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Disability History at Duke University

Duke telephone operators, 1961

A group of women telephone operators, one of whom uses a wheelchairA group of Duke employed women telephone operators, one of whom uses a wheelchair, 1961, from Duke University Archives Photographic Negative Collection.

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Secondary Sources, Research Papers, & More

We'll be adding to this list as we learn about new books, articles, research papers, and online projects. Contact us to suggest additional sources!

Stories and analysis of the experience of marginalized populations at Duke University during the COVID-19 pandemic with historical reference to past pandemics such as AIDS and the Influenza Pandemic of 1918.

General Duke University Histories

Do you need to find general histories of Duke University and Durham to help contextualize your research? This bibliography should help. Most, if not all of these books, should be available as an e-book or as a copy that can be checked out from Perkins/Bostock.

When in doubt, the four books below are the key resources on Duke and Durham history:

  • Anderson, Jean. Durham County. 2nd edition. Durham: Duke University Press, 2011. (print copy OR ebook)
  • Chaffin, Nora Campbell. Trinity College, 1839-1892: The Beginnings of Duke University. Durham: Duke University Press, 1950. (print copy)
  • Durden, Robert F. The Launching of Duke University, 1924-1949. Durham: Duke University Press, 1993. (print copy OR ebook)
  • Porter, Earl W. Trinity and Duke, 1892-1924. Durham: Duke University Press, 1964. (print copy OR digitized copy available via Internet Archive)

Note that the Duke histories end in 1949. Jean Anderson's Durham County will provide some information about recent Duke history--particularly as it relates to Durham--and Jon Phelps' booklet, "'I have selected Duke University': A Short History," will help with big historical highlights through the 1970s (a copy of the booklet is available online).