Dwight Hoover, the founding Director of the Center for Middletown Studies, passed away last week at the age of 95.  He served as Director of the Center from 1983 until 1991, when he retired from Ball State.  Dwight published widely over the course of his career on subjects ranging from Black History to his early life in rural Iowa.  He also wrote extensively about Middletown, including articles on modernization theory, religious experience, and the evolution of the auto industry.  He played a key role in organizing the Middletown Film Series (PBS, 1982; Icarus Films, 2010), a process he detailed in Middletown: The Making of a Documentary Film Series (1992).  More information about his life and work can be found in his obituary.

Donations in Dwight’s memory can be made to the Dwight Hoover Scholarship Fund. Contact the Ball State Department of History for donation information.