In Memoriam: Dorothy Ross, 1936-2024

Dorothy Ross, professor emerita of history at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, passed away on May 22. She was 87 years old.

Dr. Ross began her career with Johns Hopkins University in 1990 as a full professor in the department of history. Three years later, she was appointed as chair of her department, making her the first woman to hold the position. Additionally, she previously held the title of Arthur O. Lovejoy Professor of History. Before her long tenure with Johns Hopkins University, she held faculty positions with Princeton University and the University of Virginia.

As an academic, Dr. Ross’ work centered around understanding the history of various social science fields such as psychology, economics, political science, and sociology. Her various research endeavors led her to authoring The Origins of American Social Science (Cambridge University Press, 1992) and G. Stanley Hall: The Psychologist as Prophet (University of Chicago Press, 1972).

Earlier this year, Johns Hopkins established an endowed professorship in her honor: The Dorothy Ross Professor of Political Economy and Professor at the Agora Institute. In addition to her academic contributions, Dr. Ross left her mark on the department of history through a 2023 donation to establish the New Directions Fund. The fund is used to support graduate students in their research efforts and professional development.

Dr. Ross was a graduate of Smith College, a women’s college in Northampton, Massachusetts. She received her master’s degree and doctorate from Columbia University in New York City.