William Little (1929 - 2009)

The Trustees and staff of the National Humanities Center are deeply saddened by the death of Dr. William Little on Friday, February 27, 2009. Little's longtime support of the Center began even before it opened its doors for Fellows in 1978 as he served on the board of the Triangle Universities Center for Advanced Studies Inc. (TUCASI) and was instrumental in the arrangements that brought the Center to the Research Triangle Park. He was involved in the planning and construction of the Archie K. Davis building, which has been home to over 1,100 Fellows in the past thirty years. He subsequently was President of TUCASI.

In addition to being a vocal advocate for the Center and the Research Triangle Park, both locally and nationally, Little was an academic and administrative leader in the University of North Carolina community. He began teaching in the chemistry department at UNC-Chapel Hill in 1956 and would eventually serve not only as the chairman of that department, but in a variety of administrative posts on the campus and as vice-president of administration for the UNC system.

Dr. Little's involvement with the Research Triangle began in 1957 when he was appointed by Governor Luther Hodges to a committee exploring the possibility of establishing a scientific research center in the Triangle area. That effort resulted in the establishment of one of the leading centers for technological, pharmaceutical, and medical research in the world. In 2003, the Research Triangle Institute renamed its Medicinal Chemistry Building in his honor.

William Little was a generous and tireless supporter of the Center and its neighboring institutions. All who knew him will remember with gratitude and deep appreciation his talents and unflagging support. In lieu of flowers Dr. Little's daughter has requested that donations be made to the Center.