Sociology Professor Ann Creighton-Zollar Retires After Nearly 30 Years at VCU

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University Sociology Professor Ann Creighton-Zollar, Ph.D., who was instrumental in the formation of the Department of African American Studies, retired on May 15 after nearly three decades of service to the university.

Creighton-Zollar joined the faculty at VCU in 1981. She had learned from the chairman of her dissertation committee at the University of Illinois at Chicago that VCU was searching for a faculty member from an urban university with expertise in sociology, anthropology and African American studies.

“It was a perfect fit for my interests. And I said no wonder they haven’t filled this position because I haven’t applied for it,” Creighton-Zollar said. “I haven’t even considered looking for another job in the last 29-and-a-half years.”

Creighton-Zollar, along with Norrece Jones, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of History, laid the groundwork to help create what would eventually become the Department of African American Studies. Creighton-Zollar served as acting coordinator of the program from 1984 to 1985, interim director from 1993 to 1995 and director from 1995 to 1998.

“Ann Creighton-Zollar will go down in the annals of VCU as the Mother of African American Studies, as it was her leadership that gave birth to the establishment of the Department of African American Studies,” said Shawn Utsey, Ph.D., chair, Department of African American Studies.

Creighton-Zollar worked to increase the number of faculty members affiliated with the program, and successfully lobbied for African American Studies to get its own budget.  Previously, the salaries of African American Studies faculty, who are jointly appointed, were paid entirely by their “home” departments.

“The program’s administrator was known as a coordinator in the early years. And an important part of the coordinator’s job was to coordinate course listings with other departments,” Creighton-Zollar said. “I sincerely believe it was this structure that allowed us to grow at a time when other programs around the country were being closed down because our curriculum was so intertwined with that of our cooperating departments.”   

Family has been the focus of many of the courses taught by Creighton-Zollar over the years, including marriage and the family, diverse families, African American family relationships and family research. She has been an active researcher, has conducted seminars on effective black parenting and has written a number of articles, books and book chapters over the years. 

While retirement means rest and relaxation for many, Creighton-Zollar will continue to research and write. She is currently investigating the impact of a lack of vitamin D on the health of African Americans.

“I’ll be doing everything that I did before except for undergraduate teaching. I plan to participate in workshops and lectures, review articles for journals and write,” Creighton-Zollar said.