About Me

I am a Professor of History at Stephen F. Austin State University, where I teach courses in American cultural history. I am currently writing a book on the cultural legacy of Nathan Bedford Forrest. I am also the author of Cuttin’ Up: How Early Jazz Got America’s Ear (Univ. Press of Kansas).

I am accepting speaking engagements and freelance writing opportunities on Nathan Bedford Forrest (especially his public memory) as well as on Civil War memorialization more broadly defined.

CV on request.

About forrest

Nathan Bedford Forrest (1821-1877) was a slave trader, Confederate general, and early leader of the Ku Klux Klan. Controversial in life, Forrest’s public image after his death continues to generate discord and disagreement. Statues in Memphis and Nashville served as overt reminders of his legacy, and their removal (Memphis in 2017, Nashville in 2021) underscores the discord central to his public image. My work contextualizes his public memory within the framework of southern history, urban space, and the impact of race and racism on the construction of Civil War Memory.