As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4, 2026, Florida State University (FSU) has announced that faculty experts from its College of Arts and Sciences are available to provide insights and analysis for media coverage related to this milestone. The semiquincentennial marks a commemoration of America’s history since the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Faculty members from FSU’s Departments of History, English, and Religion have been highlighted for their expertise in various areas connected to American history and culture. Many have recently received external grants and fellowships recognizing their research.
Maxine Montgomery, Robert O. Lawton Professor of English, specializes in African American fiction and contemporary Black women’s novels, with a focus on major figures such as Toni Morrison and Gloria Naylor. Her work explores the development and achievements of African American literature within the context of U.S. history.
Rebecca McWilliams Ojala Ballard and Alison Sperling, both assistant professors of English, concentrate on 20th- and 21st-century U.S. literature with emphases on environmental humanities, ecocriticism, science fiction, and how these literary forms address environmental concerns.
Andrew Epstein, professor of English, is noted for his research into the influence of thinkers like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau as well as pragmatist philosophers William James and John Dewey on modern American literature. Epstein also studies Cold War literature and culture.
In popular culture studies, Barry Faulk examines intersections between modern literature and music—including work on Bob Dylan—while David Kirby writes about American roots music history. Leigh Edwards focuses on country music figures like Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton as well as television and film studies.
Paul Renfro examines childhood, family values, and public policy in recent U.S. history; Michael Creswell is an expert on Cold War politics; Katherine Mooney researches citizenship’s cultural history; John Mac Kilgore focuses on early American literature including Walt Whitman; Mercedes “Sadie” Haigler analyzes gender roles in early American political culture; Diane Roberts writes about Southern culture; Kathleen Powers Conti consults nationally on historic preservation; Anasa Hicks specializes in Caribbean labor movements; Aubrey Lauersdorf researches Native South borderlands; Pamela Robbins links pop culture with historical study; Jennifer Koslow works in public health history projects tied to community engagement; Sonia Hazard covers religion during America’s founding period; Rafe Blaufarb studies Revolutionary France’s impact globally; Ronald Doel teaches science/technology innovation history; Andrew Frank leads FSU’s Native American Studies Center with expertise in Seminole history; Kurt Piehler directs research into World War II experiences.
These faculty are available for interviews to provide context or commentary relevant to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
