Stone, Olive M. (Olive Matthews), 1897-1977

Olive Matthews Stone was a sociologist involved in social welfare and race relations. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of North Carolina in 1939 and was later associated with the Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina. She was associate professor in the School of Social Welfare, University of California at Los Angeles, 1949-1964.

From the description of Olive M. Stone papers, 1838-1977. WorldCat record id: 25723774

Sociologist Olive Polly Matthews Stone was born 13 January 1897 in Dadeville, Ala., the second of four children of Augusta Gussie Matthews and William Carson Stone. She received her Ph.D. in sociology from the University of North Carolina in 1939 and was later associated with the Institute for Research in Social Science at the University of North Carolina. She spent time observing group relations and tensions in India, China, and Japan for the Fellowship of Reconciliation 1931-1932. She was associate professor in the School of Social Welfare, University of California at Los Angeles, 1949-1964. Her work focused on social welfare, race relations, southern farmers, and the training of social workers. Stone was involved in radical politics and civil rights, especially in the 1930s. She advocated for the rights of farmers and sharecroppers, attended race relations conferences, helped establish the Southern Committee for People's Rights, was involved with the Southern Negro Youth Congress and the Southern Conference for Human Welfare, and worked with a Montgomery hospitality group for those involved in sharecroppers' union, peace, and civil rights work. She died 8 November 1977 in Santa Monica, Calif.

Professional Career

• 1918: Received an A. B. in English from Huntingdon College (then Woman's College of Alabama), Montgomery, Ala.
• 1927: Assistant professor of Sociology and Social Work at Alabama College in Montevallo, Ala.
• 1929: Received an A. M. in Social Service Administration from University of Chicago
• 1929: Associate professor of Sociology and Social Work at Huntingdon College
• 1934: Visiting scholar, Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., and Elmhirst Fellow, Institute for Research in the Social Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 1936: Professor of social work, College of William and Mary and Richmond School of Social Work
• 1939: Received the Ph.D. in sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• 1942: Professor of sociology, Georgia State College for Women, Valdosta, Ga.
• 1944: Held various positions in the Federal Bureau of Family Services (later a department of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare)
• 1949: Associate professor, School of Social Welfare, University of California at Los Angeles
• 1964: Retired

From the guide to the Olive M. Stone Papers, 1838-1977, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.)