Award-winning educator, author, and scholar
Associate Professor of English and African American Studies at Penn State University
Co-director of the Center for Black Digital Research/#DigBlk
Faculty Director of the Black Women’s Organizing Archive
As a literary scholar focused on Black intellectual history, I am committed to working in collaborative partnerships to recover the lost and buried stories of Black intellectuals, activists, and cultural workers—the stories of courageous and inspiring individuals who challenged a nation to live up to its professed ideals. Drawn to stories about how African Americans have navigated the tight spaces of race and gender, my teaching, writing, and individual and collaborative work centers and celebrates Black women who blazed a path for future generations.
Read my most recent article in the Washington Post: “How a Black Female Head of a Top DC School was ‘Punished for Leading’”
Now Available!
The Portable Anna Julia Cooper
A Penguin Classic
“Paperbacks to Read This Week” –NY Times
“Most Anticipated Reads of 2022” –Ms. Magazine
“Anna Julia Cooper…is poised for a revival. This volume will send her on her way.” –NY Journal of Books
“Best Historical Materials Published in 2022 and 2023," -American Library Association
A collection of essential writings from the iconic foremother of Black women’s intellectual history, feminism, and activism, who helped pave the way for modern social justice movements like Black Lives Matter and Say Her Name.
