Walter Wallace, a professor emeritus of sociology at Princeton University, has died in Princeton. He was 88 years old.
After serving in the Army, Professor Wallace graduated from Columbia University in 1954 at the age of 27. He went on to earn a master’s degree in sociology from Atlanta University and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago.
Dr. Wallace began his academic career teaching at Spelman College in Atlanta. He then spent nine years on the faculty at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, before joining the faculty at Princeton in 1971. He served on the Princeton faculty for 30 years. At Princeton, Professor Wallace was the faculty adviser for the senior thesis of Michelle Robinson, who is now First Lady of the United States.
Dr. Wallace was the author of Principles of Scientific Sociology (Transaction, 1983) and The Future of Ethnicity, Race, and Nationality (Praeger, 1997).
Prof. Walter L Wallace left a lasting positive impression when he instructed my Northwestern Evanston Hospital School of Nursing Sociology Course in 1962. I wish I had made touch with him over the years and wish that he could have been here now to discuss today’s events. A missed opportunity for both of us.
I’m just seeing this in December, 2020. Professor Wallace remains one of the most influential teachers and mentors in my life. From 1954 or 1955 when he began his tenure at Spelman College, where he was my sociology teacher as well as advisor to the Spelman newsletter for which I wrote.
Fond memories, “Wally” and I remained friends for life. When I started a scholarship fund at Spelman in 2006, he was one of the first donors. I spoke to him many times over the years and am so honored to have been his student as well as his friend.
Rest In Peace, my friend.