Marking History: Terry Sanford’s Legacy at Duke

A North Carolina roadside marker honors the former Duke president

People looking on at the new Terry Sanford roadside marker
Terry Sanford’s great-grandson, Gus, helped unveil the marker that honors Sanford’s life achievements in North Carolina and at Duke.

Former Duke University President Terry Sanford was honored Friday, May 23, with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker on the edge of Duke’s campus.

The dedication ceremony, held at the intersection of NC 751 and Science Drive, across from the Washington Duke Inn, celebrated Sanford’s monumental contributions to the state, including terms as governor and U.S. senator, and his transformative impact on Duke University, where he founded the institution that would become the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Officials from the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) highlighted the significance of the recognition, noting that only three markers have been commissioned in 2025, following a rigorous state approval process.

The event drew state dignitaries, former colleagues, Sanford family members, and Duke University representatives. Pam Cashwell, Secretary of DNCR, spoke about Terry Sanford's impact on North Carolina. A Fayetteville native, Cashwell added a personal connection, recalling Terry Sanford High School in her hometown as a tangible example of the priority Sanford consistently placed on education funding and policy.

True visionary

Three people standing next to a road marker
David Price, former U.S. congressman (left), with Terry Sanford Jr. and Duke President Vincent Price

Duke University President Vincent Price shared his pride in being a faculty member at the Sanford School of Public Policy and lauded Sanford’s enduring influence.

“Terry Sanford was a true visionary whose presidency helped define Duke’s outrageous ambitions for our first century, and whose extraordinary public service inspired countless people across our state,” President Price remarked.

Former Congressman David Price, a professor emeritus at the Sanford School of Public Policy, was recruited by Terry Sanford to be one of the original institute’s first faculty members. Reflecting on Sanford’s far-reaching legacy, he said, “Let this marker, and the extraordinary life it memorializes, serve as a reminder every time we pass this way that citizenship and principled leadership are high callings and that politics, as Terry Sanford practiced it, is an essential instrument for achieving our common purpose.”

Howard Lee, former mayor of Chapel Hill and a former North Carolina state legislator, recounted how Sanford served as an early inspiration for his own life and career.

“This man had the courage to stand up for what was right,” Lee said of Sanford. “This man had the commitment to ensure that all people had a chance at opportunity in life. He created the kind of model that we all should emulate.”

Terry Sanford’s journey and deep ties to Duke are central to his celebrated career. Following his governorship from 1961 to 1965, during which he championed education and civil rights, Sanford became president of Duke in 1970. He served until 1985, a period widely recognized for Duke’s ascent as a world-class research institution.

Sanford’s leadership was characterized by a commitment to academic excellence, an expansion of the university’s research capabilities, and a notable openness in addressing the student activism prevalent during those years. Sanford went on to serve one term as a U.S. senator, from 1987 to 1993. Following his Senate career, Sanford returned to Duke to teach and remained active in the public sphere.

“This man had the courage to stand up for what was right.”

Howard Lee, Former Mayor of Chapel Hill

An enduring legacy

His most visible and enduring legacy at Duke is the Sanford School of Public Policy. Sanford co-founded (with Joel Fleishman) the Institute of Policy Sciences and Public Affairs in 1971 with a clear vision of bridging academic theory and practical policy application. He believed in the power of “big ideas” and the importance of training ethical and effective leaders for public service.

This pioneering initiative evolved into the Sanford Institute of Public Policy and, later, the Sanford School of Public Policy, a testament to the strength and relevance of his original concept.

The spirit of Terry Sanford’s commitment to public service and impactful ideas continues to permeate the halls of the school he founded. Anna Gassman-Pines, senior associate dean for faculty affairs at the Sanford School of Public Policy, shared her reflections on his lasting presence:

“The Sanford School has a community built on shared values that Terry Sanford embodied: improving people’s lives through the pursuit of big ideas. As you walk through the halls of the Sanford School today, over 50 years after Terry Sanford founded it, you can still see his legacy in our students, faculty and staff working together to address the world’s most pressing policy problems.

“His impact on our country and our state is (rightly) celebrated here, but his impact on individual lives is still clear every day here at Duke as well.”

The newly unveiled North Carolina Highway Historical Marker at NC 751 and Science Drive in Durham is now a public testament to Terry Sanford's extraordinary career and indelible contributions to North Carolina and Duke University.

For more information about the life and legacy of Terry Sanford, please visit this link: https://sanford.duke.edu/about-us/meet-terry-sanford/