Thomas Sowell
American economist, economic historian, social theorist, and Hoover senior fellow.
Thomas Sowell (born June 30, 1930) is an American economist, economic historian, and social theorist. He is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a well-known voice in the American conservative movement as a prominent black conservative. He was a recipient of the National Humanities Medal from President George W. Bush in 2002.
Sowell was born into poverty in Gastonia, North Carolina, in 1930. His father died before he was born, and his mother died a few years later. He was raised by his great-aunt and her two adult daughters. The family moved to Harlem, New York City, when he was nine. Despite qualifying for the prestigious Stuyvesant High School, he was forced to drop out at seventeen due to financial hardship and family problems. He worked various odd jobs before being drafted into the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War, where he served as a photographer. After his honorable discharge, he attended night classes at Howard University before gaining admission to Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude in 1958 with a degree in economics. He earned a master’s degree from Columbia University the following year and a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago in 1968, where he studied under Nobel laureate George Stigler. Sowell has said he was a Marxist in his twenties but began shifting toward free-market economics after a 1960 internship with the U.S. Department of Labor, where he studied the effects of minimum wages on employment in Puerto Rico.
His academic career included professorships at Cornell University, Brandeis University, and the University of California, Los Angeles, as well as work at think tanks like the Urban Institute. Since 1977, he has been at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He declined offers to serve as Federal Trade Commissioner in the Ford administration and was considered for U.S. Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration. Sowell has authored more than 45 books on politics, economics, education, and race, and has been a syndicated columnist in over 150 newspapers. His views are described as conservative on social issues and libertarian on economics, though he has said he may best be labeled a libertarian while disagreeing with the libertarian movement on some issues, such as national defense. His influence has extended to figures such as economist Walter E. Williams and U.S. Supreme Cour
- born
- June 30, 1930, Gastonia, North Carolina
- field
- Economics, economic history, social theory
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Conservative and libertarian commentary, syndicated columnist, author of more th
Lore & Background
Sowell was born in Gastonia, North Carolina, and grew up in Harlem, New York City. Due to poverty and difficulties at home, he dropped out of Stuyvesant High School at age 17 and worked various odd jobs, eventually serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. Afterward, he graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1958. He earned a master's degree in economics from Columbia University the next year, and a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago in 1968. In his academic career, he held professorships at Cornell University, Brandeis University, and the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also worked at think tanks, including the Urban Institute. Since 1977, he has worked at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where he is the Rose and Milton Friedman Senior Fellow on Public Policy. Sowell has said that he was a Marxist during his 20s, but began to change his mind toward supporting free-market economics in 1960 after studying the possible impact of minimum wages on unemployment of sugar-industry workers in Puerto Rico as a U.S. Department of Labor intern. He was offered a position as Federal Trade Commissioner in the Ford administration and was considered for posts including U.S. Secretary of Education in the Reagan administration, but declined both.
Reader's Guide
Thomas Sowell's significance lies in his extensive body of work spanning economics, race, education, and social policy, which has influenced a wide range of economists, intellectuals, and public figures, including fellow economist Walter E. Williams and U.S. Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. He is the author of more than 45 books (including revised and new editions) on a variety of subjects, including politics, economics, education, and race, and he has been a syndicated columnist in more than 150 newspapers. His views are described as conservative on social issues, libertarian on economics, or libertarian-conservative. He has said he may be best labeled as a libertarian, though he disagrees with the 'libertarian movement' on some issues, such as national defense. Sowell was a frequent guest on The Rush Limbaugh Show, in conversations with Walter E. Williams. On December 27, 2016, Sowell announced the end of his syndicated column, writing that, at age 86, 'the question is not why I am' (the source cuts off there).
Did You Know?
- Sowell was the first in his family to study beyond the sixth grade when he qualified for Stuyvesant High School.
- He tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1948.
- Sowell's PhD dissertation was titled 'Say's law and the General glut Controversy'.
- He was offered a position as Federal Trade Commissioner by the Ford administration in 1976 but withdrew from consideration.
- Sowell was appointed as a member of the Economic Policy Advisory Committee of the Reagan administration but resigned after the first meeting.
More in Political And Social Theorists 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record