Darity Receives Inaugural William Spriggs Memorial Award from APPAM

Sanford congratulates William A. “Sandy” Darity Jr., Samuel DuBois Cook Distinguished Professor of Public Policy, African and African American Studies, and Economics, on receiving the inaugural William Spriggs Memorial Award at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Annual Fall Research Conference in November 2024.

Newly established this year, the award honors the late William Spriggs, a visionary economist and labor policy advocate, for his lifelong commitment to equity, fairness, and inclusion. The William Spriggs Memorial Award recognizes academics and practitioners who have made sustained, trailblazing contributions to advancing our understanding of racial discrimination in public policy, education, labor markets, and society over at least 20 years.

Darity’s extensive and influential work exemplifies the values celebrated by this award. A pioneering scholar of stratification economics and the economics of reparations, his research delves into racial disparities, inequality, and the historical and social factors shaping economic outcomes. He is the founding director of Duke’s Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity, where he continues to lead critical research and policy initiatives addressing social and economic inequities.

In addition to his prolific research portfolio, Darity has co-edited the Autumn 2024 issue of the Oxford Review of Economic Policy, which focuses on racial economic disparities. This special issue explores innovative frameworks for understanding and addressing systemic inequities, further solidifying Darity’s role as a thought leader in the field.

This recognition from APPAM follows another major milestone earlier this year: Darity was named a 2024 Distinguished Fellow of the American Economic Association (AEA), one of the highest honors in the discipline. The AEA Distinguished Fellowship recognizes economists who have made transformative contributions to the field through their research, teaching, and leadership. Learn more about this achievement here.

Throughout his career, Darity has earned numerous accolades, including the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award from the National Economic Association and Politico 50 recognition. He has served as a visiting scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation, the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, and the National Humanities Center, among others. His widely acclaimed book, From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the 21st Century, co-authored with A. Kirsten Mullen, has catalyzed national conversations on reparative justice and economic repair. His latest book The Black Reparations Project: A Handbook for Racial Justice continues exploring his groundbreaking work. 

The Sanford community celebrates these milestones in Darity’s distinguished career, recognizing his profound contributions to scholarship, public policy, and the pursuit of social justice.