Short answers, pulled from the story.
Duke University Press was founded in 1921 under the name Trinity College Press. The organization officially changed its name to Duke University Press in 1926 following the transition of the parent institution from Trinity College to Duke University.
Ernest Seeman served as the first director of Duke University Press after the name change in 1926. He inherited a fragile enterprise and set the stage for decades of intellectual growth by cultivating relationships with scholars across the humanities and social sciences.
Duke University Press publishes approximately 150 books annually and more than 55 academic journals. This output spans disciplines from African studies to queer theory and includes notable authors such as Achille Mbembe and Donna Haraway.
Duke University Press published the first non-medical peer-reviewed journal dedicated to transgender studies in 2014. The journal was named Transgender Studies Quarterly and provided a space for rigorous academic inquiry into gender identity and expression outside medical frameworks.
Dean Smith is the current director of Duke University Press. He continues the legacy of previous directors by championing open access initiatives and fostering partnerships that ensure the press remains at the forefront of scholarly communication.