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UMass Professor Emeritus Dr. Robert Paul Wolff, Who Bridged Philosophy and African American Studies, Dies at 91

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Dr. Robert Paul Wolff, a distinguished philosopher, educator, and champion of educational equity, passed away last week.Dr. Robert Paul WolffDr. Robert Paul Wolff

Born December 27, 1933, Wolff dedicated his life to scholarship, teaching, and advocacy. During his tenure at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he held joint appointments in Philosophy and Afro-American Studies, he challenged conventional academic and social boundaries.

His memoir, Autobiography of an Ex-White Man: Learning a New Master Narrative for America, published in 2005, chronicled his transformative journey and intellectual evolution while teaching in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies at UMass. The book offered a profound reflection on race, education, and personal transformation in American academia.

At UMass, Wolff's most significant institutional contribution was the creation of "Scholars of the Twenty-First Century," a groundbreaking mentoring program for underrepresented undergraduate students that he established through external grant funding. This program embodied his commitment to expanding academic opportunities and fostering diversity in higher education. His work as the first graduate program director in the Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies helped strengthen the department's reputation as a leading center for African American intellectual thought.

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