W.E.B. DuBois, Penn Professor

But how can someone become a professor after passing away in 1963? Because they're awesome. But really, W.E.B. DuBois was awarded Penn professorship on Friday, as Diverse reports. After doing groundbreaking sociological research (funded by Penn) and writing two books (one of which was published by Penn), he was denied a job here at the university in the late 19th century. But after 100+ years, the university's board of trustees appointed DuBois Honorary Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Africana Studies.

Despite the fact that DuBois never actually taught at the university, Sociology Department chairman Tukufu Zuberi saw this appointment as a symbolic celebration of the equality DuBois fought for, saying, "At the end of the day, the symbolic outlives the real." Pretty neat, eh?