Stories of Consequence
Established in 2021, the DeLaney Center at Washington and Lee explores Southern race relations, culture and politics through various disciplinary approaches and theoretical perspectives. The center provides unique opportunities for students and faculty in the College, School of Law and the Williams School to examine the racial issues that have defined and continue to shape the U.S. South.
Named in honor of the late professor of history emeritus Theodore “Ted” DeLaney Jr. ’85, the center serves the university by encouraging the creation of new courses, facilitating faculty scholarship, and advancing original research and creative work by students. Co-curricular programming not only educates but also fosters community among students, faculty, staff and university neighbors.
The DeLaney Center builds on the work of its namesake who taught courses on colonial North America and African American, civil rights, and gay and lesbian history. DeLaney’s scholarship focused on the untold histories of African Americans in Virginia, including John Chavis, who studied at Liberty Hall Academy and is the first known African American to receive a college education in the United States. Much of DeLaney’s research found its way into the courses he taught and the presentations he developed for W&L Alumni College, class reunion programs, neighboring universities, museums and historical societies.
During his time on faculty, DeLaney worked tirelessly to make the university a more welcoming and inclusive place, and he encouraged the institution to thoughtfully examine its complex history. A wise and caring teacher with a passion for justice, he was a mentor to numerous faculty and students, including Chris Dyson ’00, who graduated from W&L with a degree in history, magna cum laude. Dyson and his family held DeLaney in very high regard during his years as a student. Now that he is a member of the W&L Board of Trustees, Dyson has a greater appreciation for DeLaney’s leadership and impact on the university.
“Ted was an amazing man in every respect. He was an incredible teacher and student adviser,” said Dyson. “He was a superb listener who took a keen interest in our lives and made a huge impact on me and generations of students. Ted’s own personal connection to the university and his deep understanding of the history of the institution was second to none. His devotion to our learning and his drive for progress was unstinting; he was simply one of the greatest figures in Washington and Lee’s history and cannot be honored enough, in my opinion.”
In addition to his work on W&L’s Board of Trustees, Dyson is vice chairman and treasurer of the Dyson Foundation, a private, grant-making organization in Millbrook, New York, that focuses on nonprofits in the Mid-Hudson Valley. It also enhances educational institutions in its backyard and beyond. At Dyson’s recommendation, the foundation awarded W&L a $3 million grant to endow the DeLaney Center director position. Michael Hill, professor and chair of Africana Studies, was named the inaugural director of the DeLaney Center in April 2022. Funding from the Dyson Foundation will enable Hill to engage the W&L community in vibrant new programming and position the center as a national leader among liberal arts institutions.
"Washington and Lee is uniquely positioned to play a major role in promoting this research, teaching and programming." — Chris Dyson '00
The opportunity to honor his former professor by supporting the DeLaney Center financially is just one of the reasons Dyson recommended a grant for this new initiative. In his leadership role at the university, Dyson recognizes the important impact the center will have on enhancements to the curriculum and enriching the experience for all W&L students and faculty.
“The DeLaney Center will allow Washington and Lee to be a leader in this work, to attract top scholars, and to energize students who are eager to learn more about the university’s rich history and identity,” said Dyson. “I am pleased the Board of Trustees provided funding to establish the center in 2021 and through the Dyson Foundation, it will be propelled even further in the years to come.”
Additionally, the university will raise $24 million to endow the work of the DeLaney Center including support for faculty positions, postdoctoral fellowships, one-year fellowships for current faculty, and funds to bring visiting scholars, artists and practitioners to campus to enrich the curriculum. Endowments will also fund research and leadership opportunities for DeLaney Undergraduate Fellows and DeLaney Center programs, student and faculty participation in conferences, and other events.
In addition to supporting transformative projects that improve the lives of its beneficiaries, the Dyson Foundation serves as a catalyst in improving organizations’ capacity to better fulfill their missions.
“Washington and Lee is uniquely positioned to play a major role in promoting this unique research, teaching and programming — not only at the university, but also among its alumni community and higher education more broadly,” said Dyson. “It is the hope of the Dyson Foundation that serving as an early supporter of this initiative signals its importance and that our backing will encourage other foundations and donors to join us in investing in this important work.”