Deferred Legacy! The Continued Marginalization of the Atlanta Sociological Laboratory

Between 1895 and 1917 the Atlanta Sociological Laboratory made substantial contributions to the discipline of sociology, including the establishment of the first American school of sociology, institutionalization of method triangulation, institutionalization of the insider researcher, and institutionalization of the public acknowledgment of one's research. Despite these contributions that predate the Chicago School, the W. E. B. Du Bois led laboratory remains in the margins of American sociological discourse. This paper examines the contributions of the Atlanta Sociological Laboratory, offers explanations for the school's more than 100-year marginalization and examines its legacy in the discipline.