrimination based on speech patterns. This research has attracted financial support from the Ford Foundation and accolades from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Professor Baugh excels in the classroom, where he has been recognized for excellence in teaching. At Texas, he won the President’s Associate Teaching Excellence Award and at Stanford, he has twice received the St. Clair Drake Teaching Award. He holds numerous professional memberships and has been an active leader in many of these organizations.

I am especially gratified that Professor Baugh will be the inaugural holder of the Margaret Bush Wilson Professorship in Arts & Sciences, honoring a longtime civil rights activist and emerita member of Washington University’s Board of Trustees.

Ms. Wilson’s contributions to racial justice and equal opportunity span nearly sixty years. She has been actively involved with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, serving nine terms as chair of its national board of directors. She was the first woman of color elected as chair. Washington University has been fortunate to claim Ms. Wilson’s commitment as a loyal and dedicated member of the Board of Trustees (1978-87). She is a charter member of the Arts & Sciences National Council and remains an active member. She is also a member of the advisory board for American Culture Studies in Arts & Sciences. We anticipate a formal installation during the 2005-06 academic year.

Edward S. Macias