Now a professor emeritus, Dr. Whitecotton taught courses in anthropology and liberal studies at the University of Oklahoma for more than 30 years until 1999.
VISALIA, CA, May 24, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Joseph Walter Whitecotton with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Mr. Whitecotton celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Now a professor emeritus, Dr. Whitecotton taught courses in anthropology and liberal studies at the University of Oklahoma for more than 30 years until 1999. He also chaired the anthropology department from 1969 to 1972 and served as a curator for the University of Oklahoma Stovall Museum and the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. Aside from his commitments in anthropology, Dr. Whitecotton designed and taught an online course on jazz for several years. Upon his retirement, he remained in education as a visiting professor of anthropology at Wake Forest University in North Carolina between 2003 and 2005.
Dr. Whitecotton has been a respected jazz player for over 45 years. He has played the trumpet and performed vocals throughout the Miami and Oklahoma City areas, as well as on the west coast of the U.S. and in Europe. Moreover, Dr. Whitecotton penned a book titled "Imagining Chinatown," which is the story of how the Chinese people have been treated by popular music and jazz, although he has yet to publish it.
Dr. Whitecotton began his academic career as a teaching assistant while pursuing his doctoral degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He subsequently taught as an instructor of anthropology at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.
A vast field, Dr. Whitecotton pursued anthropology due to his upbringing in the small rural town of Amo, Indiana. Despite his desire to study music in college, he knew jazz would not earn him a good living. However, he remained active in a jazz group for several years, playing at jazz festivals, clubs, weddings, and other events.
As a respected anthropologist and ethnohistorian, Dr. Whitecotton received numerous research grants to support his field and archival work in Mexico, Italy, and Northern New Mexico. He also authored and edited works in his area, including "The Zapotecs: Princes, Priests & Peasants" in 1977 and 1984, "Los Zapotecos" in 1983, 1992, and 2004, and "Zapotec Elite Ethnohistory" in 1990.
Dr. Whitecotton attended the Culver Military Academy during his teenage years. In addition to his academics, he was a member of the dance band, which led to his interest in jazz. After high school, Dr. Whitecotton graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Arts in 1959. After completing postgraduate studies at Mexico City College in 1960 and the University of Massachusetts in 1961, he received a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1968.
To remain aware of developments in his industry, Dr. Whitecotton became a member of the American Anthropological Association, the Society for American Archaeology, and the Society for American Popular Culture. He has also been active as a member and presidential nominee of the American Society for Ethnohistory. Concerning his contributions to music, Dr. Whitecotton has been affiliated with the International Society of Jazz Educators.
Honoring his accomplishments, Dr. Whitecotton was recognized with a Rufus G. Hall Faculty Award from the University of Oklahoma.
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