Leadership 2016–2021
The center derives its vision from the Scarlet and Black research project, which began with a deep dive into the historical connections between slavery and the university. From 2016 to 2021, the Scarlet and Black project was co-directed by Deborah Gray White, Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of History, and Marisa Fuentes, Presidential Term Chair in African American History. The project produced a three-volume publication that laid the cornerstone for the creation of the Scarlet and Black Research Center.
History of Scarlet and Black at Rutgers—learn more about the roots and development of Scarlet and Black.
Past Scarlet and Black Postdocs
Adam Biggs, 2022-2023 Scarlet and Black Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. Biggs is now an Assistant Professor at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Khemani Gibson, 2021-2023 Scarlet and Black Postdoctoral Fellow.
Tracey Johnson, 2021-2022 Scarlet and Black Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. Johnson is now an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Georgia.
Alexandria Russell, 2019-2021 Scarlet and Black Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. Russell is now the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Curator at Boston Symphony Orchestra and a W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute Fellow at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African and African American Research.
Miya Carey, 2018-2019 Scarlet and Black Postdoctoral Associate and co-editor for Volume 3. Dr. Carey is now an Assistant Professor of History at Loyola University Maryland.
Kendra Boyd, 2017-2018 Scarlet and Black Postdoctoral Associate and co-editor for Volume 2. Dr. Boyd is now an Assistant Professor of History at Rutgers University–Camden.
Graduate Research Assistants
Since 2021, our graduate research assistant team at the Scarlet and Black Research Center included doctoral students Adam Xavier McNeil, Ashley Council, A. J. Boyd, Sarah Coffman, and Gwen Fowler.
Scarlet and Black Digital Archive Contributors
During their time as doctoral candidates in the history department at Rutgers–New Brunswick, Beatrice J. Adams, Tracey Johnson, Brenann Sutter, Pamela Walker, and Caitlin Wiesner contributed to digital collections and exhibits related to our Scarlet and Black books.
Contributors to the Scarlet and Black Books
Camila Townsend, Distinguished Professor of History, contributed a chapter about the intersecting histories of Rutgers University and the Lenni Lenape to Scarlet and Black, Volume 1. Her undergraduate students assisted in researching and writing this important foundational chapter in Rutgers history.
Most of the essays in our three books were written by doctoral researchers, and Professor Deborah Gray White’s undergraduate students also contributed to Scarlet and Black, Volume 3. For the complete list of authors and the chapters they contributed, see our Books page.
Public History Program Contributors
Students in the Public History Program contributed to the digital archive and walking tours associated with the Scarlet and Black Project.
Undergraduate students in Jesse Bayker’s Digital History course contributed content to our digital exhibits and the Rutgers and Slavery Timeline and edited Wikipedia articles to address slavery in Rutgers and New Brunswick history.
- Digital history student contributors are Michael Collado, Christian Courtney, Rachel Diroll-Zack, Dante Intindola, Kathryn Mannoia, Sid Mehta, Ryan Moorhouse, Andrew Nester, Colleen Nester, Timothy O’Donnell, Khaled Reza, Jenny Schneider, Manan Shah, Adam Sofio, Courtney Stevenson, June Titus, Daniel Venetsky, and Joseph Westendorf.
Coordinator of Public History Kristin O’Brassill-Kulfan contributed to the historical markers for campus landmarks and has worked with undergraduate students to develop campus walking tours and then translate tours and exhibits into digital content. Several graduate students also contributed to this work.
- Adelina Begu, Tasnim Bhuiya, Carson Cummins, Tyler Johnson, Brooke Lockwood, Anjelica Matcho, Katherine Mitchell, Shania Pierre, Alexander Rosado-Torres, Jomaira Salas Pujols, June Titus, Andrea Vacchiano, and David Vinarov worked to develop the walking tours, ran focus groups for feedback, and led tours for hundreds of people.
- Frankie Aguilar, Carson Cummins, Anjelica Matcho, and Dara Walker worked to develop a mobile app together with students from RUMAD (Rutgers Mobile App Development Club) and support from the Rutgers 250 Office.
Campus and Community Partners
Rutgers University Libraries
Erika Gorder, University Archivist, and Tom Frusciano, University Archivist Emeritus, have guided us through the maze of archival materials at Special Collections and University Archives.
Zara Wilkinson and Julie Still at the Paul Robeson Library helped us gather materials related to Rutgers–Camden.
Digital Humanities Librarian Francesca Giannetti has supported our collaborative DH work with the On These Grounds project.
Mount Zion AME Church
Barbara Saunders, the history coordinator at the Mount Zion AME Church of New Brunswick has generously contributed her time and wisdom, enabling us to create a digital collection of Alice Jennings Archibald History Library Records. We are deeply grateful to her.