American Popular Music, Whiteness Studies, Identity and Musical Agency, Blackface Minstrelsy, Guitar Performance
With a background in the disciplines of history, ethnomusicology, and performance, Graham’s work is concerned with the formations of systemic white supremacy in the United States as represented through popular culture. Graham is an accomplished guitarist and his research has intersected with areas of sound studies, remix studies, critical race theory, and popular music studies. Graham’s specific research interests emphasize the racialized legacy of blackface minstrelsy in popular music as well tracing American popular song as an ethnic marker. Completing his Masters in 2019, Graham’s work emphasized the white framing of hip-hop as malevolent and corrupting by far-right talking heads on networks such as Fox News. Continuing his education and research at Boston University, Graham is working towards building a network of interdisciplinary studies surrounding the fields of popular music and critical race theory. Graham’s research has been presented at national conferences, including the Society for American Music and the Society for Ethnomusicology.