Knight, Douglas Maitland, Jr., 1921-2005

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Born June 8, 1921, in Cambridge, MA, Douglas M. Knight was educated at Yale University and received an A.B. in 1942, an M.A. in 1944, and a Ph.D. in 1946. He served as an instructor and assistant professor of English from 1947 to 1953 at Yale University. Knight then became president of Lawrence University, in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1953.

In 1963, Knight was persuaded to come to Duke University. New beginnings and unique building projects characterized his tenure. The conversion of a science building into an Art Museum, construction of a hyperbaric chamber, a phytotron, and the largest nuclear structure laboratory in the Southeast added new dimensions to research at the University, as did the launching of the first ship built specifically for oceanographic research. In addition, new undergraduate and medical school curricula, interdisciplinary programs in biomedical engineering and forestry management, joint M.D.-J.D. and M.D.-PhD. degrees, and a new School of Business Administration were started. Most significantly the major Perkins Library addition made it possible to double every library service and increase capacity some five times over. That so much was accomplished in a time of increasing national conflict and student confrontation at Duke was remarkable.

In 1969, Knight left Duke to become vice-president of the Educational Development Division of RCA Corporation. He later became president of SEED in 1973, and then president of the Questar Corporation in 1976.

From the guide to the Douglas M. Knight records, ., 1949 - 1970, (University Archives, Duke University)

Douglas M. Knight served as president of Duke University from 1963 to 1969. Knight was educated at Yale and served as president of Lawrence University prior to becoming president of Duke. After leaving Duke in 1969, he worked as an industry executive at several firms.

From the description of Douglas M. Knight records, 1949-1970. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 53906096

Born June 8, 1921, in Cambridge, MA, Douglas M. Knight was educated at Yale University and received an A.B. in 1942, an M.A. in 1944, and a Ph.D. in 1946. He served as an instructor and assistant professor of English from 1947 to 1953 at Yale University. Knight then became president of Lawrence University, in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1953.

In 1963, Knight was persuaded to come to Duke University. New beginnings and unique building projects characterized his tenure. The conversion of a science building into an Art Museum, construction of a hyperbaric chamber, a phytotron, and the largest nuclear structure laboratory in the Southeast added new dimensions to research at the University, as did the launching of the first ship built specifically for oceanographic research. In addition, new undergraduate and medical school curricula, interdisciplinary programs in biomedical engineering and forestry management, joint M.D.-J.D. and M.D.-PhD. degrees, and a new School of Business Administration were started. Most significantly the major Perkins Library addition made it possible to double every library service and increase capacity some five times over. That so much was accomplished in a time of increasing national conflict and student confrontation at Duke was remarkable.

In 1969, Knight left Duke to become vice-president of the Educational Development Division of RCA Corporation. He later became president of SEED in 1973, and then president of the Questar Corporation in 1976.

From the guide to the Douglas M. Knight records, ., 1949 - 1970, (University Archives, Duke University)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Woodhall, Barnes, 1905-. Barnes Woodhall papers, 1930-1978. Duke University, Medical Center Library & Archives
referencedIn Basil Lee Whitener Papers, 1889-1968 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Duke University. University Archives. Duke Vigil collection, 1968-1988. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Mimms, Christine, 1909-1940. Christine Mimms papers, 1946-1986. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Duke University. President. Relations with our black students with respect to African and Afro-American studies / from Douglas M. Knight, President, Barnes Woodhall, Chancellor. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
creatorOf Knight, Douglas F., 1921-. Oral history interview with Douglas F. Knight, 1978 March 12. University of North Texas Library, UNT
referencedIn Biographical Reference Collection, ., 1972 - 2004 University Archives, Duke University.
referencedIn WDBS (Radio station : Durham, N.C.). WDBS collection, 1949-1983. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Research Triangle Foundation Records, 1955-1999 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection
referencedIn Bharatonatyam: At the Heart of a Family Tradition, 2008 Randall V. Mills Archives of Northwest Folklore
referencedIn Anlyan, William G. William G. Anlyan papers, 1930-1995. Duke University, Medical Center Library & Archives
creatorOf Douglas M. Knight records, ., 1949 - 1970 University Archives, Duke University.
creatorOf Knight, Douglas M., 1921-2005. Douglas M. Knight records, 1949-1970. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Arthur, William, Jr. Papers, 1969. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn Duke University. University Archives. Allen Building Takeover collection, 1969-2002. Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
referencedIn William Baskerville Hamilton Papers, 1700-1975 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Duke Endowment Archives, bulk, 1902-2008 and undated, 1925-2006 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn News Service Biographical Files, ., circa 1930s - 2004 University Archives, Duke University.
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, George V. (George Venable), 1903-1970. person
associatedWith Anlyan, William G. person
associatedWith Arthur, William, Jr. person
associatedWith Brown, Les, 1912-2001. person
associatedWith Changi POW Camp (Changi, Singapore) corporateBody
associatedWith Cole, Taylor, 1905-1991. person
associatedWith Duke Endowment corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. Afro-American Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. Board of Trustees. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. Graduate School of Business Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. Museum of Art. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. News Service. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. President. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. President. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. President. person
associatedWith Duke University. School of Engineering. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. School of Forestry. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. School of Law. corporateBody
associatedWith Duke University. University Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Hamilton, William Baskerville, 1908-1972 person
associatedWith Hanes, R. Philip, 1926-2011. person
associatedWith Hanks, Nancy, 1927-1983. person
associatedWith Huckabee, Ellen Harris. person
associatedWith Jones, Edwin Lee. person
associatedWith Knight, Douglas M., 1921- person
associatedWith Latty, Elvin R. (Elvin Remus), 1903- person
associatedWith Marcello, Ronald E. person
associatedWith McKissick, Floyd B. (Floyd Bixler), 1922-1991. person
associatedWith Mimms, Christine, 1909-1940. person
associatedWith North Texas State University. Oral History Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith Rauch, Henry E. person
associatedWith Reed, Suzanne person
associatedWith Research Trianlge Foundation. corporateBody
associatedWith Rowlands, Graddon, 1937- person
associatedWith Semans, Mary Duke Biddle Trent. person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Field Artillery, 131st. Battalion, 2nd. corporateBody
associatedWith Wade, Charles B. (Charles Byrd), 1915- person
associatedWith WDBS (Radio station : Durham, N.C.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Whitener, Basil Lee, 1915- person
associatedWith Woodhall, Barnes, 1905- person
associatedWith World War II Prisoners of War Oral History Project. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Singapore
Japan
United States
North Carolina--Durham
North Carolina
East Indies
Indonesia
Subject
African American college students
Civil rights demonstrations
College administrators
Educational fund raising
Students
Prisoners of war
Student movements
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1900

Birth 1921-06-08

Death 2005-01-23

Americans

English

Information

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