Graduate Writing Fellow
Contact
mdbarber@bu.edu
Education
2023 M.A. Boston University (History)
2020 B.A. William & Mary (History and Public Policy)
Classes taught
Meredith is currently teaching “Classroom Wars,” a course that explores several controversies regarding public school curricula, including battles over teaching religion, sex education, Civil War history, and African American history. She has previously taught courses in U.S. History and African American History.
Biography
Meredith Barber is a Ph.D. candidate in History at Boston University and a Graduate Writing Fellow. Her teaching is rooted in historical inquiry, and her classes bring forward primary sources from historically underrepresented voices to challenge “great man” history narratives. Meredith’s research is situated at the intersection of the history of education, African American intellectual history, and historical memory. She is particularly interested in the ways teachers engaged with the state during the Jim Crow era in upper South states like Virginia. Prior to her doctoral studies, Meredith worked at a number of public history sites including Monticello, Old Town Alexandria, William & Mary, and the Boston Athenaeum. Her experience working with educators in history teaching workshops at these sites inspired her to research the ways that history teachers have navigated state curriculum control and challenged dominant history narratives in the past. Through her research and teaching, she hopes to shed light on the ways Americans have grappled with the politics of teaching history in the past. When she is not in the classroom or archive, Meredith is a middle-distance track runner, enjoys cooking, and volunteers at her local animal shelter. She is always delighted to talk track & field or see a picture of your pet.