My most recent publications have focused on the experiences of African children 和 adults in the mid-19th century suppression of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. 超过250,000非洲人, described as “Liberated” or “Recaptured” Africans were intercepted 和 freed from illegal slavers by naval patrols. 我的书 Recaptured Africans: Surviving Slave Ships, 拘留, 和 Dislocation in the Final Years of the Slave Trade, examined a relatively small number of these recaptives who came into U.S. 19世纪50年代的监护权.Even after their so-called “liberation” many recaptives faced difficult conditions in forced migration, 拘留营, 以及剥削性的劳动安排, implemented through colonial racist policies. While the American public is somewhat familiar with Black post-emancipation struggles in the U.S. 内战之后, this is a 历史 of global post-emancipation that is not well enough known beyond scholarly circles.
2019年12月, I had the opportunity to join an international conference on “Postcoloniality 和 Forced Migration” at the University of Aalborg in Denmark that brought together contemporary refugee studies scholars with historians studying the diaspora of Liberated Africans. We are now working to bring the scholarship from that conference to publication. This collaboration has deepened my underst和ing about how some of the practices 和 rhetorics governing refugee policy today, have roots in the 19-century slave trade suppression era.
How do you incorporate your own research into your classes?
“妇女与社区卫生” course (cross-listed in 历史 和 黑人研究) grew out of my first book 有效疗法:治愈; Health, 和 Power on Antebellum Slave Plantations. Building on my research interests in the 历史 of Black women’s health 和 healing, this course explores how ideologies of gender, 比赛, class, 和 sexuality have shaped women’s relationship to community health as both caregivers 和 health-seekers. 在西方的支持下 社区学习中心, students in this class have had the opportunity to participate in meaningful community partnerships with the Southern California 图书馆 和 reproductive justice organizations like Black Women for 健康 和 California Latinas for Reproductive 正义.
What has been one of the proudest moments you’ve had with your students?
In 2016, twenty Occidental students in the “妇女与社区卫生” class helped to archive the organizational records of Black Women for 健康 和 California Latinas for Reproductive 正义. With guidance from Occidental 图书馆’s 特殊的集合 archivists, students documented 和 created finding aids for the organizations’ records. We then transferred boxes of records for permanent safe-keeping at the Southern California 图书馆 in south 洛杉矶, where they are accessible to researchers, 积极分子, 社区成员. We were humbled that these organizations trusted us to work with their records. Students made presentations on the archiving process that featured key documents 和 images from the organization histories. I was so proud of the polished 和 respectful presentations that students from this class made to a monthly breakfast meeting of Black Women for 健康 (“Sisters at Eight”) 和 to a board meeting of California Latinas for Reproductive 正义 (in both Spanish 和 English).
I have relished the opportunity to incorporate 洛杉矶 community organizations, 博物馆, 和 performance spaces into my courses.”
氧的L是多少.A. location influence or inform your teaching 和 research?
Our location in 洛杉矶 encourages Occidental faculty to think about how our teaching can reach beyond the walls of the classroom. I have relished the opportunity to incorporate 洛杉矶 community organizations, 博物馆, 和 performance spaces into my courses. One notable field trip with first-year students in my “Remembering Slavery” cultural studies seminar was to a performance of August Wilson’s 海洋宝石 at the Mark Taper Theater in downtown 洛杉矶. As we strolled back to the parking lot after an incredible performance, Phylicia Rashad (who played Aunt Ester) came out of the back door of the theater just as we were passing by. An excited group of students got to speak with her 和 ask for her autograph!
What are you doing when you’re not teaching or researching?
I’m a voracious listener 和 reader of novels. Two recent favorites are Bernardine Evaristo’s 女孩，女人，其他人 还有杰斯明·沃德的 唱吧，未埋葬的，唱吧. However, I also like to get outdoors 和 clear my head. One beautiful place to do this is the 马里布鸟类保护区, full of flocks of California Brown Pelicans 和 regal Great Blue Herons.
费特教授的课程
文化研究课程(CSP):
Slavery’s Witnesses, Slavery’s Legacies
Emancipation: Black Freedom in the Making
历史/黑人研究:
嘘. 第101课:美国文化与社会
嘘. 206: U.S. 女人的历史
嘘. 277 .妇女和社区保健
嘘. 309:奴隶制和南北战争前的南方
嘘. 312: Race, Rights, Revolution in the Atlantic World
嘘. 300: Junior Colloquium: Interpreting Civil War, Emancipation, 和 Reconstruction in U.S. 历史
嘘. 490 Senior Seminar -- 历史 Comprehensive Thesis