Who I am:

I received my PhD from Duke University, and I currently teach in the Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies (CRGC) at American University in Washington DC where I directed the program in American Studies. My first book Black Prisoners and Their World, (2000), examined the lives of convict coal miners in late nineteenth century Alabama. My most recent book, She Changed the Nation:  Barbara Jordan’s Life and Legacy in Black Politics, (2024) focuses on Jordan’s emergence after the civil rights movement as a nationally recognized southern Black woman political leader, orator, and leading Democrat. Broadly speaking, my research examines African American life in the South after emancipation, with an expansive view of how Black communities both endured and responded to ongoing racist oppression and violence.

My Fulbright grant focuses on:

As a Fulbright scholar I plan to teach a course on race and American politics. I will  introduce students to the key role that Black politicians, activists, and women have played in modern American political life, and explore with them why race remains an ongoing and controversial subject in political debates and legal questions regarding representation. Essentially, we will examine how American democracy has changed over time in how it treats the issue of race.

I decided to apply for a Fulbright grant because:

I think it is important to understand the changes in twentieth century American politics and American democracy within a broader, comparative context. The history of democracy in both Poland and the US demonstrates that although greater inclusion and the broadening of democracy is possible, the future remains contingent.

After completing my Fulbright grant I would like to:

I would love to continue my collegial and academic relationships with my colleagues and students in Poland, and continue to develop institutions that would allow for deeper understanding of our shared interests and political systems.