1895 Born September 29, Waterloo, PA

1917-1919 United States Marine Corps

1920 Marries Louisa Weckesser

1920-1925 Pursues degrees in Botany/Plant Physiology; 1923 contemplates change in career; 1925 becomes member of American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR)

1925 Ph.D. in Botany, University of Chicago

1926-1927 Studies Philosophy at Harvard University;
Séance with Mina Crandon (Margery) on 7/1/26 in Boston;
Mentored by Dr. Walter Franklin Prince and worked as Research Officer for
Boston Society for Psychical Research (BSPR)

1927 Arrives Duke University to study with Dr. William McDougall, chair of
Psychology Department

1927-1928 Testing of psychic horse in Virginia

1928-1929: Instructor and then Assistant Professor of Psychology, Duke University

1930 Begins forced-choice card tests of telepathy and clairvoyance with Duke
University students utilizing scientific protocols with designed cards.

1934 Publication of Extra-Sensory Perception summarizing results of all earlier ESP tests;
advances to Associate Professor of Psychology; begins exploratory ESP testing across time (precognition), along with informal dice work (psychokinesis)

1935 Establishes the donor-funded Parapsychological Laboratory at Duke.

1936 Research continues, widely reported in national media; broadens network of
institutions replicating testing and procedures.

1937 Founds the Journal of Parapsychology, a peer-reviewed journal for the field.
Published New Frontiers of the Mind.

1938 Critics challenge research findings; Lab team participates in the American Psychology Association Symposium, which affirms ESP worthy of investigation

1939 Rhine and colleagues begin book countering criticisms from skeptics

1940 Publication of Extrasensory Perception After Sixty Years by JBR and colleagues.

1965 Retires from Duke; moves Parapsychology Lab off-campus and establishes
independent Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man (FRNM)

1980 Death of natural causes in Hillsborough NC on February 20