The Duke History department mourns the passing of our friend, mentor, student, and colleague Julius Scott, PhD ’86. Through his legendary dissertation and celebrated book, The Common Wind, Professor Scott reshaped the fields of Atlantic and Caribbean history. His work gave scholars a vital and vibrant way to access the intellectual and political networks of enslaved and insurgent peoples. Through his teaching and mentoring a cohort of scholars diverse in their composition and brilliant in their approach, he transformed the History Department as well as the profession. He will be missed, but his legacy lives on his scholarship, the scholarship of his students and advisees, and in the rigor and diversity he nurtured.
For Professor Scott’s ongoing legacy as scholar and mentor, see the Duke Graduate School Symposium on The Common Wind:
https://gradschool.duke.edu/about/news/history-alumni-celebrate-common-wind-launched-their-careers
See also the Forum for Scholars and Publics’ video of the symposium:
For more on Professor Scott’s storied career, see the Duke Magazine:
https://alumni.duke.edu/magazine/articles/alumnus-underground-history-sensation-gets-its-due
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