I regularly give presentations at academic conferences such as the Modern Language Association, the American Studies Association, and the Society for the Study of Southern Literature. I also deliver public talks and coordinate public seminars. Here is a selection of my most recent presentations. For more, see my CV.
The Tacky South in Mississippi
Talks at the University of Mississippi’s Center for the Study of Southern Culture and Delta State University in February 2024.
“Locating Slavery’s Legacies” at the Atlanta History Center, April 2023
In April 2023 I was invited by Sewanee College to facilitate a teach-in at the Atlanta History Center featuring the database project, “Locating Slavery’s Legacies.” The workshop drew participants from institutions across the Southeast and opened with a plenary session featuring David Blight and Natasha Trethewey. The project is funded through the Council of Independent College’s long-term project, “The Legacies of American Slavery.”
The Tacky South at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History
I discussed The Tacky South with my co-editor, Monica Carol Miller, at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in March 2023.
The Tacky South at the Southern Festival of Books 2022
Podcast Interview on “The Tacky South” with the New Books Podcast Network
The Tacky South Author Talk on June 23, 2022
“Out Loud: Engaging LGBTQ+ Student Populations”
I presented a session at the 2021 SACSCOC Convention titled, “Out Loud: Engaging LGBTQ+ Student Populations.” The talk was in collaboration with colleagues at Tennessee State University (Dr. Jill Anderson) and highlighted ways to harness student interest to create more inclusive spaces on university campuses.
“Let’s Get Graphic”
Using Kyle Baker’s 2006 graphic novel, Nat Turner, this talk for the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s 2017 literary festival addressed what graphic narratives can do that other forms of literature and art can't. With the example of Baker's novel, I discussed how graphic narrative provides a unique way for readers to engage with the history of slavery.
Comics Sunday Salon
The salon was an informal conversation about comics, graphic narratives, and sequential art techniques in various forms. Part of the “Sunday Salon” series hosted by The Bookshop in Nashville, TN.
